Using virtual reality to determine how emergency signs facilitate way-finding

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Environmental Psychology
• Safety Science

Background:

• Effective way-finding is crucial for rapid emergency egress.
• The impact of different emergency sign designs on evacuation efficiency requires further investigation.
• Virtual reality offers a controlled environment to study human behavior in simulated emergencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality-constructed emergency signs in aiding way-finding.
• To compare the performance of old versus new emergency sign versions.
• To analyze factors influencing way-finding, including sign presence, gender, and environmental cues.

Main Methods:

• 107 subjects participated in a virtual reality emergency escape game across three scenarios: no signs, old signs, and new signs.
• Way-finding time was the primary metric, with a baseline of 40 seconds for error-free escape.
• Statistical analysis was used to compare escape times and identify significant differences.

Main Results:

• Absence of signs resulted in significantly slower escape times (123.8s) compared to old (75.6s) and new (84.8s) signs.
• Males demonstrated superior way-finding abilities compared to females (p<0.001).
• Participants often ignored directional signs, opting for immediate doors (42%) and favoring left turns at T-intersections (60%).

Conclusions:

• Emergency signs substantially enhance way-finding and reduce evacuation times.
• While both old and new signs improve egress, old signs showed a slight advantage in this study.
• Way-finding behavior is complex, influenced by sign design, individual differences, and environmental context.