Virtual Reality and Safety Training: an evolutionary approach to enhancing hazard perception in cycling communities

Proposed supervisory team

Dr Shabnam Sadeghi Esfahlani

Dr Matthew A. Timmis

Dr Kjell van Paridon

Theme

AI, Robotics and Automation. Impact themes: Health, Performance, and Wellbeing Sustainable Futures.

Summary of the research project

Research Topic: The Application of Virtual Reality in Training and Safety: an in-depth study into enhancing real-world hazard perception across multiple modalities.

Rationale: The rise of urbanization and the push for sustainable modes of transport have led to an increase in the cycling community. While cycling promotes health and environmental benefits, it brings forth safety challenges, particularly in busy urban landscapes. Traditional safety training methods may not be sufficient to prepare cyclists for the dynamic nature of road environments. Virtual Reality (VR), with its immersive and interactive capabilities, presents an opportunity to revolutionize hazard perception training. By mimicking real-world scenarios in a controlled virtual environment, VR can offer cyclists a comprehensive training experience, thereby potentially reducing on-road incidents.

Objectives:

1. Design and develop the "Hazard Perception Game," a virtual reality application tailored to enhance the hazard perception skills of the cycling community.
2. Investigate the effectiveness of VR as a tool for safety training compared to traditional methods.
3. Assess the translation of hazard perception skills from the virtual realm to real-world cycling scenarios.
4. Analyze user feedback to understand the psychological and cognitive impact of VR-based training on participants.
5. Identify any limitations and propose iterative improvements to the VR training program based on user feedback and performance metrics.

Methodology:

1. VR Development: Collaborate with VR developers to design a realistic urban environment for the "Hazard Perception Game," incorporating common hazards cyclists encounter.
2. Participant Selection and Grouping: Recruit a diverse group of cyclists and divide them into control (traditional training) and experimental (VR training) groups.
3. Training Sessions: Expose the experimental group to a series of VR scenarios, while the control group undergoes traditional hazard perception training.
4. Evaluation: Use a combination of questionnaires, psychological tests, and practical cycling tests in real-world scenarios to assess hazard perception skills.
5. Feedback Collection: Conduct post-training interviews and surveys with participants to gather insights into their experiences, perceptions, and suggestions.
6. Data Analysis: Utilize quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques to compare the effectiveness of VR versus traditional training and to derive insights from user feedback.

Expected Outcomes:

1. An advanced VR application tailored to the needs of the cycling community for enhanced hazard perception training.
2. Evidence-based findings on the efficacy of VR as a training tool for hazard perception in comparison to traditional methods.
3. Insights into the cognitive and psychological impacts of immersive VR training on cyclists.
4. A set of recommendations and guidelines for the integration of VR in safety training programs across various sectors.

Contribution to the Field: This research promises to pioneer the integration of VR in the realm of safety training, particularly for cyclists. The findings could lay the groundwork for broader applications of VR in training across different transportation modalities and industries, driving a paradigm shift in safety training approaches.

Where you'll study

Chelmsford

Funding

This project is self-funded with the aim to complete in 3 year. Details of studentships for which funding is available are selected by a competitive process and are advertised on our jobs website as they become available.

Next steps

If you wish to be considered for this project, we strongly advise you contact the proposed supervisory team. You will also need to formally apply for our Engineering and the Built Environment PhD. In the section of the application form entitled 'Outline research proposal', please quote the above title and include a research proposal.