<strong>Enhancing Mechanical Engineering Education Through a Virtual Instructor in an AI-Driven Virtual Reality Fatigue Test Lab</strong>

<p> This thesis demonstrates the combination of virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) specifically exploring the practical application of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and GPT-based models in educational VR laboratories. The objective is to design a comprehensive learning environment where users can independently engage in laboratory experiments, deriving similar educational outcomes as they would from a traditional, physical laboratory setup, particularly within the realms of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.</p> <p>Using machine learning techniques and authentic virtual reality simulating educational experiments, we propose an advanced learning platform—Virtual Reality Instructional Laboratory Environment (VRILE). A key feature of the VRILE is an AI-powered instructor capable of not only guiding the learners through the tasks but also responding intelligently to their actions in real time.</p> <p>The AI constituent of the VRILE uses the GPT-2 model for text generation in the field of Natural Language Processing (NLP). To ensure the generated instructions were contextually relevant and meaningful to lab participants, the model was trained on a dataset derived from an augmentation over user interactions within the VR environment.</p> <p>By pushing the boundaries of how AI can be utilized in educational VR environments, this research paves the way for broader adoption across other domains of engineering education. Furthermore, it provides a solid foundation for future research in this interdisciplinary field. It marks a significant stride in the integration of technology and education, encouraging more ventures into this promising frontier.</p>