Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality in the Simulation of Human Behavior During Evacuations

Abstract

Research in virtual representation (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) has been conducted separately for many years. Innovation in hardware and software has promoted a parallel evolution of both fields, which, in the last decade, have found a point of convergence in video game applications. Although a relatively recent phenomenon, video games are the most relevant technological, social and cultural expression of contemporary times, becoming the leading entertainment industry globally as a volume of business. The market’s growth has necessitated the need for dedicated work platforms, known as game engines, capable of integrating and optimizing workflow due to the ease of acquiring, transferring, and sharing heterogeneous content in interactive virtual environments. The paper aims to exploit this potential by combining a virtual environment’s spatial, physical, and temporal determinants to simulate the evacuation flows of a building during an emergency. To this goal, an AI is being studied that reproduces the processes that guide individuals to the nearest exit while considering obstacles and areas where passage is impeded. Within the development environment, the simulation can be visualized in real-time, with the possibility of changing parameters and evaluating different scenarios to optimize the relationship between the designed environment and security exigencies.