From Battery Manufacturing to Smart Grids: Towards a Metaverse for the Energy Sciences

We present two digital-based educative games aiming to engage students and the general public with battery sciences. The first one is a multiscale simulator in Mixed Reality of a battery-powered Electric Vehicle (EV) interacting with an Electrical Grid. One of the players drives the EV in a Virtual Reality (VR) environment where the EV can be recharged, and the other players control the electricity produced, distributed, consumed and stored by interacting with 3D-printed devices. The second educative game is a digital twin of a lithium ion battery manufacturing pilot line, which can be played from an Internet Browser or by using VR hardware. The key steps of the manufacturing process of cylindrical cells are represented in an interactive way. In this concept, we reviewed the working principles of our games, their implications for motivation, engagement and learning, and why they pave the way towards new ways of collaborative R&D in the battery field.

Automated summary

This article presents two digital-based educative games aiming to enhance understanding of battery sciences among students and the general public. The first game is a multiscale simulator that uses Mixed Reality to demonstrate the interaction between a battery-powered Electric Vehicle (EV) and an Electrical Grid. The second game is a digital twin of a lithium ion battery manufacturing pilot line, allowing players to experience the key steps of the manufacturing process. These games not only have educational value but also pave the way for collaborative R&D in the battery field.