Democratizing Mobilities Design Tools Using VR - Extended Abstract

Abstract

In collaboration with Metroselskabet in Copenhagen, Denmark, this project is an exploration of how virtual reality can support urban designers in visualizing crowd flow in Nørreport Metro Station. The aim was to visualize the simulated effects of rearranging the placement of electronic ticket validators. Four elements form the core of the prototype. First, crowd simulation using Unity’s NavMesh system, with agents driven by behavior trees. Second, VR technology to support an immersive and interactive experience. Third, a virtual environment based on Nørreport Metro Station. Fourth, a logging system so that data could be extracted from the simulated crowd flow, enabling further analysis by users. The project was evaluated on five participants, consisting of an expert heuristic evaluation along with cybersickness and presence questionnaires. Results showed great promise, and through multiple iterations the project was considered to be sufficient as a design tool for urban metro design.