vEER: A Visualization Platform for Environmental Emergency Response Decision Support

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This NSERC RTI proposal aims at developing a pilot Visualization Platform for Environmental Emergency Response Decision Support (vEER), presenting an edge-cutting next-generation modeling system for interactive environmental research, development and training in an affordable and convenient way. The vEER system based on virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies will be developed to form a realistic design, modeling and decision-making, and novel training environment with strong potential of application in environmental emergency (marine oil spill) response training and decision making in harsh conditions (e.g., in the North Atlantic or Arctic oceans). Particularly the real-world case studies and training at sea are recognized as a key challenge given the significant technical, financial and logistic strains. The introduction of VR/AR technologies into the traditional environmental research will be innovative and be the first of its kind in the field of marine pollution control and oil spill response. It also presents a new direction and reasonable extension of our current oil spill response research. *** The system will include: 1) Interactive computation module, which is essential for supporting data analysis and manipulation, and interactive design, modeling, and training needs between computer/software and modelers/trainees. It includes one multi-processer workstation, two high-performance laptops and two tablets, and spill modeling software; and 2) Visualization supporting module, which enables immersive, graphical environment for spill modeling result interpretation and real-time user interaction (e.g., researchers and students; trainees and trainers; decision-makers and responders) for research or training/practical purposes. *** To the applicants' best knowledge, the vEER is proposed for the first time in the field. The facility will provide a timely, critical support to the growth and expansion of the applicants' research program. It presents not only great potential of ground-breaking advancement in environmental engineering but promising future of wide application. It can significantly explore the research frontiers, accelerate the development and transfer of innovative technologies across disciplines and sectors, and VR/AR-integrated modeling technique has the potential to be a new benchmark for future environmental modeling and research development. It will be accessible and valuable for many other users within Memorial and beyond. It will also help create a first-class stimulating and enriched training environment and considerably improve the ability to retain and attract top HQP and get them ready for the growing markets in environmental, marine and energy industries. The proposed facility and its supported research program will help Memorial and Canada keep a leading role in the field and bring short/long-term social, economic, and environmental benefits to Canada. **