Training the easy way at CLP

IT is a long way from the holo-deck of the Starship Enterprise but virtual reality technology is only months away from becoming a daily exercise in the training rooms of Hong Kong's China Light and Power.

Graduate engineers cutting their career teeth at the territory's largest power company are set to benefit from a year-long virtual reality development programme being conducted by the electricity giant in tandem with computer experts from the Chinese University.

'We want to give our graduate engineers the most up to date training possible,' said CLP engineer Joseph Lai.

'And while we won't be abandoning traditional training methods, the work we are doing with the Chinese University will allow our young graduates to learn the operation of our transformer systems by training on a model simulated by virtual reality software.' The software will provide virtual reality simulation of the moving parts of 20 transformer switch gears and is expected to completed early next year.

The graduate, wearing 3-D glasses and using a 3-D mouse, will be able to study 20 switch gear operations without moving from the comfort and safety of the computer training room.

'We don't intend virtual reality training to replace traditional class, model and video teaching methods,' Mr Lai said.