Immersive Technologies, the developer of leading simulator technology for mining and other heavy equipment, today announced it has produced the world's first commercial Dozer Simulator for training operators. The first production unit has been sold to De Beers in Africa.

The Dozer Simulator, a Komatsu fitted D475A, is the latest in a family of modular 'Conversion Kits®' that are designed to fit Immersive Technologies' Advanced Equipment (AE) Simulator. A Caterpillar D10, D11R Dozer Conversion Kit® will also be available very soon. Changing the AE Simulator from a Truck to Dozer takes less than 30 minutes and is done simply by the customer by swapping Conversion Kits®.

Immersive Technologies CEO, Peter Salfinger, said "What makes the Dozer Conversion Kit® so special is its ability to realistically simulate actual dozing and ripping conditions in a range of hard and soft soils. Our engineers had to overcome a whole range of technical difficulties to achieve the level of realism required to make this an effective training tool."

The operator sits in a Dozer cabin with real functional controls and displays. A 180 degree full-colour displays provide vital left and right peripheral vision together with a very low viewing angle, a must to see the edges of the Dozers blade. The 3-axis motion base provides authentic movement and feedback. The trainee is presented with on-screen multimedia style lessons and a range of dozing and ripping tasks. Emergency situations together with various environmental conditions can be simulated that are impossible to replicate in real life.

From the moment the simulation starts, the trainee´s performance and the essential machine operating information are monitored and recorded with the results available in report form for analysis. The supervisor can also ´play-back´ the simulation and discuss the trainee's actions.

"The range of Conversion Kits® offered by Immersive now includes Haul Trucks, Hydraulic Excavators and Shovels, Electric Shovels, and Dozers. In total we can now simulate an incredible 55 different machines from various manufacturers. This means we can deliver what our customers demand", said Wayde Salfinger, Products Director.

"Quality training of operators is not just about improved safety, it is also producing significant productivity improvements through reducing the training time required, reduced cycle times within the mine, reductions in unscheduled maintenance and allowing expensive equipment to stay in the production cycle", Peter said.

Immersive Technologies supply simulators to many of the world´s leading mining houses including Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Albian Oil Sands, De Beers, Syncrude, Kennecott Copper, Suncor and to many of the world´s leading equipment manufacturers including Caterpillar, Komatsu, P&H and Bucyrus.

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About Immersive Technologies

Immersive Technologies is the world's largest, proven and tested supplier of surface and underground Advanced Equipment Simulators to the global mining industry. The company has achieved this unique position by focusing on its mission to make every mining and earthmoving equipment operator in the world safer and their employer more profitable through its simulation technologies. Immersive Technologies' Advanced Equipment Simulators are helping hundreds of mining companies around the world to increase their equipment operators' safety and site profitability through effective simulation training.

Immersive Technologies provides its customers with the most effective Advanced Equipment Simulators available. This is made possible through the formal exclusive licensing and technical information alliances Immersive has established with the leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), including: Caterpillar, Hitachi, Komatsu and Liebherr. These unique alliances provide Immersive Technologies with exclusive access to the OEM's proprietary and confidential machine technical information that is required to correctly simulate the OEM's machines and is not available through other public or dealer channels.

With advanced simulator modules deployed in 39 countries, Immersive Technologies is dedicated to provide outstanding service. To deliver on this commitment the company has customer sales and support offices located close to its customers in Perth and Brisbane Australia, Salt Lake City USA, Calgary, Ottawa & Vancouver Canada, Monterrey Mexico, Lima Peru, Santiago Chile, Bochum Germany, Johannesburg South Africa, Jakarta Indonesia, Kolkata India and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Immersive has the global mining experience, innovative technology, product range, OEM relationships, proven support commitment and industry vision to partner with you to ensure your simulator training solution delivers the significant results you expect.