Transforming emergency response training through AI and interactive games

Katarina Benson — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 20:42:18 +0000

Transforming emergency response training through AI and interactive games Katarina Benson Tue, 12/17/2024 - 15:42

Emergency management training doesn’t usually involve game controllers or artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, but at ��AV, faculty and students are redefining what it means to prepare for crises. Through cutting-edge, AI-augmented games, they’re transforming complex challenges into interactive learning experiences that build skills and resilience.

The project, led by Shima Mohebbi, an assistant professor in the Department of Systems Engineering and Operations Research at George Mason’s College of Engineering and Computing, along with PhD student Pavithra Sripathanallur Murali and Nischal Newar, MS Computer Science ’24, began as part of a National Science Foundation (NSF) initiative to develop simulation-based games for resilient infrastructure. Inspired by a webinar hosted by George Mason’s Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities (C-RASC), where the Arlington County Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management (PSCEM) shared their training needs, Mohebbi and her team expanded the project’s focus to emergency preparedness.

This shift led to the creation of two interactive AI-powered games—Go-Repair and Go-Rescue —which were developed over the course of a year to train utility managers and volunteers to make critical decisions in scenarios like infrastructure repairs and hurricane disaster evacuations.

The games simulate emergency scenarios and provide participants with tailored insights into their decision-making process. By using advanced algorithms, the games create a dynamic learning environment where strategies can be tested and adapted in real time.

“Go-Repair and Go-Rescue aim to provide volunteers and utility managers with realistic emergency scenarios in a comfortable environment, free from the stress and panic of an actual crisis,” said Mohebbi. “Through AI optimization and reinforcement learning models, players can assess whether their decisions lead to better or worse outcomes compared to the AI-generated solutions, helping them improve their skills in making science-formed decisions.”

From left, Nischal Newar, Shima Mohebbi, and Pavithra Sripathanallur Murali. Photo provided

Traditional emergency training has relied on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidelines and in-person role-playing sessions known as “war gaming.” While valuable, these methods have limitations in scope, flexibility, and interactive feedback. The AI-powered games introduce a new dimension to address these gaps.

The project’s impact is already gaining recognition. Go-Repair: Resilient Infrastructure Learning Game to Evaluate Restoration Decisions was named as one of four finalists in the 2024 Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Data Analytics and Information Systems (DAIS) Student Mobile App Competition. Presenting the project at the conference in Montreal, Canada, this past May provided an invaluable opportunity to gather feedback and engage with other researchers tackling similar challenges. This exchange of ideas offered fresh perspectives and inspired new approaches to improve the game’s design and effectiveness.

“The feedback and engagement we’ve received, from Arlington County to the IISE community, are vital to advancing this project,” said Mohebbi. “The collaboration fosters innovation and ensures that our work aligns with the real needs of emergency responders and volunteers.”

“The gamified approach to emergency response training provides us with a unique tool to build the skills and confidence needed to serve our residents when they need us most,” said Hannah Winant, Arlington County deputy director, Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management. “We’re deeply grateful for George Mason’s proactive, innovative work, and the opportunity to collaborate on this important effort. This project reflects our belief in the power of local partnerships to drive impactful, real-world solutions for the benefit of our community.”

Looking ahead, the team is incorporating feedback to introduce more complex resource allocation tasks and expand participation to include more George Mason students and utility managers. By continuously refining the games with fresh input, the goal is to develop a versatile and effective training tool emergency response and preparedness. As the project evolves, the team aims to expand its reach, offering a smarter, more scalable solution for communities nationwide.

In This Story

Shima Mohebbi

Research at George Mason

Topics

College of Engineering and Computing

Solving Social Issues with Digital Art at Mason Korea

Emily Schneider — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 18:20:40 +0000

Solving Social Issues with Digital Art at Mason Korea Emily Schneider Tue, 12/07/2021 - 13:20

In This Story

Jared Bruhn

The '1st Social Impact Digital Art Contest' hosted by ��AV Korea, a member of the UN Global Compact, and sponsored by NCsoft, Gen.G Global Academy (GGA), Game Culture Foundation, and Square One is the UN's 'Sustainable Development Goals' (SDGs)' is an event prepared to raise public awareness.

The event focused on raising public consensus on social issues in the Corona era and finding solutions using the interactive and storytelling elements of digital media.

Students and faculty stand together at an award ceremony for a contest that presents solutions to social issues through digital art. The contest was held by ��AV Korea and sponsored by NCsoft & Gen.G Global Academy of Korea. (Photo: ��AV Korea)

The works submitted to this contest, with total prize money of 4.6 million won, consist of computer games, animations, comics, drawings, and illustrations that provide solutions to social issues in each field.

The works that went through the fierce first screening were exhibited in a gallery in Square One, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, and were evaluated by citizens and judged by experts.

The judging was conducted by Jared Bruhn and John McGrew, professors of Computer Game Design at Mason University Korea and external experts in the field."

The content of the evaluation was evaluated based on social value, completeness, workmanship, and originality, and the first to third places were selected in high school and college divisions, respectively.

In addition, popular awards in each category were selected through a citizen vote held at the exhibition hall.

Si-yeon Park (2nd year student at the Department of Creativity Soft) from Sejong University's BHP Team, who won the top prize in the college department, said, "I made the work 'With' in hopes that someone will agree. I believe that content can change the world, and I will make better works in the future.”

Robert Matz, president of ��AV Korea, said, “Through the creative ideas presented by students, it was interesting to see how popular culture can be used for better education and society. I hope it will serve as a good opportunity to raise public interest in social issues.”

Meanwhile, Guan Wang, president of Gen.G Global Academy (GGA), which sponsored the event, said in an encouraging speech, “This contest is a good example of converting students’ interest and passion for games into social contribution.” “Korea We are delighted to be collaborating with ��AV to organize this contest. I hope we can continue to collaborate more in the future.”

This article originally appeared in Woori Ilbo (South Korea) and has been translated into English.