Exploiting VR and AR Technologies in Education and Training to Inclusive Robotics

Abstract

Nowadays, robotics applications are no more limited to industrial rigid production cells or research laboratories and are spreading in several domains in which interaction with humans is required. In this context, educating professionals, workers, and students in the use and understanding of robotic systems is paramount to ensure the social acceptance and uptake of interactive robots. At the same time, the request for innovative training and teaching methodologies is growing, and virtual and augmented reality technologies as educational tools are gaining the attention of public institutions, companies, and healthcare facilities. In this paper, we focus on how VR/AR technologies can be exploited to teach robotics and to train in the use of specific robot platforms, providing a review of the available resources and discussing their advantages and disadvantages in the “inclusive robotics” perspective.