AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY APPLICATION IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS TRAINING FOR SOCIETY RESILIENCE

ABSTRACT

The main objective of the paper is to conduct a research on the applicability of the Augmented reality (AR) and Virtual reality (VR) in disaster preparedness training for society resilience. In recent years, worldwide and in Bulgaria there has been an increase in the number and intensity of natural disasters. There is an increase in the adverse effects of disasters on people’s lives, social relations, economic growth and sustainable development. Prevention and reduction of risk is required. It is necessary for society members to take the leading role and to take active part in rescue operations in large-scale disasters. The effectiveness of such actions requires the people to be trained and prepared for disasters in advance. Existing classical training sessions for rescue and relief operations cannot be performed in an easy manner due to established disadvantages, such as the learning pace of each individual is not considered, the learning lacks the necessary presentation of the real situation and its conditions, performed exercises can meet such gaps to an insufficient extent. In recent years, the training classroom environment has evolved to a more IT enhanced solution using the advancements in Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. However, little is known about what factors are involved in such artificial environments to achieve disaster training on a proficient level.

Keywords: Natural disasters, Resilience, Training, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality