Development of the Java-based Evacuation Simulator equippedwith plural wireless sensor network devices for fostering a deja vu
Toshiaki Yokoi 1 and Satoshi Sasaki 212

Faculty of Environmental and Information Studies, Tokyo City University, Japan
Graduate School of Environmental and Information Studies, Tokyo City University, Japan

1 Introduction

According to the recent report of Tokyo Fire
Department published in 2011, the number of firedisasters was 5,088 and the number of deaths was 105.
Although numbers are on a declining trend, the firedisaster is still a daily threat in Tokyo, and is almost
impossible to prevent fire disaster perfectly [1]. Sinceordinary evacuation training system has disadvantage inreality (lack of smoke, night-time, obstacles, etc.), thefrequency and time length of the training. Thus it isinsufficient for realistic training so that trainees canremember the way of survival when they meet with firedisaster scene.
In order to make up for such ordinary evacuation
training, we developed a first-step model [2] ofevacuation simulator utilizing the Java3D technology[3]. For the intuitive operation of the evacuation
simulator, we adopted the wireless network sensor
device (SunSPOT) and combined it with the Java3D
program by using network data transfer.
In this paper, we expanded the use of the SunSPOT
not only for directing device, but for reflecting trainee’s
crouch down position and for linking the real room
lightness and the virtual room lightness. We believe

this simulation approach would be utilized in the studyof group psychology behaviour in disaster. We believe
this realistic evacuation simulation approach would beutilized in memorising the trainees the success ofevacuation, so that they remember the way ofevacuation when they meet with a real fire disasterscene.
2 Expansion of the function of Java3Dbased Evacuation Simulator
Fig. 1 illustrates the structure of the Java3D API
program of the evacuation simulator that we developed.
Left side sub-tree shows the structure of the building
model, while right side tree shows the viewer system
structure controlled with wireless network sensor
devices. When the trainee recline the sensor device for
move, the sensor behaviour object detects the angle
variation during specific time, then set necessary
viewpoint transfer to the top “TransformGroup” object.
In this paper, we added the function of considering
the trainee’s crouch position. We used another
SunSPOT to know the trainee’s crouch down position

by detecting the tilt angle of the SunSPOT which isequipped with trainee’s thigh (fig.2). The reason of
considering the crouch down position is that theposition is considered as effective to keep clear sightand to protect oneself from harmful smoke, CO2 CO,etc.

system. Through the several staff tests, the crouch
down sensor and room light sensor worked fine (fig.4),
but it became clear that the usage of the movement
controller for walk-through should be modified becausesome of the trainees felt this control operation as nonnatural. The current operation for indicating the moving
direction is to tilt the SunSPOT to a direction going tomove. This non-natural control disadvantage showed
up because the other control (crouch down, etc.)
utilized very natural action. Hence, we are now
considering the improvement in this matter for the next
version. The other element for realistic fire disasterscene “smoke-filled situation” was successfully
introduced to the system as shown in fig.5.

Fig.2 Wireless Network Sensor Device Attached to theTrainee’s ThighWe also added utilized the light sensor informationof the SunSPOT to synchronize the trainee’s roombrightness and the simulated room brightness. Thesedata link relations are illustrated in fig.3. Since theSunSPOT runs on the Java Micro Edition Virtual
Machine, it cannot call the method of the Java3D-basedprogram. So we used the UDP communication tocombine the SunSPOT and the Java3D-based
Evacuation Simulator.

Fig. 4 Evacuation Simulator Screen at Crouching Down
PositionFig. 5 Evacuation Simulator Screen at Smoky Situation
4 Conclusion
This paper has described the Java3D-based
evacuation simulator, which is expected effective in
educating successful evacuation training which iscomplementary to the real evacuation training. By
adopting the plural wireless network sensor devices, we
believe that natural, intuitive and effective scene
representation became possible. This simulation
approach can be used in the study of group psychology
behaviour in disaster. We also hope this system isutilized in the education of self-starter evacuees toprotect lives from disasters.
References
Fig. 3 Network Link between Java3D Program andWireless Network Sensor Devices
3 Preliminary result of the effect of plural
wireless network sensor adoption
In order to create realistic "fire disaster scene", wefirstly examined the usability of this new configuration[1] Disaster information Disaster statistics, Tokyo Fire
Department, http://www.tfd.metro.tokyo.jp/saigai/[2] toukei/index.html[3] Toshiaki Yokoi, Kazunori Yasue , Development of theEvacuation Simulator platform utilizing Java3D API andSunSPOT technology, the 29th symposium of JSST2010.
[4] Sowizral, Henry, et al., The Java3D API Specification,ASCII corp., Ltd. (1999)