BRIDGES: Extended Reality in Real-World Firefighters’ Training and Cultural Applications with the participation of NKUA

In a journey spanning three years of dedicated work, scientific dissemination via article and presentations at conferences, and numerous pilot evaluations, the research project titled “A hyBRID (physical-diGital) multi-user Extended reality platform as a stimulus for industry uptake of interactive technologieS – BRIDGES”, an H2020 Innovation Action, has concluded its mission. The project aims to support and boost the interactive technologies industry through the development of a holistic solution designed to elevate group interactions in room-scale mixed reality (or eXtended Reality – XR) environments, blurring the lines between the physical and virtual realms. The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens participated as a partner, led by Associate Professor Ms Maria Roussou.

The BRIDGES project focuses on the application of XR technologies in education and training, based on research showing that immersive simulation environments hold great promise. These include improving user performance, more effective practice in scenarios simulating real conditions, enhancing process understanding and learning, as well as optimal transfer of skills and knowledge to the real world. Additionally, the use of such environments increases motivation through exciting user experiences. For more realistic scenario simulation, technologies for creating multisensory stimuli were utilized, incorporating elements such as wind, heat, smell, and vibrations into the virtual environments, along with visual, auditory, and tactile effects.

To ensure the dissemination and adoption of the proposed solution, comprehensive pilot applications were conducted and extensively evaluated in real-life conditions. Specifically, within the context of training firefighters and airport rescuers, virtual simulation scenarios were developed to address aircraft fire incidents at two major international airports: the Berlin Brandenburg Airport in Germany and the Athens International Airport in Greece. Concurrently, as part of informal education aimed at enhancing the learning and entertaining experience of visitors to cultural sites, a participatory narrative story was created, introducing life in an ancient Athenian household, at the Hellenic Cosmos Cultural Center in Athens.

The BRIDGES solution has the potential to expand its scope to European airports as a tool for daily training and to cultural organizations aiming to offer an unparalleled exciting experience to their visitors. It represents an innovative step in exploring the limitless possibilities of Extended Reality as a tool to address future challenges.

* BRIDGES has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 952043, and the consortium consists of Maggioli, Illusion Walk, Bolt Virtual Services and Productions, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Technical University of Vienna, Fondazione Sistema Toscana, Foundation of the Hellenic World, Athens International Airport, Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH.