Periodic Reporting for period 2 - xR4DRAMA (Extended Reality For DisasteR management And Media plAnning)
Période du rapport: 2021-11-01 au 2023-04-30
The overall objectives of the project have been the development of multi-sensor data analysis methods for situation awareness and semantic integration and reasoning on audiovisual and smart sensor inputs, to develop enhanced interactive AR applications for outdoor media production and disaster management and immersive environments for strategic planning of media productions and disaster management, to collect heterogeneous data, to implement interactive Situation Awareness Platforms, to specify user needs, the xR4DRAMA evaluation and dissemination of project results, standardization, the collaboration with external bodies and the market analysis, sustainability and exploitation plan, as well as a business model.
All objectives were met (technical, scientific, user, impact making). We developed a comprehensive XR platform and toolset for all operational aspects in disaster management and media production planning and all involved professional groups and citizens. The evaluations validated the significant added value of the xR4DRAMA platform.
In the framework of the second milestone (MS2), research and development have been continued and the majority of the scientific, technological, user and impact creation goals that belong to MS2 have been achieved. The implementation of the 1st version of the modules was completed. The xR4DRAMA data repository was enriched with digital content from drone and camera recordings.
During the second period (M13-M30) MS2 was concluded, the integration of technical modules and 1st integrated prototype of the platform, and a report on dissemination, collaboration and standardization activities. MS3 was reached, specifically the i) 1st prototype evaluation and updated user requirements; ii) market analysis, exploitation and sustainability plans and business models. Also, MS4 was reached, specifically the final (updates) technical modules and final system prototype integration and delivery. MS5 accomplished the final system evaluation, final activity report and self-assessment, exploitation and sustainability plans, and the final ethics report.
The dissemination plan has been thoroughly elaborated. The exploitation plan was updated as part of deliverable D7.5. Regarding dissemination activities, the xR4DRAMA Documentary was completed. Additional actions have been the continuous posting on xR4DRAMA blog, LinkedIn and Twitter (s. D 1.3 for details), an intro to xR4DRAMA for journalists and on XR Hubs and the xR4DRAMA Poster and Postcard were prepared. More details for the dissemination activities can be found at D 1.3. A significant number of academic publications (in total 15 conference/journal papers) is part of the dissemination of projects' results.
Dissemination and communication activities during the project reached out startups and SMEs. The consortium followed a content marketing approach, contacts (and leads) were generated by demonstrating knowledge, asking questions, and explaining how xR4DRAMA as a platform can benefit individual companies and their solutions. The consortium got connected with stakeholder companies across Europe, many of which had already been active in the IT and media bubble but were at the same time new to the multimodal approach of xR4DRAMA, and promoted the idea to boost situation awareness via an XR-AI-IoT mix, clear contribution to Pan-European R&D communication and technology transfer. Adopting xR4DRAMA promises European SMEs a competitive advantage, enhancing productivity and fostering innovation. xR4DRAMA's fusion of technologies cultivates a suite of applications with transformative potential across diverse business sectors.
Within the disaster management sector, xR4DRAMA presents a custom tool conforming to rigorous cybersecurity, data retention, backup, and disaster recovery standards. Its proficiency extends to data interoperability and portability, team management, and localisation. The incorporated VR/AR technologies facilitate a virtual platform, enabling emergency planners visualising safe paths and potential impediments-an invaluable asset to SMEs dedicated to safety and security management, making xR4DRAMA an instrumental tool in modern business operations.
At the media sector, xR4DRAMA and products derived from it may become powerful, disruptive tools for production planners/content creators and their teams and offer a detail-rich, customised, immersive, and completely private 3D map with multimedia notebook and task managing functions. This could change the game for countless media workers producing content "in the field" – a great opportunity for SMEs in the interactive technical sector.
xR4DRAMA delivered several high-impact contributions to the technical and scientific fields of relevance. 3D reconstruction and modelling based on multimodal content were improved as large-scale data collection and processing algorithms dealt with challenges of real-world conditions of the pilots and aimed at faster reconstruction times while maintaining precision. Multimodal analysis, from IoT signals to GIS, video, text, and audio went beyond the SoA for the assessment of the current situation in public spaces during crisis incidents and events, allowing to manage risks, and plan media productions or intervene when appropriate using the xR4DRAMA decision support system (more details in D1.3).