Multi-agent based modeling and simulation of virtual maintenance system

The real-time interaction between the user and virtual environment is now possible thanks to immersive virtual maintenance system, which greatly facilitates the maintainability design. At present, the methods to drive objects in virtual environment are mostly based on pose recognition, multi sensor or force, whose accuracy is not high enough, efficiency low and interaction unnatural. The development of Multi-Agent System (MAS) enlightened a new idea to achieve deep interaction of virtual maintenance. In this paper, we focus on the modeling and simulation of virtual maintenance by using multi-agent technology. Firstly, the framework of Multi-agent based virtual maintenance simulation system (MVMSS) is designed. Then virtual human, maintenance tools and device can be regarded as different agents and these agents are modeled with similar structures and the behavior selection mechanism for maintenance tools agents are presented. In order to demonstrate the feasibility and advantages of MVMSS, a maintenance case is simulated based on the proposed system and the traditional system respectively. The result shows that the MVMSS could achieve more natural, efficient and high-fidelity interaction.