MIT researchers led by Hermano Krebs developed a new excavator training interface called the World-Space Interface, which replaces traditional joysticks with a mechanical arm resembling the excavator's own arm and bucket. Paired with an immersive six-screen virtual simulation, the device lets operators mimic digging motions directly rather than learning the mental mapping joysticks require. In a week-long study across 15 virtual excavation environments, novices using the new interface performed as well as experts from day one, while joystick-trained novices remained behind experts even after training. The work, done with Sumitomo Heavy Industries, was published in the Journal of Computing and Civil Engineering, and the team is now adding haptic feedback to the arm.
