A Framework for Virtual Prototyping-Based Design of Operator Support System for Construction Equipment

Improper design of construction equipment operator support systems can lead to the erosion of operators’ trust and ultimately failed adoption. Because keeping the end users in the development process is time-consuming and costly, this is seldom done. To address this issue, a new virtual reality-based framework is proposed in this study. In this framework, designers of the operator guidance system utilize a Virtual Prototyping (VP) platform of the guidance system to receive feedback from the end-users. VP platform allows end-users to have an immersive experience with the front-end system and provide feedback without requiring the designers to make a substantial investment in the design of the back-end structure. This framework is applied to a case of a compaction guidance system. It is demonstrated that VR simulators are able to serve as a technology assessment platform that allows end-users to open transparent and substantive dialogues about the system with the designers.