Development of an experience system for tsunami using VR HMD

In this paper we contribute a Hands-on Interactive Tsunami Evacuation System for an immersive tsunami simulation that leverages on the visualization technology fostered by Virtual Reality (hereafter, VR) Head Mount Display (hereafter, HMD). This system allows for the display of VR dynamic image of tsunami propagation within the stereoscopic 3D space projected on the distorted lens of the HMD. A model of wave source that has undergone tsunami numerical analysis to feedback the result of tsunami inundation analysis on Kamaishi, a port town in Iwate prefecture in Japan, is used for the tsunami simulation. By incorporating the analysis result into VR space, visualization of tsunami progression with cumulating water flowing upstream is feasible. Users getting their hands-on tsunami evacuation experience through this system can navigate within the VR space at will using a controller to experience a realistic walking simulation. The HMD device enables the wearers' viewing angle to be rotated realistically as if they are actually there, allowing for a much more immersive tsunami evacuation experience.

Keywords: Virtual Reality (VR); Head Mounted Display (HMD); Oculus; Tsunami simulation