A voxel-based urban digital twin application for firefighter decision support and emergency response

Given the increasing number of disasters, effective disaster management is crucial to mitigating their impact on the population. Traditional methods often prove inadequate in providing the timely information needed for decision-making. To address this, a voxel-based urban digital twin application for emergency response is introduced. The proposed framework is designed to integrate real-time data into a georeferenced voxel grid. This approach enables continuous updates for information exchange, visualization, and interaction with the urban environment, creating a supportive Emergency Response Information System. The produced urban digital twin, rendered through a web application, is derived from a point cloud and integrates information about hydrants and smoke sensors, which are essential for firefighter decision support. The system features multiple exploration modes, dynamic rendering, focus+context visualization, and visual cues, such as color, size, transparency, and enclosed frames, to highlight critical elements and convey high-priority information rapidly. The web application provides specialized tools for navigation and interaction aimed at enhancing situational awareness during firefighting operations. After a comprehensive literature review, an initial set of design specifications has been set up. They were then refined and evaluated through a workshop and expert interviews with firefighters, prioritizing initial tasks of firefighters at an incident scene. Feedback from firefighters indicates significant improvements over traditional methods while identifying areas for usability enhancement. The research demonstrates that a voxel-based digital twin application serves as a more effective solution for emergency management compared to conventional 2D and basic 3D visualizations.