Standardized Risk Mitigation Measurement in Extended Reality Environments Utilizing the IEEE Experience API (xAPI) Standard

Recent reports indicate increased organizational appetite and spend in the energy industry in both the areas of operational risk management training and enablement and in extended reality hardware and software, as part of larger automation and digital transformation initiatives. Furthermore, recent advances in immersive technology, along with more dispersed, asynchronous working conditions due to COVID, have resulted in scalable, immersive simulations that more and more closely resemble real world environments. While recent standards have defined JSON syntax appropriate for tracking and measuring human behavior data in generic learning environments (IEEE P9274.1) and in a manner that more closely approximates human behavior in the workplace, as typically tracked in operational risk management systems, no risk-based ontology has yet been defined that more closely crosswalks and correlates data from simulated environment systems to those in operational environments. Thus, the true efficacy of extended reality-based risk mitigation training cannot be fully measured. In this effort, a risk-based ontology and matrix was constructed in accordance with the xAPI standard syntax and allowable extensions and was utilized to transform a subset of historical data from simulated operational risk-based scenarios from the energy industry. Transformed data from this initial subset closely approximated operational risk reporting data and provided insights into human behavior data in simulated environments that can be easily compared and correlated to existing operational excellence and risk mitigation KPIs. Implications for mapping of additional advanced data from simulated environments in larger, more complex datasets, such as eye tracking and biometrics, were also considered and explored. © 2022 IEEE.

Improving Students’ Learning Experience Using Simulated Environments in Applied Degree Education in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction

An applied degree education is about using work-integrated learning approaches in student learning. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic has severely affected how applied education may continue to enrich students’ knowledge of the real world. In various degree programs, a simulated environment is an essential part of the curriculum and applying it to applied degree education cannot be ignored. A simulated environment plays an essential role in linking theoretical knowledge acquired in the classroom to the real world. It exposes students to real-world problems but in a controlled simulated environment. This chapter introduces several approaches in creating simulated environments for applied degree programs in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC). It discusses the key benefits of using technologies, such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and the A Real Organization Unit Simulated as Life (AROUSAL) system, to improve the student learning experience in applied degree education in AEC. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Social Distancing and Behavior Modeling with Agent-Based Simulation

The research discusses applying agent-based simulation (ABS) technology to analyze the social distancing in public space during the COVID-19 pandemic to facilitate design and planning decisions. The ABS is used to simulate pedestrian flow and construct the micro-level complexity within a simulated environment. This paper describes the various computational methods related to the ABS and design space under the new social distancing guidelines. We focus on the linear phases of agent activities, including (1) environmental query, (2) waiting in a zone, (3) waiting in a queue, and (4) tasks (E-Z-Q-T) in response to design iterations related to crowd control and safety distance. The design project is extended to the agents’ interactions driven by a set of tasks in a simulated grocery store, restaurant, and public restroom. We applied a quantitative analysis method and proximity analysis to evaluate architectural layouts and crowd control strategies. We discussed social distancing, pedestrian flow efficiency, public accessibility, and ways of reducing congestion through the intervention of the E-Z-Q-T phases. © 2022, Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.