Virtual reality will defeat forest fires
2023.01.10 13:05
Virtual reality will defeat forest fires
By Kristina Sobol
Budrigannews.com – The worst bushfires in decades have devastated Australia. More than 2.3 million hectares have been burned, possibly affecting half a billion animals. They are said to have become more intense as a result of climate change, and a similar effect has been observed in California.
Firefighters are turning to cutting-edge technology to combat these disasters as they become more frequent. In Australia and the United States, some fire departments have begun using virtual reality (VR) to train firefighters.
FLAIM Systems, based in Australia, has created a virtual reality training simulator for firefighters. Trainees are immersed in real-world scenarios that can be too dangerous to replicate in the real world by wearing headsets.
James Mullins, CEO and founder of FLAIM Systems, stated, “The whole point of VR is that we can put people in a situation that is typically dangerous, let people make decisions, and let people make mistakes.”
In a variety of scenarios, such as a house fire, an aircraft fire, or a wildfire, the VR technology produces realistic renders of smoke, fire, water, and fire-extinguishing foam.
The trainees are outfitted in a heat suit that simulates the likely temperature in each scenario. The suit is controlled by software that takes into account the trainee’s location and orientation in relation to the fire as well as how that would affect them.
According to Mullin, “We can heat a firefighter up to about 100 degrees Celsius” but only for brief periods of time. He goes on to say that they can also simulate the force generated by the hose and simultaneously measure the trainee’s heart rate and respiration rate.
Deakin University in Victoria, Australia, where Mullins is an associate professor, launched the business in 2017. It has since grown to 18 people and distributes to firefighting training providers in 16 countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United States, from a two-man team.
The Australian Information Industry Association, a group that represents the country’s technology industry, awarded FLAIM Systems the title of startup of the year for 2019.
The training system was piloted by Australia’s Country Fire Authority (CFA) last year. Although it hasn’t been approved for wider use yet, CFA deputy chief officer Greg Paterson stated that it could be useful in remote areas of the country.
He continues, “It might be especially useful in a bushfire context.” Volunteers are able to immerse themselves in realistic scenarios that they would not normally be exposed to during training because they can be exposed to dangerous bushfire conditions, according to Paterson.
Together with VR developers RiVR and Pico Interactive, the Cosumnes Fire Department in California created its own training system for 20 new recruits in October 2019. The department will continue to use virtual reality in its training program because the trial was successful.
According to fire department captain Julie Rider, “it allows them to experience firsthand the unique challenges with communication, limited visibility, and coming face to face with the flames in fire situations that they most certainly will encounter during their career.”
Rider, who is also a seasoned firefighter, expressed her admiration for the virtual reality experience’s lifelikeness.
She stated, “I could feel my heart rate climb as I looked around the room, seeing where the fire started, and watching the rapid rate of fire spread.” “I could feel my heart rate climb.” It was amazing to not feel any of the dangerous effects of the fire while experiencing the inherent risk, extreme danger, and fire intensity.
Firefighter training also has less of an impact on the environment when VR technology is used. The burning of materials during traditional training releases smoke and pollutants into the air, affecting the quality of the surrounding air.
It also needs a lot of water, which can be a problem in a country like Australia, where many parts of the country are in a lot of severe drought.
The runoff from the foam that firefighters typically use can contaminate the soil and water around it and contain chemicals that can be harmful to health. Because of this, some states in Australia have made it illegal to use this foam unless absolutely necessary.
Mullins stated, “Our technology enables people to train without using water, creating smoke, or discharging foam into the environment.”
Correction: The temperature that FLAIM’s firefighting suits can be heated to was incorrectly stated in an earlier version of this story.
