Virtual evacuation simulation with autonomous avatars

This paper describes the use of virtual reality technology for virtual simulation of crowded evacuation from sites. The approach adopted is the reuse of a game engine, thus taking advantage of all its features for virtual environment design. This work upgrades a previously developed one, in which users played simultaneously in a networked environment, each one controlling his or her own avatar. But for crowded evacuation situations, it would require many users playing simultaneously in networked computers. The more crowded the simulation, the more users needed, what could be difficult a task, depending upon the number of avatars needed. Autonomous avatars can surpass this difficulty, so few users can participate, together with as many autonomous avatars as needed, to simulate the desired crowded scenarios. First results show the viability of such an approach

Serious Games for First Responders

In this chapter, serious games for fire and rescue services and medical personnel are investigated. Command training and joint training are considered for the value it can provide in all first responder services learning to work together

The ARP Virtual Reality System in Addressing Security Threats and Disaster Scenarios

Nations, corporations and political organizations around the world today are forced to deal with an increasing number of security threats. As a result, various organizations must find ways to adequately equip and prepare themselves to handle numerous dangerous and life threatening circumstances. Virtual reality is an extremely important technology that can be used across a variety of different fields and for a number of diverse applications, ranging from simulation training to visualization tools, in order to prepare for and manage disaster situations. Head mounted display (HMD) virtual reality systems attempt visually to immerse the user in a virtual environment. However, it is well recognized that latency, the delay in responding to a user\u27s head movement, is a major shortcoming that plagues immersive HMD virtual reality systems. Excessive latency destroys the illusion of reality that such systems attempt to present to the user. A hardware architecture known as the address recalculation pipeline (ARP) and a computer graphics rendering technique called priority rendering, were designed to reduce the end-to-end latency suffered by immersive HMD virtual reality systems. This paper discusses the benefits of using the ARP virtual reality system in addressing security threats and disaster situations

Training and learning for crisis management using a virtual simulation/gaming environment

Recent advances in computers, networking, and telecommunications offer new opportunities for using simulation and gaming as methodological tools for improving crisis management. It has become easy to develop virtual environments to support games, to have players at distributed workstations interacting with each other, to have automated controllers supply exogenous events to the players, to enable players to query online data files during the game, and to prepare presentation graphics for use during the game and for post-game debriefings. Videos can be used to present scenario updates to players in “newscast” format and to present pre-taped briefings by experts to players. Organizations responsible for crisis management are already using such technologies in constructing crisis management systems (CMSs) to coordinate response to a crisis, provide decision support during a crisis, and support activities prior to the crisis and after the crisis. If designed with gaming in mind, those same CMSs could be easily used in a simulation mode to play a crisis management game. Such a use of the system would also provide personnel with opportunities to rehearse for real crises using the same tools they would have available to them in a real crisis. In this paper, we provide some background for the use of simulation and gaming in crisis management training, describe an architecture for simulation and gaming, and present a case study to illustrate how virtual environments can be used for crisis management training

Use of Incremental Adaptation and Habituation Regimens for Mitigating Optokinetic Side-effects

The use of incremental and repeated exposures regimens have been put forth as effective means to mitigate visually induced motion sickness based on the Dual Process Theory (DPT) (Groves & Thompson, 1970) of neural plasticity. In essence, DPT suggests that by incrementing stimulus intensity the depression opponent process should be allowed to exert greater control over the net outcome than the sensitization opponent process, thereby minimizing side-effects. This conceptual model was tested by empirically validating the effectiveness of adaptation, incremental adaptation, habituation, and incremental habituation regimens to mitigate side-effects arising from exposure to an optokinetic drum. Forty college students from the University of Central Florida participated in the experimentation and were randomly assigned to a regimen. Efforts were taken to balance distribution of participants in the treatments for gender and motion sickness susceptibility. Results indicated that overall, the application of an incremental regimen is effective in reducing side-effects (e.g. malaise, dropout rates, postural instabilities, etc.) when compared to a non-incremented regimen, whether it be a one-time or repeated exposure. Furthermore, the application of the Motion History Questionnaire (MHQ) (Graybiel & Kennedy, 1965) for identifying high and low motion sickness susceptible individuals proved effective. Finally, gender differences in motion sickness were not found in this experiment as a result of balancing susceptibility with the gender subject variable. Findings from this study can be used to aid effective design of virtual environment (VE) usage regimens in an effort to manage cybersickness. Through pre-exposure identification of susceptible individuals via the MHQ, exposure protocols can be devised that may extend limits on exposure durations, mitigate side-effects, reduce dropout rates, and possibly increase training effectiveness. This document contains a fledgling set of guidelines form VE usage that append those under development by Stanney, Kennedy, & Kingdon (In press) and other previously established guidelines form simulator use (Kennedy et al., 1987). It is believed that through proper allocation of effective VE usage regimens cybersickness can be managed, if susceptible individuals are identified prior to exposure

The Effects of a Tactile Display on First Responder Performance

Firefighting is a dangerous and difficult task. Simulation affords researchers and practitioners the ability to examine performance and training in adverse conditions while preserving life, offering repeatable scenarios, and reducing costs. Multiple Resource Theory is used in this study as a model for assessing alternate sensory channels for information delivery when the optimal channel is not available. Specifically, this study tests the influence of a waist-worn vibrotactile display to assist navigation when visibility is reduced in a firefighter simulation. The present study measures participants\u27 objective performance and self-reported workload while navigating a simulated fireground. Results from 70 research participants revealed statistically significant differences between the experimental and control conditions for completion time and overall workload scores. Workload and performance emerged as significantly correlated in both the experimental and control conditions; however, no statistically significant correlations were found for the spatial anxiety hypotheses. The results of this study indicate that participants engaged in a simulated search and rescue task in a low visibility environment benefit from the assistance of a vibrotactile display as a tool. Participants\u27 performance scores and self-reports show that they had more mental resources to engage in the search and rescue task more quickly when assisted by a vibrotactile tool. Evidence was found to demonstrate a statistically significant association between workload and performance. The implications of this study have real world consequences for training for dangerous tasks to maximize performance and save lives while minimizing risks to personnel

Understanding the immersive experience: Examining the influence of visual immersiveness and interactivity on spatial experiences and understanding

Advances in computer graphics have enabled us to generate more compelling 3D virtual environments. 'Immersive experience' in these environments result from a combination of immersion and interactivity. As such, various disciplines have started adopting 3D technology for enhancing spatial understanding and experience. But the impact of the immersive experience on spatial understanding and experience remains unclear. This study utilized a controlled, between-subjects experiment to systematically manipulate a virtual reality system's technology affordances (stereoscopy, field of view, and navigability) and measure their impact. Participants, N=120, explored a virtual office and completed a questionnaire on the experience and tasks evaluating their understanding of the space. The results indicated that visual immersion had the greatest impact on understanding but, better experiences were gained when visual immersion was combined with greater interactivity. These findings support the notion the immersive experience is important for the comprehension of virtual spaces. This study overall served to provide insight into the role of the immersive experience on the comprehension of virtual spaces. The findings advance theories of spatial presence and immersion, support the use of methods which look at technology as affordances rather than entities, and support the use of 3D technology for communicating spatial information as in the case of architecture and fire-fighter training

INNODOCT/17. International conference on innovation,documentation and education

INNODOCT/17 que tiene como objetivo proporcionar un foro para académicos y profesionales donde compartir sus investigaciones, discutir ideas, proyectos actuales, resultados y retos La conferencia tiene como objetivo proporcionar un foro para académicos y profesionales que permita compartir sus investigaciones, discutir ideas, proyectos actuales, resultados y retos relacionados con las Nuevas Tecnologías de Información y Comunicación, innovaciones y metodologías aplicadas a la Educación y la Investigación, en áreas como Ciencias, Ingenierías, Ciencias Sociales, Economía, Gestión, Marketing, y también Turismo y HosteleríaGarrigós Simón, FJ.; Estelles Miguel, S.; Lengua Lengua, I.; Onofre Montesa, J.; Dema Pérez, CM.; Oltra Gutiérrez, JV.; Yeamduan Narangajavana... (2018). INNODOCT/17. International conference on innovation,documentation and education. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/107064EDITORIA

Cognitive function during exertional heat stress assessed using traditional and serious game technology

Firefighting is a physically demanding occupation requiring intermittent bouts of work resulting in increased levels of cardiovascular and thermal strain, while making decisions requiring higher order cognitive abilities e.g. working memory, sustained attention, reaction time, spatial awareness, and information processing. These activities can take place in dangerous conditions with elevated temperatures imposing external stressors on physiological and cognitive function. Previous research has examined the impact of heat stress on cognitive function in general, but the specific influence on firefighters wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is not well understood. Specific domains of cognitive function can be assessed using computer-based neuropsychological testing batteries, such as the Cambridge Neuropsychological Automated Testing Battery (CANTAB). The CANTAB automatically records the response measures for each test and provides consistent feedback in between trials. Although the CANTAB is well established the cognitive domains it tests may not adequately capture the complexity of the specific decision making required of firefighters while on-duty. The use of serious game technology provides a possible solution to develop a more ecologically valid assessment tool capable of evaluating the specific decision making tasks required of firefighters at an emergency scenario. Thus, the current thesis aimed to evaluate the effects of exercise-induced heat stress on cognitive function in firefighters using the CANTAB testing battery and a recently developed serious game simulating the decision making tasks required of firefighters in a two-storey residential fire while walking on a treadmill. Additionally, the reliability of repeated CANTAB administrations during treadmill walking was measured and found to have reasonable overall reliability. Decrements in cognitive function (working memory and executive function were observed at a core temperature of 38.5??C and restored following an active cooling recovery protocol. However, when decision making was evaluated using the serious game scenario, task specific performance deficits were not seen during treadmill walking but impairment in memory recall was found following the active cooling recovery protocol. These findings provide fire service personnel with information regarding the cognitive implications of heat stress and the potential use of serious games to evaluate and train cognitive function during exposure to environmental stressors