Examining Evacuation Times Considering Different User Interfaces for Evacuation Guidance Applications

Promoting hardware and software strategies is of utmost importance in the face of potential natural disasters. A prevailing challenge lies in the creation of efficient systems for smooth and orderly evacuations. This study verified the efficacy of evacuation guidance applications on the evacuation shelters and route by comparing three scenarios: one where evacuees utilized augmented reality (AR) as a user interface tool for navigation, another where they relied on a map, and a third where no specific evacuation method was assigned. The study also scrutinized the evacuation smoothness by examining the time spent during evacuation in each case. The findings demonstrated the effectiveness of application-based evacuation guidance across both user interfaces in selecting evacuation shelters and routes. Furthermore, the AR-based application recorded the fastest initiation of movement when considering evacuation smoothness. However, the time to halt movement before completing the evacuation was shorter when employing a traditional map application than when using the two developed applications. When questioned about their preferences before and after participating in the test, the inclinations of the respondents toward using an evacuation guidance application in future scenarios seemed to be influenced by the precision and functionality of the tools utilized during evacuation. One future area of focus is enhancing the accuracy of the evacuation route depicted in the application.