VR apps are tried in emergency evacuation drills at Japanese universities

In the Japanese prefecture of Fukushima in the northeast, a disaster evacuation drill utilizing an augmented reality app was conducted on Sunday. At an Iwaki City mall, about 110 locals and students gathered to test out the software, which was co-developed by the universities of Kyushu and Tohoku.


An arrow indicates a safe evacuation path. They are predicated on the user's location and shared disaster data. The app also makes it possible to share pictures of flames and collapsed buildings with the city's emergency response team.


On their way to the evacuation point, participants made detours and turned around after checking their smartphone screens. On their way to the evacuation point, participants made detours and turned around after checking their smartphone screens.


Although some elderly persons had trouble using smartphones, those who utilized the app were found to have evacuated more quickly and covered fewer distances on foot.


Oishi Yusuke, a visiting professor at Tohoku University, stated that while some problems persist, using the newest technology to advise people understandably is useful.




Category and Tags
More stories by
Modi government is encouraging the use of Indian apps to compete with US technology

Photo: BHThe Modi government is encouraging the use of locally developed apps in India, as opposed to those from multinational companies such as Google Maps, WhatsApp and Microsoft. Three cabinet ministers have recen...

Musk's 'Grokipedia' is coming to compete with Wikipedia

American billionaire Elon Musk has expressed his dissatisfaction with popular online platforms at various times. Now he has announced that he will create an alternative to Wikipedia, the world's largest online encycl...

Elon Musk's SpaceX is on track to launch its own 5G network

SpaceX|ReutersElon Musk's SpaceX has signed a deal to buy wireless spectrum from US telecoms firm Ecostar for around $17 billion. The company plans to use the spectrum to connect Starlink to satellite-based internet as well as mobile networks. This m

Why Investing in Vietnam Might Be Beneficial for China?

Vietnam in recent years has become one of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant economies. For China, which is already such a dominant force in global trade and manufacturing, Vietnam offe...

Follow Business Habit on Facebook, Twitter