Optical see-through augmented reality fire safety training for building occupants

Fire safety training is crucial to increase building occupants' chances of surviving a fire emergency. Traditional training methods, such as lectures using video presentations, have limitations that can hinder learning performance. This article describes the development and testing of an alternative training solution using Augmented Reality (AR) technology. Through a controlled between-subject experiment, the AR-based fire safety training method was compared against a conventional video-based one based on participants' knowledge acquisition and retention, intrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy. Results suggest that the AR system was well-designed and as effective as the traditional method in terms of knowledge acquisition and retention and overall learning experience. However, it was found to be superior in terms of intrinsic motivation gain and self-efficacy retention. These findings demonstrate the potential of AR-based training methods to enhance building occupants' safety and provide directions for future developments and research in the field.