The AR Simulation Application for Safety Bus by SoWhen? x HTC VIVE

An Immersive Mixed Reality (XR) and Real-Time 3D Training for Enhanced Safety Reflexes

An Innovative Response to Fire Safety Challenges

An Agile and Customized XR Training Tool

For 15 years, Safety Bus has been a key player in professional risk prevention training. In collaboration with SoWhen?, a createch company specializing in immersive technologies, Safety Bus, in partnership with the BPCE Group, has developed an augmented reality (AR) simulation application to enhance safety reflexes. Complementing their physical training and targeted at large corporations and public institutions, this groundbreaking solution leverages XR technologies to deliver immersive, portable training tailored to employees’ actual work environments.

The Objective of the AR Simulation Application

The application, developed by SoWhen? in partnership with Safety Bus, simulates fire emergency scenarios within hyper-realistic settings. The goal is to place users in a virtual fire situation in their own workspace.
The key objectives include:

  • Enhancing reflexes during fire emergencies: Users learn to utilize available equipment, such as virtual extinguishers, to put out fires effectively.
  • Eliminating logistical constraints of physical training: With a portable, ready-to-use solution (no wiring required), companies can train all staff, even in spaces where mobile units cannot be deployed.
  • Providing personalized learning: Through interactive scenarios modifiable by the trainer, the application adapts to the specific needs of learners. Trainers can adjust the training in real-time based on the location and its unique components.

Valentine Marcel of Safety Bus highlights that the application allows complex scenarios to be recreated directly in the office, providing practical training rooted in employees’ daily reality.

Challenges in Developing the Application

Creating such an advanced AR/XR application came with its own set of challenges. Freddy Koné, Director of Creative and R&D at SoWhen?, outlined several key hurdles:

  • Creating realistic virtual fire:
    The primary challenge was designing a convincing fire simulation that immerses users while ensuring safety. The visual and behavioral quality of the fire was essential to maximize the training’s educational impact.
  • Synchronizing physical equipment with virtual elements:
    Integrating physical extinguishers with virtual fire required seamless communication between hardware and software. The HTC VIVE Ultimate Trackers overcame this challenge, offering unmatched precision and autonomy without cumbersome external sensors.
  • Designing a portable and user-friendly solution:
    Portability was a key criterion. Thanks to the XR Elite headset’s compact yet powerful features, the team created a lightweight, intuitive solution easily transportable between locations.

Freddy emphasized the importance of new technologies like OpenXR, which ensure universal compatibility and smooth tracker integration into existing devices.

Our Mission at SoWhen?

For this project, our primary objective was to transform a traditional training exercise into a memorable and effective experience using augmented and mixed reality.
Our role included:

  • Design and technical development: Crafting an intuitive user interface and a robust engine capable of generating diverse scenarios.
  • Hardware integration: Partnering with HTC VIVE to leverage cutting-edge technology, including the XR Elite headset and Ultimate Trackers.
  • Support for Safety Bus: Providing continuous training and customization of tools to meet the expectations of BPCE Group, the client commissioning this project.

Freddy Koné expressed satisfaction with the results, particularly due to the XR Elite headset’s new features, which enhanced robustness, usability, and the quality of the user experience.

This AR simulation application represents the future of fire safety training. By combining real and virtual elements, it enables employees to train in realistic conditions. Thanks to SoWhen?’s expertise and HTC VIVE’s immersive technologies, Safety Bus has succeeded in making fire safety training more accessible, effective, and innovative.

F.A.Q. :

An AR application overlays virtual elements onto real environments, enriching the user experience.

XR solutions provide complete immersion, flexibility in use, and scenarios tailored to real work environments.

The HTC VIVE Ultimate Trackers and XR Elite headset offer exceptional precision, autonomy, and seamless integration.

OpenXR ensures universal compatibility, simplifying the use of various XR platforms.

Yes, the solution is fully portable thanks to its compact design and standalone technologies.

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