Tokyo Fire Department x Game Technology. VR Training Reproducing "Zero Visibility" Conditions, Proving Potential for "Deeper Learning" and "Cost Optimization" with 119 First-Term Students.

Mankind Games Inc. (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kosuke Nakahei; hereinafter "the Company") developed a "Firefighting Training VR App" in collaboration with the Tokyo Fire Department as part of the "UPGRADE with TOKYO" Project's 41st winning project (implementation period: February 2025 - January 2026), hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. In a verification targeting 119 first-term students (※1) at the Tokyo Fire Department Fire Academy, it was confirmed that by supplementing activities in "dense smoke environments" which are difficult to reproduce in actual field training, VR has the potential to further enhance the learning effectiveness of existing practical training.

※1 First-term students: Firefighters who have been hired and are undergoing basic education and training at the fire academy.

At the Tokyo Fire Department Fire Academy. From left: Sato, COO of the Company, and Kosuke Nakahei, Representative Director and CEO.

Background: The "Experience Wall" Faced by Firefighting Education

While practical education and training are conducted daily at fire academies, reproducing environments close to actual fires presents the following structural challenges (constraints):

1. Environmental Constraints Due to safety management, it is difficult to reproduce dense smoke and heat like in an actual fire during training, making it challenging to fully imagine the harshness of the actual scene.

2. Time and Human Resource Constraints Training involving danger requires the deployment of multiple instructors, limiting the number of experiences and time per student.

3. Economic Constraints Practical training involving combustion and equipment wear incurs considerable costs, making frequent implementation difficult.

In this project, the Company aimed to enhance training effectiveness by utilizing the latest game development technology to create "learning from failure experiences in a safe environment" to address these challenges.

Main Features of the Developed System

1. Reproduction of a "Realistic Scene" Difficult to Replicate in Practical Training The system developed by the Company utilizes a game development engine (※2) to reproduce conditions of zero visibility due to dense smoke. With visual expressions of heat, the design allows users to feel the "physiological anxiety" and harshness peculiar to the scene.

2. Active Learning through Gamification Gamification elements were adopted to detect actions such as "maintaining a low posture" or "checking residual pressure (air volume)," issuing alerts for inappropriate actions, and providing objective evaluation feedback as a score after completion. This encourages students to identify their own challenges and motivates them for repetitive practice.

3. Two Training Modes Adapted for Different Uses The following two training modes were implemented, enabling various types of training: - ① Practical Mode: Simulates actual firefighting and search activities. In addition to "single-player" training with a CPU (AI), it also supports "multiplayer" where three students access the VR space simultaneously to learn coordinated actions as a platoon leader or team member. - ② Near-Miss Experience Mode: Safely simulates scenarios leading to "major accidents" that are difficult to experience in training, such as "backdraft (explosion phenomenon)," "floor collapse," and "structural collapse," thereby enhancing crisis management awareness.

4. Can be Conducted in a Small Space It can be implemented in a space of about 2m x 2m in a classroom or dormitory, requiring only a VR headset and controllers. It is not affected by weather or facility availability and requires no preparation effort.

※2 Game Development Engine: Software that integrates basic functions necessary for game production, such as graphic rendering, physics calculation, and sound processing.

Reproduction of zero visibility due to dense smoke

Confirmation of cooperation through multiplayer (verified by instructor)

Verification Details

At a conference room within the Tokyo Fire Department Fire Academy, 119 individuals experienced the VR training in a group training format, and a survey was conducted and results compiled afterwards.

Implementation of training by first-term students

(1) Survey Items

- Q1 VR training made it easier to grasp the situation of a fire scene compared to usual practical training. - Q2 The "smoke" in VR training felt realistic. - Q3 The "flame" in VR training felt realistic. - Q4 VR training felt more intense compared to usual practical training. - Q5 I was able to engage more proactively in VR training compared to usual practical training. - Q6 The purpose and operation methods of VR training were easily understood. - Q7 I felt unwell or experienced VR sickness during VR training. - Q8 VR training was useful for concretely imagining an actual fire scene. - Q9 Through experiencing VR training, I feel my confidence in grasping the situation and predicting danger in smoke has increased. - Q10 VR training was useful for concretely imagining "what to do next" in smoke. - Q11 Through experiencing VR training, I feel my awareness of the danger and threat of smoke has increased (become more realistic). - Q12 Through experiencing VR training, I have come to feel more strongly the importance of usual practical training and classroom lectures. - Q13 This VR training... (truncated)