Development of BIM, IoT and AR/VR technologies for fire safety and upskilling

Abstract High-rise building fires can pose a significant threat to occupants and firefighters. The state-of-the-art technologies such as sensor-based Internet of Things (IoT), Building Information Modelling (BIM), Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) may offer great potential to improve building fire safety and rescue efficiency, primarily through ameliorating the level of situational awareness. This study proposes an innovative technology integrated framework for prototyping a proof-of-concept BIM, IoT and AR/VR system based upon the rationale of situational awareness. A pilot test based on a simulated fire scenario is conducted to evaluate the functionality of the framework. The outcomes reveal that the data generated by the system can be leveraged by the firefighting department to quickly locate the whereabouts of the indoor fires, and the VR gamification scenarios can expedite the development of situational awareness for the trainees. The limitations and future works are also discussed at the end of this paper.

[1]  Xiangyu Wang,et al.  Combining Photogrammetry and Augmented Reality Towards an Integrated Facility Management System for the Oil Industry , 2014, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[2]  Maximino Bessa,et al.  Virtual reality in training: an experimental study with firefighters , 2019, Multimedia Tools and Applications.

[3]  Qian Chen,et al.  Deep-learning-enabled geometric constraints and phase unwrapping for single-shot absolute 3D shape measurement , 2020 .

[4]  Shana Smith,et al.  Using immersive game-based virtual reality to teach fire-safety skills to children , 2009, Virtual Reality.

[5]  Rhona Flin,et al.  Building fire commander situational awareness from team shared mental models , 1997 .

[6]  Zhuo Chen,et al.  Unified No-Reference Quality Assessment of Singly and Multiply Distorted Stereoscopic Images , 2019, IEEE Transactions on Image Processing.

[7]  Wen Yi,et al.  A critical review of virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) applications in construction safety , 2018 .

[8]  Sen Li,et al.  A Fire Reconnaissance Robot Based on SLAM Position, Thermal Imaging Technologies, and AR Display , 2019, Sensors.

[9]  G. A. Miller.  THE PSYCHOLOGICAL REVIEW THE MAGICAL NUMBER SEVEN, PLUS OR MINUS TWO: SOME LIMITS ON OUR CAPACITY FOR PROCESSING INFORMATION 1 , 1956 .

[10]  Bhaskar Krishnamachari,et al.  A BIM centered indoor localization algorithm to support building fire emergency response operations , 2014 .

[11]  Qi Wang,et al.  Personalize Wayfinding Information for Fire Responders based on Virtual Reality Training Data , 2019, HICSS.

[12]  Xiangyu Wang,et al.  Using affective human-machine interface to increase the operation performance in virtual construction crane training system: A novel approach , 2011 .

[13]  Xiangyu Wang,et al.  A study on the benefits of augmented reality in retaining working memory in assembly tasks: A focus on differences in gender , 2013 .

[14]  Soonhung Han,et al.  A virtual reality based fire training simulator integrated with fire dynamics data , 2012 .

[15]  Min-Yuan Cheng,et al.  BIM integrated smart monitoring technique for building fire prevention and disaster relief , 2017 .

[16]  Mica R. Endsley,et al.  Toward a Theory of Situation Awareness in Dynamic Systems , 1995, Hum. Factors.

[17]  Carlo H. Séquin,et al.  Interactive simulation of fire in virtual building environments , 1997, SIGGRAPH.

[18]  Jun Wang,et al.  A Critical Review of the Use of Virtual Reality in Construction Engineering Education and Training , 2018, International journal of environmental research and public health.

[19]  Manuel Contero,et al.  Virtual Reality as a New Approach for Risk Taking Assessment , 2018, Front. Psychol..

[20]  I-Chen Wu,et al.  A BIM-based visualization and warning system for fire rescue , 2018, Adv. Eng. Informatics.

[21]  Xiangyu Wang,et al.  Application of Collaborative Mobile System in AR-Based Visualization, Data Storage and Manipulation , 2013, CDVE.

[22]  Yangming Shi,et al.  Impact assessment of reinforced learning methods on construction workers' fall risk behavior using virtual reality , 2019, Automation in Construction.

[23]  Ming Gu,et al.  The IFC-based path planning for 3D indoor spaces , 2013, Adv. Eng. Informatics.

[24]  A. Baddeley.  Working memory: looking back and looking forward , 2003, Nature Reviews Neuroscience.

[25]  Jens Keil,et al.  Design Criteria for AR-Based Training of Maintenance and Assembly Tasks , 2011, HCI.

[26]  Keyu Chen,et al.  A BIM-based location aware AR collaborative framework for facility maintenance management , 2019, J. Inf. Technol. Constr..

[27]  Krishnarao Tangella,et al.  Effect of Live-Fire Training Drills on Firefighters’ Platelet Number and Function , 2011, Prehospital emergency care : official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the National Association of State EMS Directors.

[28]  Jian Chai,et al.  A framework of innovative learning for skill development in complex operational tasks , 2017 .

[29]  Suvranu De,et al.  Immersive virtual reality-based training improves response in a simulated operating room fire scenario , 2018, Surgical Endoscopy.

[30]  Per Backlund,et al.  Sidh - a Game Based Firefighter Training Simulation , 2007, 2007 11th International Conference Information Visualization (IV '07).

[31]  Yongfeng Li,et al.  Deep Learning: A Rapid and Efficient Route to Automatic Metasurface Design , 2019, Advanced science.

[32]  Peter E.D. Love,et al.  Using Animated Augmented Reality to Cognitively Guide Assembly , 2013, J. Comput. Civ. Eng..

[33]  Armin Kassemi Langroodi,et al.  Beyond data visualization: A context-realistic construction equipment training simulators , 2019, Automation in Construction.

[34]  Yu-Cheng Lin,et al.  A Real-Time Construction Safety Monitoring System for Hazardous Gas Integrating Wireless Sensor Network and Building Information Modeling Technologies , 2018, Sensors.

[35]  C. Chen,et al.  A virtual reality based fire training simulator with smoke hazard assessment capacity , 2014, Adv. Eng. Softw..

[36]  Steven T. Bushby,et al.  Workshop to Define Information Needed by Emergency Responders During Building Emergencies , 2005 .

[37]  Guomin Zhang,et al.  Literature Review of Digital Twins Applications in Construction Workforce Safety , 2020, Applied Sciences.

[38]  Shaohua Zhang,et al.  A Project-Based Quantification of BIM Benefits , 2014 .

[39]  Uwe Rüppel,et al.  BIM-based immersive indoor graph networks for emergency situations in buildings , 2010 .

[40]  Bin Wang,et al.  BIM Based Virtual Environment for Fire Emergency Evacuation , 2014, TheScientificWorldJournal.

[41]  Amin Hammad,et al.  Extending IFC for Fire Emergency Real-Time Management Using Sensors and Occupant Information , 2018 .

[42]  David L. Tate,et al.  Virtual environments for shipboard firefighting training , 1997, Proceedings of IEEE 1997 Annual International Symposium on Virtual Reality.

[43]  P. A. Rubini,et al.  SIMULATION OF VISIBILITY IN SMOKE LADEN ENVIRONMENTS , 2007 .

[44]  Paul A. Beata,et al.  Real-Time Fire Monitoring and Visualization for the Post-Ignition Fire State in a Building , 2018 .

[45]  Lei Hou,et al.  Deep Learning-Based Applications for Safety Management in the AEC Industry: A Review , 2021, Applied Sciences.

[46]  Ying Wang,et al.  Integrating Augmented Reality with Building Information Modeling: Onsite construction process controlling for liquefied natural gas industry , 2014 .

[47]  James C. Chu,et al.  TDVRP and BIM Integrated Approach for In-Building Emergency Rescue Routing , 2016, J. Comput. Civ. Eng..

[48]  Xiangyu Wang,et al.  Using Augmented Reality to Facilitate Piping Assembly: An Experiment-Based Evaluation , 2015, J. Comput. Civ. Eng..

[49]  Charles M. Eastman,et al.  BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors , 2008 .

[50]  Xiangyu Wang,et al.  Cooperative and Immersive Coaching to Facilitate Skill Development in Construction Tasks , 2016, CDVE.

[51]  Robert W. Lindeman,et al.  A SWOT Analysis of the Field of Virtual Reality for Firefighter Training , 2019, Front. Robot. AI.

[52]  Yi-Jao Chen,et al.  BIM-based augmented reality inspection and maintenance of fire safety equipment , 2020 .

[53]  Abbas Rajabifard,et al.  A new 3D indoor/outdoor spatial model for indoor emergency response facilitation , 2015 .

[54]  Luca Chittaro,et al.  Serious Games for Training Occupants of a Building in Personal Fire Safety Skills , 2009, 2009 Conference in Games and Virtual Worlds for Serious Applications.