The fourth industrial revolution has forced most companies to technologically evolve, applying new digital tools, so that their workers can have the necessary skills to face changing work environments. This article presents a scoping review of the literature on virtual reality-based training systems. The methodology consisted of four steps, which pose research questions, document search, paper selection, and data extraction. From a total of 350 peer-reviewed database articles, such as SpringerLink, IEEEXplore, MDPI, Scopus, and ACM, 44 were eventually chosen, mostly using the virtual reality haptic glasses and controls from Oculus Rift and HTC VIVE. It was concluded that, among the advantages of using this digital tool in the industry, is the commitment, speed, measurability, preservation of the integrity of the workers, customization, and cost reduction. Even though several research gaps were found, virtual reality is presented as a present and future alternative for the efficient training of human resources in the industrial field.

The fourth industrial revolution has transformed industrial ergonomics through the adoption of wearable technologies to enhance workplace safety and well-being. This study conducts a comprehensive scoping review, structured according to PRISMA guidelines, examining how wearable devices are revolutionizing ergonomic practices within Industry 4.0. After analyzing 1319 articles from major databases including SpringerLink, MDPI, Scopus, and IEEEXplore, 36 relevant studies were selected for detailed analysis. The review specifically focuses on how wearable technologies improve worker comfort and safety, promoting more productive work environments. The findings reveal that wearable devices have significantly impacted ergonomic conditions in industrial settings, with artificial intelligence integration showing the highest presence in analyzed applications. Over the past years, wearable technology implementations have demonstrated a 38% improvement in optimizing ergonomic conditions compared to traditional approaches.

Teleoperation virtual platforms allow people to send their skills and capacities into machines located in either relative close (few meters away) or far (different continents) locations. With the use of lightweight protocols, people can remotely control the actions and movements of robots so they can avoid physical interaction with dangerous or risky places. Oil and gas well-pads stations are working zones considered hazardous due to the various chemical substances used in their daily processes. This characteristic makes these places the perfect candidates for the implementation of teleoperation solutions in order to reduce the direct interaction of humans with different chemicals and risky situations. The following investigation focuses on the development of a base teleoperation scheme to perform inspection and maintenance tasks in the inside one of these hydrocarbon facilities. The proposed system aims to generate an easily scalable teleoperation solution using distributed control schemes and a lightweight communication protocol to remotely manipulate a KUKA mobile manipulator. As the first stage of this investigation, the main result focuses on the development of the generic control and communication functions that allow the physical testing of the system using a KUKA YouBOT mobile manipulator and the help of a qualified operator of the station.

The fourth industrial revolution was a milestone at the industrial level. It forced most industries to evolve technically and for their collaborators to prepare and advance together with technology; the oil industry was no exception. It develops its activities in dangerous and dynamic environments and needs to protect its human resources, equipment, and infrastructure. This article presents a scoping review, based on the PRISMA guidelines, of pipeline maintenance methodologies based on Industry 4.0. From the first collection of 123 articles from prestigious databases such as SpringerLink, MDPI, Scopus, IEEEXplore and ACM, a final sample of 31 articles was obtained. Here, technologies that enhance preventive and predictive maintenance systems are discussed. The results show that predictive maintenance compared to preventive maintenance has a percentage difference in upkeep time optimization of 38% in the last five years. This difference was corroborated with a Student’s t-test for independent samples, with a significance of 0.023. Likewise, the most used technologies were analyzed, with artificial intelligence standing out with 45.16%.

This article evaluates the usability of an interactive virtual reality system for the recovery of hand and wrist mobility by means of the LeapMotion device and the Unity3D graphics engine. Through the programmed interfaces, the proposed VR system allows the patient to correctly complete established medical protocols via exercise routines with audio and video feedback. The usability evaluation of the VR system was carried out using the VRUSE model in an experiment. This model was utilized to design a survey consisting of 10 items, where each item represents a model factor. The survey was applied in the experiment in which 30 patients participated. The obtained results showed that the VRUSE factors of the proposed VR system for rehabilitation are significantly related to its overall use, with factor correlation values lower than 0,005. Patients participating in the experiment consider that the interactive virtual reality-based system for upper limb rehabilitation is usable. Additionally, it was proved that the rehabilitation environments programmed in the Unity 3D graphics engine allows patients to comply precisely with the established medical protocols, driving them to a progressive movement recovery of the affected limb.