Immersive training is revolutionizing workplaces by addressing the demand for efficient upskilling. By leveraging XR training solutions available to businesses today, companies can save time, money, and worker risk by creating virtual immersive learning procedures that mirror on-site experiences.
Then, when workers do enter a working location, they are ready to tackle anything that may occur thanks to knowledge gained from an immersive training platform, anything from muscle-memory tasks to customer service and workplace conversational skills.
A notable example of where virtual training is picking up steam is the rail sector.
Worldwide railways require a profound technical and managerial understanding, which varies deeply depending on the role, to keep services running without interruption.
The leading expert in 3D-driven enterprise software as a service Virtualware, for example, recently won a coveted Brandon Hall Group Bronze award for excellence in the Best Advance in Augmented and Virtual Reality category for its work integrating immersive training modules for ADIF rail professionals. ADIF is a public company within the Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility and the Urban Agenda, playing a leading role as a catalyst for the Spanish railway sector.
The award shows how Virtualware and ADIF innovated in deploying professional training exercises via the duo’s Railway Infrastructure Training Simulator (RITS), which Virtualware designed for ADIF training in railway infrastructure operation and maintenance.
RITS joins Virtualware’s illustrious roster of award-winning enterprise solutions powered by 3D technology, created for international organizations such as GE Vernova or the Spanish Ministry of Defense.
Speaking on the Brandon Hall Group award, the group’s COO and leader of the Excellence Awards program, Rachel Cooke noted how the Excellence in Technology Awards continues to “showcase the best innovations in learning, talent management, talent acquisition, HR, workforce management, and sales enablement technologies,” putting Virtualware at the centre of workplace technologies that are revolutionising interdepartmental productivity and efficiency; reflecting “the ever-evolving landscape of technology solutions,” Cooke added.
Virtualware and ADIF’s Railway Infrastructure Training Simulator (RITS)
Since 2016, VR has enriched ADIF’s classroom training experience with promising results, but challenges like lengthy production cycles, lack of collaborative exercises, and limited system integration have hindered its potential. To address these issues, Adif and Virtualware created a VR railway simulation solution. Powered by Virtualware’s enterprise XR platform VIROO, it is based on a new holistic and systemic approach focusing on the full training lifecycle to deliver tailored, interactive experiences for technical and operational tasks, paving the way for the next generation of railway training.
The Railway Infrastructure Training Simulator (RITS) is made up of several software and hardware components. It covers the entire training process, from the creation of virtual reality training modules to their execution by students and subsequent evaluation by instructors.
The VR simulation platform comprises multiple components tailored to meet the needs of various user profiles, including provider entities, instructors, and other stakeholders. The process begins with provider entities creating content, which instructors can incorporate into exercises for engaging student experiences. Central to this process is the Content Builder, a robust tool that supports the creation and editing of training modules. It also generates the Virtual Railway World, a realistic 3D operational environment that mirrors the physical, logical, and procedural dynamics of an actual railway system.
Instructors further enhance training using the Exercise Builder, an authoring tool that combines compiled training modules with multimedia resources such as images, videos, texts, and 3D models. This tool offers flexibility, allowing instructors to select elements to include in an exercise and determine their sequence. Once exercises are prepared, the Session Manager comes into play. This application enables instructors to assign exercises to students, schedule training sessions, and set active durations, ensuring an organized and immersive learning experience tailored to real-world railway operations.
Once the session has been created, students must access the Player to complete the practice assigned by the instructor. The practice can be conducted in several formats: on a computer, using VR glasses, or within a virtual reality room like the multi-user 120-square-meter immersive training space at the Valencia Technology Training Centre in Spain.
Instructors can also access the Player to guide students during training and configure specific variables. Additionally, they can use the Session Manager to monitor the session’s status and evaluate the trainees once the session concludes, thus completing the entire training process.
“This project is transforming how railway professionals are trained by combining technology with practical learning” remarked Unai Extremo, CEO of Virtualware.
The next version of the VR railway simulation platform will focus on significant enhancements to improve usability and functionality. Planned updates include advanced authoring tools for instructors to configure railway-specific circuits and customized layout templates for various job profiles such as drivers, yard foremen, inspectors, technicians, and supervisors.
The solution’s modular architecture and cloud deployment ensure flexibility and scalability, making it adaptable to the needs of railway authorities, operators, and industries worldwide. This approach also opens opportunities for international collaboration in the development of VR railway training content, paving the way for a unified and future-ready training ecosystem.
Featured at the Autumn Event of the Talent & Expertise Development Platform, hosted by the International Union of Railways.
The Talent Expertise Development Platform (TEDP) held its Autumn Event on 29–30 October 2024 in Valencia, Spain, hosted by ADIF’s Technological Training Centre (ATTC). This gathering of railway training leaders and experts explored innovative solutions shaping the future of railway training.
Participants visited ADIF’s state-of-the-art training facilities and experienced the Railway Infrastructure Training Simulator (RITS) firsthand, showcasing ADIF’s integration of cutting-edge technologies for professional training.
RITS will also be featured at the 7th World Congress on Railway Training in April 2025, underlining its global impact and potential for transforming railway education.
