The main objective of this action is to investigate the way virtual reality tools can be used for education on natural disasters. Nowadays, training methods include formal classes, books, multimedia applications, interactive simulations, on-job training, etc. Even though on-job training is particularly effective in complex tasks involving great deal of independence, it seems to be the most expensive of all. Moreover, the need of an experienced personnel, able to conduct such a training, as well as the unavailability of the training context, make it's use prohibitory. Due to the reasons given above, Virtual Reality (VR) applications have been implemented to fulfill those requirements.
An attempt to develop a system that will allow the trainees to develop their psychological skills that will enable them to face reality on a emergency site, is made. The training should focus on rapid situation assessment and decision-making under exceptionally stressful situations (situation training). In the beginning, a percentage (30%) of the students used for the training will be trained in the Virtual Reality environment, while the rest of them will be given instructions in traditional ways Afterwards, each trainee will be immersed in a 3D Virtual model of a school class, inside which he will experience an earthquake simulation. Before and after the simulation process, useful measurements ( such as heart beat rate and sweat indicating measurements) will be recorded, with the intention of being analyzed after the execution of the experiment.
All the above measurements will be used to identify the emotion that describes in the most appropriate way, the psychological state that characterized the trainee during the simulation of the earthquake