1. Schematic diagram showing inputs and modules of iDROP software.
iDROP, a Promising Virtual Reality Tool to Assist Operations in Nuclear Facilities
C. CHABAL, V. PERROT
CEA
ID: 263
ABSTRACT
OUTCOME
For the past 10 years, the CEA has been developing iDROP, a VR based software, which offers a support to prepare scenarios, optimize studies, and train future workers.
iDROP provides interactive modules, enabling intervention simulations in nuclear environments and including a full-scale 3D user experience.
BETTER UNDERSTANDING
iDROP makes it possible to "live" the project even before it is built and to visualize the volumes that compose it. It becomes a decision-making asset. Very quickly, VR can highlight implementation issues, such as interference problems between the environment and equipment OR congestion issues.
PREPARE OPERATIONS
Validating the feasibility of operations becomes very easy. It is possible to test very quickly one or more alternatives and to find the optimal scenario. Simulating operations makes it possible to make future interventions more reliable.
IMPROVED SECURITY AND SAFETY
Intervention environments are sometimes very sensitive for the worker. The exact location of the information and the precise "in situ" detail of the risk areas allow increased vigilance limiting accidents. With iDROP, interventions on elements with radiological characteristics for the worker are secured thanks to the identification of the elements on which to intervene.
SERIOUS GAME-BASED TRAINING
VR offers a more friendly-user pedagogic means. By recreating situations that are rarely repeatable or impossible to simulate in real conditions, the trainee performs the right actions at the right time. The scenarios are fully customizable and allow a multitude of possibilities.
ASSIST INTERVENTIONS
Having a digital twin from a facility is now possible. Thanks to iDROP, the digital twin contains not only the up-to-date 3D model of all equipment in place, but also other data, such as dosimetry, material composition, temperature ... As the interventions proceed, the digital twin is updated, and is a faithful image of the facility, used to monitor the operations.
BACKGROUND
iDROP provides a unified framework to investigate the main technical issues:
The physics module solves classical mechanics problems (collisions, failing bodies, forces, dynamics) in a realistic way.
The robotics module simulates kinematics (degrees of freedom, joints and end stops) and includes a library of the main industrial robots and tools.
The virtual human module reproduces the multi-body dynamics of human systems and their geometric interactions with the environment.
The dose rate module, based on MERCURE 6.3 code (straight-line attenuation method with build-up), estimates the gamma dose rate received at any point in the environment in real-time.
The immersive module enables the simulation to be connected to VR devices (VR room, immersive headsets, force feedback interfaces…).
Schematic diagram showing inputs and modules of iDROP software.
IMPLEMENTATION
IMPORT 3D MODEL
Any CAD/3D model of the facility to be studied can be imported.
CONFIGURE DATA
Specific properties are added to some objects:
Radiological information: 3D objects, which generate gamma radiation (source terms), are defined with gamma spectrum type (energy group, energy ray or radioelement), activity (ies) and volume mesh adapted to the source shape. All the objects, acting as radiation shields, have a material property. Calculation points can be added on any 3D object.
Physical information: mechanical properties (weight, friction, inertia, mobile or fixed…) can be added on 3D objects to improve realism.
LIVE A 3D EXPERIENCE
Through iDROP simulation, user can live an interactive 3D experience, where they can explore the real rooms, understand the equipment, see the radioactivity evolved, and interact with the simulation...
Photographs of users during an iDROP simulation, testing interactive remote handling scenario trough 3D immersion and force feedback (picture on left), and visualizing radiological data (picture on right) in the CEA VR simulation room.
CONCLUSION
VR simulation has the huge advantage of placing the users at the center of the operations to be performed. Thus, the users live an interactive experience in real-time where they perform the upcoming operations, almost completely with a sensory rendering (visual, tactile and sound), very close to reality.
iDROP provides a VR platform to check and optimize the feasibility of the planned operations, calculate dose rates received by workers, train workers and monitor interventions…
iDROP simulation has contributed to improving scenarios design and ensure the operations reliability, which opens up new perspectives for nuclear operations.
Bear in mind and try to generate linkages between your outcome and three objective of the Symposium.
Innovate: Generate and explore new ideas on methods and technologies to aid the work of the Department, ‘crowdsourcing’ the collective expertise of the participants.
Partner: Mobilize partnerships to further explore the generated ideas and support the needs identified in the Department’s R&D Plan
Improve: Engage the safeguards community to identify ways to work smarter together in daily implementation, addressing both challenges and opportunities.