Implement VR Training for Fire-Fighters with this Guide…
If you’ve been keeping up with trends in the Metaverse, you might have come across various articles with headlines such as “VR is dead” or “Meta has dropped its Metaverse plans.” It’s important to clarify that the Metaverse is not solely about virtual reality; it represents a new digital ecosystem that aims to seamlessly blend our physical and virtual experiences. Indeed, Meta (formerly Facebook) has invested heavily in this concept, committing approximately 10 billion dollars.
Although the company is currently facing losses on this venture, it is mitigating these with advancements in Generative AI technology. It’s crucial to understand that Meta’s strategy is not merely about capturing the consumer market, but also the budget-conscious B2B sector, demonstrating the technology’s broad utility.
If your interest lies beyond these tech industry dynamics, and you’re specifically looking to incorporate virtual reality into fire-fighting training protocols, then this information will be of particular relevance. Virtual Reality (VR) training in the fire-fighting realm offers a promising solution to many existing challenges.
Traditional training, while beneficial, often comes with high risks, costs, and environmental impacts. VR-based training circumvents many of these drawbacks by providing a safe, immersive environment where complex scenarios can be simulated with high fidelity.
Oh an interesting read on muscle memory — check it out. Imagine this like a prequel.
Let’s take a quick look at
Virtual Reality:
Virtual Reality (VR) is an immersive digital technology that provides a simulated experience by generating a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment that can be explored and interacted with by an individual. Using a range of technological tools such as VR headsets, sensor-equipped gloves, or other devices, users are able to virtually see, touch, and even hear the digital environment as if it were real.
The technology can effectively mimic the real world, or it can create entirely fantastical environments, allowing for an impressive degree of interaction that typically surpasses other forms of digital mediums. The applications of virtual reality are widespread and diverse.
Beyond gaming, which is one of the most popular and known uses of VR, the technology is used in various industries like healthcare for surgical training, in education for immersive learning, in architecture for virtual walkthroughs, and in the military for training simulations, among others.
At its core, the purpose of virtual reality is to provide a sense of presence in the digital world, making experiences more tangible and engaging for users. Whether it’s to learn, entertain, train, or design, VR holds vast potential to transform how we interact with digital content.
VR Training:
In my opinion the best use case thus far for virtual reality is the training. People may include training but cost effective headsets don’t have a AAA quality meaning GTA V or Watch dogs level graphics. That’s understandable because that much graphics require a much higher GPU and more battery power which is still in development by many organizations.
But it’s giving sufficient quality when it comes to training purposes. I’ll add a few screenshots below for VR fire-fighting simulation as an example.
There are two ways to proceed with this either you create your own simulation with the help of a team of designers including UI/UX, 3D etc. Another way would be to buy an existing simulation from an organization or an app store.
Creating a custom project:
In the first step let’s have a look at how you can ask the designers to create from scratch. In my experience with interviewing industry leaders in the VR world I found out that the cost varies on numerous factors. So I have to give you the classic sentence of “It depends”.
I once had an extensive talk about building in the horizon worlds with Terrance. He builds therapy rooms for his clients. It also involves multiple functionalities and it’s immersive in nature. For example if the patient wants to go inside the bathroom and open a tab the water is supposed to flow in the real world. Same as such it happens in the virtual room as well.
If this much detailing is required for a therapy room then 10X more detailing is required for a firefighter’s simulation. So there’s a lot of elements to add in it. I came across this process of development for a custom project development process by digitalnauts. It’s similar to the process I discussed with Terrance as well.
I’ll give a quick summary of this process:
The initial phase of creating a virtual reality (VR) project often begins with a content digest, where stakeholders meet to discuss learning objectives and potential scenarios. This information forms the basis for a preliminary storyboard and scope of the project, which outlines time, effort, and required resources.
The appropriate technology for teaching the content is then decided, which could range from traditional eLearning approaches to more immersive solutions like VR, Augmented Reality (AR), or Mixed Reality (MR), depending on the complexity of the desired outcomes and budget constraints.
Once the project scope is accepted, the development stage commences. This phase is crucial as it necessitates a thorough understanding of the learning outcomes to design an effective and interactive tool that can simulate real-life scenarios. The complexity of the desired outcome dictates the intricacy of the coding and the overall project cost.
For example, a Fire Safety scenario might involve the learner identifying the type of fire, selecting the correct fire extinguisher, and using it correctly, with their efficiency tracked and feedback provided to facilitate understanding. The choice of hardware, such as a VR headset, is also made in agreement with the client.
Breaking down the project timeline reveals that a significant portion of time is spent in the development and testing phase, where assets are created, interactions are built, and the project starts to materialize.
Factors affecting cost include asset creation or curation, development methodology, type of experience, and available resources. Existing assets are always more cost-effective, but custom assets may be necessary depending on the project requirements.
Using an Agile methodology, which embraces incremental and iterative work, can also impact cost, especially when significant changes are needed. The type of VR experience and the device used also impact the cost and time required for development.
Finally, the resources available to the development team, such as a framework of assets and tools, can drastically reduce the cost and time of the project.
For a detailed analysis check them here.
Existing VR simulations:
One point to note is that existing VR simulations won’t let you do a lot of customizations. And even if you are going with an organization saying they have an existing VR simulation they would definitely upsell you with customizations which would make your experience better. So you can use these existing simulations as a base before investment but the better way would be to brainstorm with experts to give you the best training experience.
Now let’s take a look at the existing VR simulations available in the market
This VR application places you in the midst of a realistic fire emergency situation in an office setting. The immersive simulation requires you to immediately halt ongoing work and make a call to the fire department, providing them with crucial information such as the name and address of the organization and the origin point of the fire.
The VR training further involves you in the execution of an evacuation plan, where you’ll be expected to operate a manual fire alarm, follow the indicated escape routes, and utilize a fire extinguisher in accordance with standard operating procedures.
Developed by experts including NEBOSH-certified HSE professionals, this VR training is designed for a wide spectrum of occupations, providing an inclusive and practical learning experience.
Why is VR training better for Fire-fighters?
Training plays a vital role in the firefighting profession, with the primary goals being familiarization with firefighting strategies, enhancing response speed during critical situations, mastery of equipment usage, and fostering strong teamwork and communication in emergencies.
Despite the clear advantages of traditional training methods, they are often associated with high risk and cost factors. For instance, in 2020 alone, the United States reported 7,550 injuries and five fatalities resulting from live training exercises.
Firefighting departments face the difficult challenge of adequately preparing trainees to make split-second decisions under hazardous conditions.
Traditional learning methods such as textbooks and classroom lectures are somewhat useful, but fall short in simulating the complexity of real-life scenarios. Consequently, live training, despite its inherent risks and costs, is often utilized. Many safety experts view this as an undesirable yet necessary approach.
The implementation of live-fire training poses significant financial, environmental, and human costs. Financial burdens include the operational costs of apparatus and equipment, the expenses of building and maintaining burn structures, and liability costs when training exercises go awry.
Additional financial concerns encompass facility expenses, material and expert trainer costs, and the obligations of adhering to state regulations or the NFPA 1403.
Environmental and human tolls are also noteworthy. Environmental costs are accrued from exhaust emissions from apparatus and equipment, pollution from frequent live-fire training activities, and air pollution from burning materials.
Human costs are even more concerning, with exposure to carcinogens, toxins, and pollutants being a constant hazard. Additionally, there’s the ever-present risk of firefighters sustaining injuries or even losing their lives during training exercises.
Which headset to choose from?
I’ll say about this headset which I have personally experienced Meta Quest 2. There are other headsets like Pico, HTC, HP, Hololens etc. The selection of headset also depends on the features and immersiveness you need for your training program.
So I’ll give an overview of the few headsets that’s been used but I would say start with Meta Quest 2 or 3 (once it’s launched). I feel the review and usage of the product is user-friendly.
(If it’s otherwise comment below — why?)
Meta Quest 2
Meta Quest 2 is an all-in-one virtual reality (VR) headset that offers immersive experiences at a starting price of $299.99 USD. It is designed to be easy to set up and safe to use, with next-level hardware that includes features such as Guardian activated safety with passthrough.
Users can discover new adventures, master epic challenges, or revisit classic moments in their favorite games and experiences. The product is also promoted as the official VR headset of the NBA.
The Meta Quest 2 package includes a VR headset, two touch controllers with AA batteries, a charging cable with a power adapter, and a glasses spacer.
The product has a rating of 4.5 based on over 7,000 reviews. Users can also purchase popular accessories such as the Meta Quest 2 Carrying Case, Link Cable, and Meta Quest 2 Active Pack. The product comes with perks such as free delivery and returns, defect and malfunction coverage, and a worry-free trial with fast and easy returns within 30 days.
Pico Neo 3
The Pico Neo 3 is a flagship 2-in-1 headset that offers standalone and PC VR use. It boasts 4K lossless picture quality and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor. The headset can be connected to a PC via the included DisplayPort cable for high-quality PC VR with low latency and lossless picture quality.
Before using, users are advised to download the Pico Link Software to check if their PC supports VR. The PC requirements include a standard DP 1.4 and above port, USB 2.0 and above port, Intel® Core™ i5–4590 or AMD Ryzen 1500 or higher processor, NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 480 or higher graphics, 8GB or more RAM, and Windows 10 and above OS.
The Pico Neo 3 offers precise and real control with no base station required, providing 6DoF control anytime and anywhere for a more accurate and realistic entertainment experience.
The headset is designed for greater comfort with balanced front and rear weight and an ergonomic design, ensuring comfortable wearing for long periods.
It also offers an upgraded immersion with a wider vision, more impactful stereo sound effects, and longer battery life to deliver a more immersive entertainment experience. Users can enjoy Triple-A masterpieces from the SteamVR Store, PC VR AM Games, and over 100 standalone games.
What’s Next?
With new devices like Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro coming up it’s going to be really interesting how these headsets will be positioned and sold. Though I can see Apple going for more in the B2B space, Meta quest 3 might capture the other markets. Let’s wait and see.
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