CM Labs as mentioned in ForConstructionPros:
Updates from the WoA showroom floor in St. Louis, MO, all in one place. Find new products, booth interviews, events, news, and more!
Here we are folks! This is the main event for the asphalt industry and it will be a full two years before we see the next World of Asphalt! It’s an exciting week, and we will be bringing all the latest news, products, events, and so much more every day. This will be your portal for asphalt pros who want to stay up-to-date on what happened during the trade show. Find new updates, with the most recent positionned at the top of the page.
Consider this your World of Asphalt companion, and I, Brandon Noel, editor of Asphalt Contractor magazine, will be your guide!
[…]Some of you may know about my jobsite video series “No Edge Lines” where I’ve been doing my best to get out on real jobsites and learn how to operate the heavy machinery that makes our industry work. If you haven’t seen it yet, watch our latest episode here!
One of the biggest hurdles to my heavy machinery education is that I don’t have the opportunity to be out on jobsites regularly, which is the primary way that most people learn how to do things. CM Labs has been creating and refining a series of ever increasing complex simulators to solve this very problem.
I did my best to operate the simulator and complete a training module designed for digging one six-foot trench. I wasn’t able to even complete 5% of the task before I found myself struggling.
The reps from CM Labs explained that difficulty and, yes, even boredom are intentional factors built into the training. They don’t want it to be “fun” and they don’t want trainees to be entertained by the simulation, they want it to truly reflect what it’s like to be on the job. While it may have the look of a high tech video game, it’s truly an educational tool.
For any company or trade school looking for a smarter, more cost effective way to bring new-hires and students up-to-speed on the fundamental operations of heavy machinery, then simulators like these are a smart choice. Additionally, we tested out the new AI training assistant that is currently in a prototype or beta-testing phase.
When I asked if it could explain how to turn on the machine, not only did it walk me through the process, but it also advised me on additional safety precautions that I should be aware of in the scenario. This was something that I found to be most interesting. Rather than just dumping the most basic information on me regarding my question, the AI trainer treated me like a true novice who wouldn’t be aware of the safety concerns otherwise.
I think AI-powered simulators like these could go a long way to filling in the gaps between labor needs and a lack of time, qualified educators, and resources.
Read the full article discussing the World of Asphalt show highlights in World of Asphalt’s Website.
Editor Brandon Noel sits in the CM Labs multi-use simulator that was setup for excavator training, but can simulate 20 different machines.
