Heat Suit-Enhanced VR Training for Emergency Methanol Firefighting in Maritime Operations

Abstract

The present study demonstrates a novel heat suit-based Virtual Reality (VR) training system for emergency response to methanol fires in the maritime industry, a significant driver of decarbonization in maritime as methanol becomes an increasingly attractive sustainable fuel. In contrast to conventional fires, methanol burns with near-invisible flames and rapid vaporization, hazards that cannot be reproduced safely through normal education. To address that, we modified an existing heat suit and seamlessly integrated it into the VR environment and provided this feedback in the form of thermo-haptic feedback, allowing Trainees to physically sense the growing heat as they walk towards a methanol fire on the drip tray of a container-ship manifold station. The unique novelty of our method is the inclusion of this thermo-feedback integration, which adds visual and auditory stimuli to enhance situational awareness and decision-making processes under thermal conditions. The system provides interactive fire behaviour and fire extinguisher simulation for a safe training experience. In bridging the sensory void of VR-only simulations, our design not only provides a leap forward for maritime firefighting readiness but also sets the standard for immersive training towards the unique environmental challenges associated with methanol-fuelled vessels.

Keywords: Maritime Decarbonization, Virtual Reality (VR) Training, Thermo-Haptic Feedback, Methanol Fire Simulation

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1008206