Real-Time Data Visualisation in Collaborative Virtual Environment for Emergency Management by Pan Wang Submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Infrastructure Engineering The University of Melbourne September 2011 Abstract A Collaborative Virtual Environment (CVE) is a shared virtual environment used for collaboration and interaction of many participants that may be spread over large distances. Although CVE has been widely used in emergency management, especially for education, training and assessment, there are some drawbacks and challenges in existing CVEs: 1. The authenticity of emergency simulation in CVE still needs improvement. 2. Delivery of up-to-date information cannot be guaranteed in currently available CVE. 3. The problems with usability of CVE are common, including the user collaboration and scenario creation. A review of the current literature reveals that, until now, these problems have not been well addressed. This thesis focuses on the design and implementation of a prototype system that facilitates emergency management via a Collaborative Virtual Environment using real-time spatial information. The system, Spatial Information Exploration and Visualisation Environment – Virtual Training System or SIEVE-VTS, was developed based on a game engine. It automatically integrates real-time data from multiple online sources, then models and simulates emergency incident scenarios using such data. The prototype system provides the capability of simulating dynamic scenarios in the virtual environment, extends the traditional technique of real-time data collection from 2D maps to the 3D virtual environment, manipulates spatial information efficiently and effectively, and enhances collaboration and communication between users. It improves the processes and outcomes of emergency management by increasing engagement and supporting decision making of potential users, including first responders, emergency managers and other stakeholders. ii Declaration This is to certify that 1. the thesis comprises only my original work towards the PhD, 2. due acknowledgement has been made in the text to all other material used, 3. the thesis is less than 100,000 words in length, exclusive of tables, maps, bibliographies and appendices. Pan Wang _______________________________ September 2011 iii Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Ian Bishop, for his support and guidance throughout each phase of my PhD candidature. He provided me early ideas and made incisive comments and constructive suggestions on my research. Without his supervision, this thesis would not have been completed. I would also like to thank Dr Christian Stock for his supervise in the first two years. I also acknowledge Dr. Alison Kelly and Assoc. Prof. Stephan Winter at University of Melbourne for their invaluable suggestions in this study. Appreciation also goes out to Dr Gangjun Liu in the Department of Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences at RMIT. He provided excellent advice and constructive comments on my research. I would also like to thank my colleague students in CRC-SI, particularly Haohui Chen, Yiqun Chen, Marcos Nino-Ruiz and Subbash Sharma, who provided help on data collection and programming in my research, and formed a fun time outside research. I am thankful to collaborators from DSTO for testing the system and providing feedback, particularly Mark Hellett, Ping Cao, Bernard Kachoyan and Tristan Cooper. I would also like to thank people from DIGO and Bureau of Meteorology providing data and models for my research. I recognize that this research would not have been possible without the financial assistance of CRC for Spatial Information and the University of Melbourne, for they provided me with scholarships and travel funds to pursue doctoral studies and attend conferences. The CRC-SI also provided a good working environment and connections to a range of organisations and people which made valuable collaboration, data access and testing possible. I also extend my gratitude to office staff, including Pauline Woolcock and Jane Inall, for all the instances in which their assistance helped me along the way. Appreciation also goes to Miss Lillian Gabra Fam for proof reading of my work. I would like to thank my family for their support, dedication and love at all times and in particular, I must acknowledge my wife and best friend, Ting Hu, without whose love, understanding and encouragement, I would not have finished this thesis. iv Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction ........................................................................... - 1 - 1.1. Overview ....................................................................................................................... - 1 - 1.2. Research Problem ......................................................................................................... - 7 - 1.3. Research Objectives ...................................................................................................... - 9 - 1.4. Thesis Structure ............................................................................................................. - 9 - Chapter 2 Literature Review ................................................................ - 13 - 2.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. - 13 - 2.2. Emergency Monitoring for Response ......................................................................... - 15 - 2.2.1. Emergency monitoring introduction ................................................................ - 15 - 2.2.2. Emergency monitoring techniques ................................................................... - 16 - 2.3. Emergency Training and Implementation Tools ......................................................... - 18 - 2.3.1. Emergency training introduction ...................................................................... - 18 - 2.3.2. Virtual emergency training and related tools .................................................... - 20 - 2.4. Emergency Management with GIS ............................................................................. - 24 - 2.5. Spatial Information Visualisation in a 3D Environment ............................................. - 26 - 2.5.1. 3D functionalities in GIS software ................................................................... - 26 - 2.5.2. 3D visualisation software ................................................................................. - 27 - 2.5.3. Virtual globe ..................................................................................................... - 29 - 2.5.4. Current CVE development ............................................................................... - 32 - 2.5.5. SIEVE overview and update ............................................................................. - 33 - 2.6. Real-Time Data and Related Technologies ................................................................. - 36 - 2.6.1. Real-time data .................................................................................................. - 36 - 2.6.2. Real-time data collection and distribution........................................................ - 38 - 2.6.3. Real-time data modelling and visualisation ..................................................... - 41 - 2.7. Summary ..................................................................................................................... - 45 - Chapter 3 System Design and Methodology ....................................... - 47 - 3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. - 47 - 3.2. System Requirement ................................................................................................... - 48 - 3.3. Data Selection ............................................................................................................. - 49 - 3.4. Overall Design of SIEVE-VTS .................................................................................... - 50 - 3.5. Real-Time Data Integration ......................................................................................... - 53 - 3.5.1. Real-time data integration using Web scraping ................................................ - 56 - 3.5.2. Collecting real-time data using mashup technology ........................................ - 62 - 3.5.3. Collecting real-time data using mobile device ................................................. - 67 - 3.6. Real-Time Data Translation ........................................................................................ - 71 - 3.6.1. Location translation .......................................................................................... - 72 - 3.6.2. Time translation ................................................................................................ - 73 - 3.6.3. Attribute translation .......................................................................................... - 74 - 3.7. Real-Time Data Simulation ......................................................................................... - 76 - v 3.7.1. Weather simulation ........................................................................................... - 77 - 3.7.2. Oceanographic information simulation ............................................................ - 85 - 3.7.3. Shipping