vEER: A Visualization Platform for Environmental Emergency Response Decision Support

该NSERC RTI提案旨在开发一个用于环境应急响应决策支持（vEER）的试点可视化平台，以经济、便捷的方式为交互式环境研究、开发和培训提供一个前沿的下一代建模系统。开发基于虚拟现实（VR）和增强现实（AR）技术的vEER系统，形成逼真的设计、建模和决策以及新颖的训练环境，在恶劣条件下（如北大西洋或北冰洋）的环境应急（海洋溢油）响应训练和决策中具有很强的应用潜力。特别是现实世界的案例研究和海上培训被认为是一个关键的挑战，因为技术、财政和后勤方面的压力很大。将VR/AR技术引入传统的环境研究将是创新的，并且是海洋污染控制和溢油响应领域的第一个此类技术。为我国目前的溢油应急研究提供了新的方向和合理的延伸。***该系统将包括：1)交互计算模块，这是支持数据分析和操作的关键，以及计算机/软件与建模人员/学员之间的交互设计、建模和培训需求。它包括一个多处理器工作站，两台高性能笔记本电脑和两台平板电脑，以及泄漏建模软件；2)可视化支持模块，为泄漏建模结果解释和实时用户交互（例如，研究人员和学生；受训人员和培训师；决策者和响应者）提供身临其境的图形环境，用于研究或培训/实际目的。***据申请人所知，vEER是第一次在该领域提出。该设施将为申请人的研究计划的增长和扩展提供及时、关键的支持。它不仅在环境工程领域具有突破性的发展潜力，而且具有广阔的应用前景。它可以显著探索研究前沿，加速跨学科和部门创新技术的开发和转移，VR/ ar集成建模技术有可能成为未来环境建模和研究发展的新基准。它将是可访问的和有价值的许多其他用户在纪念和超越。它还将有助于创造一个一流的激励和丰富的培训环境，并大大提高留住和吸引顶级HQP的能力，使他们为环境、海洋和能源行业不断增长的市场做好准备。拟议的设施及其支持的研究项目将帮助Memorial和加拿大在该领域保持领先地位，并为加拿大带来短期/长期的社会、经济和环境效益。**

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. **