Virtual bodysuits can be used in training for hazardous environments: Next Frontier Corp. believes in technology for training, mine safety.

• Date: 01 September 2019
• Author: Gillis, Len

A couple of entrepreneurs in Cochrane have partnered up with a company based in France to provide training opportunities to the mining industry using virtual reality (VR) sight devices combined with VR bodysuits.

Next Frontier Corp.--led by CEO Jason Michaud and chief technology officer Jawad El Houssine--is working to sell the mining industry on the idea of using the technology to create virtual scenarios for training employees to work in hostile environments and on virtual mining equipment. The company has been demonstrating the VR devices at tradeshows, schools and mining companies in northeastern Ontario.

"So, basically, we are utilizing virtual reality to simulate training in the mining industry and we can cater to any scenario, recreating it in the 3D environment where you can do it with the headset," Michaud said.

"But we can combine it with haptic suit technologies where you're able to simulate the whole body experience."

Haptics is described as the ability to provide the sense of...