Multi-sensory Training Simulator for Air Attack Supervisors for Wildfire Firefighting

2018 – 2022

The goal of this project is to explore how to assist airborne rural firefighting teams to better train for the unexpected. The research is about how to use virtual reality to provide training environments that create similar levels of stress, and to explore how to improve decision making in such situations. Our system uses multi-sensory cues (visuals, sound, vibration and smell) to immerse firefighter trainees in realistic settings.

Thesis

Clifford, Rory M.S. (2020). Investigating the potential of a virtual reality training simulator for aerial firefighting and air attack supervision. http://dx.doi.org/10.26021/10390

Publications

Clifford RMS., Engelbrecht H., Jung S., Oliver H., Billinghurst M., Lindeman RW. and Hoermann S. (2020) Aerial firefighter radio communication performance in a virtual training system: radio communication disruptions simulated in VR for Air Attack Supervision. Visual Computer http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00371-020-01816-6.

Engelbrecht H., Lindeman RW. and Hoermann S. (2019) A SWOT Analysis of the Field of Virtual Reality for Firefighter Training. FRONTIERS IN ROBOTICS AND AI 6 ARTN 101 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2019.00101.

Clifford R., Hoermann S., Jung S., Billinghurst M. and Lindeman R. (2019) Creating a Stressful Decision Making Environment for Aerial Firefighter Training in Virtual Reality. Osaka, Japan: IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR), 23-27 Mar 2019. In IEEE VR 2019 Proceedings: 181-189. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/VR.2019.8797889.

Clifford RMS., Khan H., Hoermann S., Billinghurst M. and Lindeman RW. (2018) The Effect of Immersive Displays on Situation Awareness in Virtual Environments for Aerial Firefighting Air Attack Supervisor Training. Reutlingen, Germany: 25th IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR 2018), 18-22 Mar 2018. In Proceedings VR 2018: 533-534. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/VR.2018.8446139.

Clifford RMS., Khan H., Hoermann S., Billinghurst M. and Lindeman RW.. (2018) Development of a multi-sensory virtual reality training simulator for airborne firefighters supervising aerial wildfire suppression. In VAR4Good 2018 http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/VAR4GOOD.2018.8576892.

Clifford RMS., Marcadet N., Hoermann S., Oliver H., Billinghurst M. and Lindeman RW. (2018) Evaluating the Effects of Realistic Communication Disruptions in VR Training for Aerial Firefighting. Wurzburg, Germany: 10th International Conference on Virtual Worlds and Games for Serious Applications (VS-Games), 5-7 Sep 2018. In Proceedings VSGames 2018: 8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/VS-Games.2018.8493423.