Multisensory Simulations for Smart Personal Protective Equipment

This paper discusses the development of a Multi-sensory Interaction Room (MIR) for testing smart Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in simulated, controlled environments without physical risks. Smart PPE utilizes integrated sensors to detect hazards like toxic gases or critical malfunctions, providing feedback through visual or vibrotactile cues. The MIR facilitates the testing and improvement of PPE prototypes by replicating critical environmental conditions using visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory stimuli. The environment employs digital twins for high-precision scenario simulations. Findings indicate that such comprehensive simulations can lead to better designed, more effective protective equipment by providing detailed insights into human sensory responses under various conditions. This paper contributes to the understanding of multisensory integration in safety equipment testing and introduces a low-cost, effective approach to simulating realistic atmospheres for PPE evaluation within an industry contex.