WVU students test AR systems designed to provide safety trainings for miners.
than $ 173,500 from the U. S. Department of Labor Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants Program, which honors the victims of mine disasters in Brookwood, AL, and Tallmansville, WV.
Tuncay, assistant professor at the WVU Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, says in West Virginia, powered haulage has been the top cause of fatal mining accidents for a decade.
“ West Virginia has experienced an average of nearly four fatalities per year over the past 10 years, the highest rate nationally,” he says.“ We need a way to train operators and mine personnel in scenarios that would be dangerous or impossible to replicate in the real world.”
AR seamlessly integrates 3D digital content into real-world environments, so trainees can virtually interact with mobile equipment, observe blind spots and practice responding to hazards in a highly controlled, risk-free setting.
Tuncay says even though the age demographic of the mining industry is getting older, with more than half of U. S. miners now over 45, in most serious accidents caused by powered haulage, the victim has less than a year of total job experience. AR’ s ability to visualize complex environments is ideal for miners who are still developing situational awareness and mastering safety protocols.
“ AR’ s accessibility is growing as the hardware costs drop, and it’ s going to be an integral part of the future of education and training,” he says.“ There’ s already promising evidence from industries like manufacturing that augmented and virtual reality systems boost training efficiency and safety outcomes.”
Cybersecurity Initiatives at Mountwest Community & Technical College
Mountwest Community & Technical College was recently recognized as a National Academic Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense( CAE-CD) for the Associate of Applied Science degree program, Network and Cloud Systems Administration.
The CAE-CD honor is awarded to regionally accredited institutions offering cybersecurity programs. To achieve this recognition, the program had to meet rigorous standards set by the National Security Agency( NSA), demonstrating excellence in curriculum design, faculty expertise and commitment to preparing students for careers in the critical and growing field of cyber defense.
Mountwest is the second community college in West Virginia to receive this esteemed designation. This achievement will not only attract more students to the program but enhance marketability, expand funding opportunities and ensure graduates are well-equipped to meet the needs of the cybersecurity industry.
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