Immersive learning in agriculture: XR design of robotic milk production processes

Résumé

During the confinement of COVID-19, learning about virtual and augmented reality grew exponentially; universities were the accelerators of this knowledge. Distance learning was the trigger to consolidate emerging technologies in education and professional life, including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Given the rising interest in virtual simulations, this paper targets authentic design challenges and how distributed collaboration may enhance the immersive learning potential by utilizing network resource efficiency. According to the Institute for the Future of Education of the Tecnológico de Monterrey, in the Tec21 educational model, the most important part is the challenge, which is defined as a problematic situation posed by the partner trainer, and when analyzed, a problem is defined by mutual agreement. The project is defined on this problem. One of our most essential training partners is CAETEC (Campo Agropecuario Experimental del Tec de Monterrey), where we carry out different challenges ranging from precision agriculture, data science, experiment design, and forecasting, among others. Despite being one of the largest laboratories of the Tecnológico de Monterrey, there are different restrictions to be able to bring whole groups to its facilities, so within the institutional projects, they are creating a virtual plant, in this case, a virtual experimental agricultural laboratory, and one of the first modules is the robotic milk production process. The robot that is being used is manufactured by DeLaval. The term robotic milking system refers not only to the use of an articulated hydraulic arm but also to the concept of global automation of an installation and to the voluntary assistance of the cows. to the robotic milking module, they were also known as ""AMS"" for its acronym in English: Automatic Milking System. To do the 3D modeling for this robot, it is necessary to work with the former partner, whose headquarters are in Sweden, through a collaboration agreement between universities that pursue the same educational purpose. We will work with the Project Department of the University of Mälardalen, where the Tec de Monterrey Campus Querétaro will do the 3D modeling of the external and visible part of the Robot, and the University of Mälardalen will do the 3D digitization of the internal components. The design of the VR lessons will allow us to explore best practices through data recording and user behavior, both students, CAETEC employees, and the robot manufacturer, DeLaval, to explore better processes aimed at industry 5.0. , where we will collaborate with the University of Mondragon to find the best way to operate this robot and be the beginning of joint research that helps the industry. This research is the result of joint work between three educational institutions, with a multicultural and multidisciplinary project approach.