Rikei Corporation (Head Office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Satoru Isaka; hereinafter “Rikei”) is pleased to announce that Osaka Municipal Fire Department  will be utilizing virtual reality (hereinafter “VR”) in the form of our disaster drill VR content “Evacuation Experience VR,” which simulates the experience of evacuating from a fire, as well as our VR equipment.

Background of the initiative

The importance of disaster drills in anticipation of large-scale disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis has grown in recent years, and local governments around the country are organizing disaster drills.

As a way to spread information about fire prevention, we are introducing “Evacuation Experience VR,” which allows participants to experience a realistic disaster drill and learn how to evacuate correctly in case of a fire (keep a low posture, cover mouth and nose with a handkerchief or the like, and evacuate).

Outline of the Evacuation Experience VR product

Using a VR head-mounted display, it makes it possible to experience evacuation from a room with an ongoing fire and filled with black smoke (duration: about 3 min per person). Thanks to super realistic 360º images and controller, it is possible to freely move around in the VR space. Moreover, it is possible to judge whether participants are adopting a correct evacuation posture, such as staying low and following the corridor evacuation lighting when visibility is reduced due to smoke.

Disaster Drill VR: Fire Evacuation experience footage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWOB428s08Y

Features

1) Works in limited spaces

The equipment consists of PC–VR head-mounted display main unit and controller only.

It does not require more than around 1.5 x 1.5 m of space.

2) Effective content

Participants can experiences the whole series of events from determining an evacuation route with the assistance of evacuation lighting to evacuating to the emergency exit in a VR space. The content is highly effective as a drill, and comes with a function for determining whether the participants are keeping the correct posture.

3) Big interest in VR

A disaster drill using hi-tech VR will catch the attention of many.

Customers that introduced this system in FY2017

Shinagawa Ward; Konosu City, Saitama; Koshigaya City, Saitama; Koganei City, Tokyo; Sophia University; Nomura Real Estate Development Co., Ltd.; NTT DoCoMo, Inc.; Shinkin Bank Card Co., Ltd.; and more

Future development

At Rikei, we are committed to developing not only this content but other VR package content for disaster prevention education as well, all the while making the most of insights gathered in the field of disaster prevention, including J-Alert.

About Rikei Corporation

Established in 1957, Rikei Corporation is a solution provider for the IT and electronics industries.

Rikei offers a wide variety of solutions centered on the world’s cutting edge technologies and advanced products in the fields of system solutions, such as entrance exam and educational affairs systems and IT infrastructure, business strategy, and information security solutions. It also provides network solutions, such as satellite communication data transfer systems, digital video transfer systems, network systems for telecommunication operators and other private companies, wireless access systems, and disaster management information systems. In addition to solutions, Rikei provides electronic components and devices, such as high frequency components, high performance adhesives for industrial use, testers for automotive audio and navigation equipment, power grid analysis systems, defense-related machinery and security systems. 

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