PostDisaster

Mixed Reality Post-Disaster Damage Assessment Tools for Response Planning

Environmental disasters are one of the greatest challenges of mankind. Due to the increasing frequency and intensity of such events, the need for novel tools for the assessment and management of environmental disasters is becoming increasingly important. This project is therefore concerned with research into tools for damage analysis and action planning following environmental disasters (floods, earthquakes). With the help of three key technologies, the aim is to improve decision-making, the planning of relief operations and the assessment of the impact and extent of damage caused by natural disasters. The three innovations that will support the decision-making process on three levels (space, near ground, ground) are (I) AI-supported satellite image analysis, (II) drone-based tools for rapid, high-quality 3D reconstruction of large areas and (III) MR-based tools for analyzing damage to infrastructure.

AI-supported satellite image analysis is used to identify and analyze areas affected by floods and earthquakes. The resulting data is crucial for proactive planning and enables decision-makers to allocate resources efficiently.

To get a more detailed overview of the situation, drones take high-resolution images of the disaster area. Using an innovative algorithm, the entire area is reconstructed in three dimensions in high resolution in just a few minutes, providing decision-makers with an immersive and dynamic visualization of the situation in real time. The 3D reconstructed area can be viewed in VR independent of decision makers’ location. This technology helps to assess the damage, determine critical areas and optimize relief measures.

Since damage to infrastructure is assessed by an expert, the damage analysis is subjective. Therefore, in the third level, mixed reality (MR)-supported tools for damage analysis of infrastructure damage are provided. For this purpose, an application is provided that enables users (e.g. appraisers) to walk through the respective building with the help of MR glasses and mark damage. Using a novel approach, a 3D model of the building is created, which can later be inspected again in VR for a comprehensible damage assessment. By annotating the model in MR, the damage assessment becomes more efficient and easier to understand, which reduces the overall effort required for recording and assessment.

This comprehensive approach integrates state-of-the-art technologies to create robust disaster management tools and ensure that Austria is better equipped to meet the challenges of future floods and earthquakes.