Russia Rolls Out VR Training to Boost Industrial Safety

Engineers in Russia have built a virtual reality system that lets factory workers practice emergency scenarios without risking injuries or costly equipment damage.

A team at the Advanced Engineering School of Yaroslav the Wise Novgorod State University has unveiled a suite of VR simulators designed for industrial training. The system replicates the physics of real processes at a specific plant. Workers slip on a headset, choose a scenario, and repeatedly run through incidents that would otherwise be too dangerous — or too expensive — to stage in real life.

Every move is logged. When the simulation ends, the software generates a detailed report highlighting mistakes and showing their consequences in vivid detail. The idea is to turn errors into learning opportunities while making the lessons stick.

The project isn’t just about safety. By replacing training grounds, expensive consumables, and production line shutdowns, companies can cut costs and standardize training across branches. For a country with vast and aging industrial infrastructure, the promise of a “virtual workshop” could be more than just a teaching tool — it may be a way to future-proof workplace safety.