The scientists from South Ural State University are developing and manufacturing innovative educational and laboratory equipment, as well as software using 3D technologies. Using virtual educational equipment means that it is less expensive and more efficient to train top-ranked specialists.
The contemporary innovative education policy more and more demands the requirement to implement virtual computer-based simulators and complexes. The virtual innovations by the SUSU scientists are used in economic sectors such as construction and housing, public utilities, ecology, oil-and-gas, chemistry, engineering, shipbuilding, aviation and space exploration, military sector, food technologies, and many others.
“SUSU has been supplying educational equipment and software to thousands of customers from all over the world for a number of years already. We are designing innovative educational and laboratory equipment, research-and-development complexes, training simulators, computer-based simulators, emulators and simulators using 3D technologies, as well as virtual reality ‘sensors,’” says the Head of the Virtual Software Complexes Department at the SUSU LLC Uctech-Profi Gleb Zhbankov. “It is these innovations that help to develop competent specialists meeting the demands of the modern labor market, and help to solve research-and-development tasks.”
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A virtual stand is specialized software featuring three-dimension models and control boards analogous to the actual equipment, which help better demonstrate the principles of operation of equipment parts and units and also provide the possibility of monitoring and changing the parameters of the main elements, imitating failures and deviations of the parameters from the default ones. Simulators and emulators allow the retrofitting of material-and-technical base and quality upgrade of courseware, thus moving the training process in the priority fields of science, technology and engineering development to an entirely new level.
“Virtual stands are a replacement for expensive equipment. They may feature any equipment models: from small laboratory installations to whole production lines and workshops! Our simulators allow a step-by-step study of all the work processes, the internal and external structures due to simulation of work, as well as the results in the form of the obtained knowledge. Moreover, each simulator is provided with a support system and reference manuals,” explains Mr. Zhbankov.
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Virtual stands can deal with three-dimension demonstrations, cross-sections and animated models of equipment. Physically correct imaging, simulation of burning, flowing of liquids and gas processes – all these processes may be demonstrated using these simulators. Each stand is supported through virtual reality. Using real-time special controllers, both effects, and reactions to the effects in virtual three-dimension objects can be simulated.
The system of distance learning using up-to-date means of communication allows for an individual schedule and taking training online in any place at any convenient time.
“Our main customers who order the equipment are institutions of higher education, technical schools and colleges, vocational and training schools, and training centers based at industrial enterprises. The geography of supplies of our equipment and software complexes is wide: from Kaliningrad to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Russia, to Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey. Currently we are holding negotiations with partners from Iran and Egypt.”
The scientists of this major Russian university are planning to adapt their products for international competitions on professional skills under the standards of WorldSkills, as well as for Quantoriums and ABilimpics projects (analogues of WorldSkills for people with disabilities), to expand the technology and equipment around “sensor reality” (in particular for virtual reality helmets), and many other innovations, as well as to approach the education markets of Iran, the countries of Africa, South America, Europe and South Asia.