Construct Virtual Environment for Marine Search and Rescue Simulator

Abstract

Marine Search and Rescue (SAR) is important social responsibility and it is very urgent to improve marine SAR ability by peacetime training. Marine SAR simulator (MSARS) is a very effective, flexible and low-cost training method, nevertheless the effect of MSARS training strongly depends on constructing highly realistic and reliably marine SAR Virtual Environment (VE). In this paper, distress vessel and multiple rescue vessels are simulated respectively in several simulation ship bridges with full immersive multi-projector tiled display. Each unit simulates spatial sound via multi speakers to provide the real-time acoustic synthesis of SAR situation. Furthermore, many real or imitated operation devices in simulation ship bridge provide physical realism for VE. In the MSARS with VE which includes visual, auditory and haptical senses, trainees not only master marine SAR professional skills and procedures, but also deeply understand that marine SAR is urgent.