Fire Extinguisher Training AR/VR
Mobile Augmented Reality Experience
P.A.S.S. AR is Elite VR's first mobile application that teaches its users the basics of how to use a fire extinguisher: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep. This experience was created as a result of an "unsuccessful" design sprint in which we attempted to create a similar experience, but with mobile VR, not AR. This app is the first of its kind that turns Elite VR's business card into an interactive fire extinguisher hose. The user can place a fire anywhere in their surroundings and then use the P.A.S.S. method to extinguish it. The app was initially created as a marketing tool, but it also showcases the possibilities of mobile AR experiences that use peripheral augmented controllers.
Virtual Reality Experience
P.A.S.S. (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep) VR is an experience in which users have the opportunity to learn and practice using a virtual fire extinguisher. This demo was designed for a panel presentation at the Global Security Exchange (GSX) Conference and Expo. Unlike similar experiences on the market, this simulation attempts to train its users in real-world scenarios that they are likely to encounter in their workplace. The demo introduces the types of fire extinguishers, when and why they are used, and the instructions for basic operations. The second half of the experience places users in a simulated office kitchen fire and allows them to practice extinguishing the fire.
The Design Process
Following a Google-style design sprint, we created the basic outline of the experience. Because it was a presentation demo, some functionalities of the system were planned to work fully while other functions remained as “dummy” prototype features. That original flow was then put into Sketchbox, a 3D storyboarding tool, to ensure the best user experience. Several rounds of team and independent changes were implemented to ease user confusion and foreseen usability challenges. These changes included rearranged UIs, the placement of interactable assets, and the aesthetics of the environment.
One of the most exciting parts of this design process was testing the limits and capabilities of mobile augmented reality. When I pitched the concept, I figured that in theory, something like this could work; however, there were no known examples of this type of interaction. That posed two main challenges: how can we get the user to become acclimated to this idea of a peripheral augmented tool? And, how can we get it to work properly in all lighting & space conditions? Another obstacle was making sure that all of the elements included in P.A.S.S. could be successfully simulated on a 2D screen. Using a one-handed feature was another layer of consideration for the user.
The AR/UX Solutions
Before the current flow was created, the original flow for the experience included a lengthy 4-point tutorial in which the user had ample time and opportunity to test their lighting conditions, the tracker orientation, drift correction, and space size. While these tests were important, the experience was too long. The solution was a "tracker gate," an AR screen that prompted the user to align their tracker with a business card-shaped cutout. Once tracking, the P.A.S.S. tutorial would be displayed directly on the card, forcing the user to rotate the card if upside down.
The UI of the simulation portion includes an interactive fire extinguisher, menu buttons, and instructions. The extinguisher is controlled by two common touchscreen interactions: a swipe to pull the handle-embedded pin and a press to squeeze the handle. These mechanisms were much harder to recreate in Google Cardboard, which was the main factor that influenced the switch to AR.
Project Overview
P.A.S.S. AR is Elite VR's first mobile application that attempts to teach its users the basics of using a fire extinguisher: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep. This experience was created as a result of an "unsuccessful" design sprint in which we attempted to create a similar experience, but with mobile VR, not AR. This first of its kind app turns Elite VR's business card into an interactive fire extinguisher hose. The user can place a fire anywhere in their surroundings and then use the P.A.S.S. method to extinguish it. The app was created as a marketing tool but shows the possibilities of mobile AR experiences that utilize peripheral augmented controllers.
The Design Challenges
One of the most exciting parts of this design process was testing the limits and capabilities of mobile augmented reality. When I pitched the concept, I figured that in theory, something like this could work, but there were no known examples of this type of interaction. That posed two main challenges: how can we get the user to become acclimated to this idea of a peripheral augmented tool and how can we get it to work properly in all lighting & space conditions. Finally, making sure that all of the elements included in P.A.S.S. could be successfully simulated on a 2D screen while using one-handed another layer of consideration for the user.