Development of a Multi-Sensory Virtual Reality Training Simulator for Airborne Firefighters Supervising Aerial Wildfire Suppression

Wildfire firefighting is difficult to train for in the real world due to a variety of reasons, cost and environmental impact being the major barriers to effective training. Virtual Reality offers greater training opportunities to practice crucial skills, difficult to obtain without experiencing the actual environment. Situation Awareness (SA) is a critical aspect of Air Attack Supervision (AAS). Timely decisions need to be made by the AAS based on the information gathered while airborne. The type of display used in virtual reality training systems afford different levels of SA due to factors such as field of view, as well as presence within the virtual environment and the system. We conducted a study with 36 participants to evaluate SA acquisition and immersion in three display types: a high-definition TV (HDTV), an Oculus Rift Head-Mounted Display (HMD) and a 270° cylindrical projection system (SimPit). We found a significant difference between the HMD and the HDTV, as well as with the SimPit and the HDTV for SA levels. Preference was given more to the HMD for immersion and portability, but the SimPit gave the best environment for the actual role.