Method and emergency response system for real-time event management in computer simulated environment

Abstract

An emergency response system (200) and a method (100) for real-time event management in computer simulated environment. The method (100) includes determining a virtual model of a location of an event and determining a plurality of real-time parameters and a plurality of predicted parameters associated with a plurality of entities at a physical location of the event, using the virtual model of the location of the event. The method also includes displaying the real-time parameters and the predicted parameters to users collaborating in the computer simulated environment, in real-time; receiving input from the users to modify the real-time parameters and the predicted parameters in the computer simulated environment, for the event management; and sending instruction to the entities at the location of the event, to modify the real-time parameters and the predicted parameters for the event management.

Description

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft1METHOD AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM FOR REAL-TIME EVENT MANAGEMENT IN COMPUTER SIMULATED ENVIRONMENTDESCRIPTIONThe present disclosure relates generally to technology for event management such as disasters, and more specifically to a method and an emergency response system for real-time event management in computer simulated environment with real-time coordination between multiple emergency response teams and use of digital twin for the same.Events such as a disaster is a catastrophe, a mishap, or a calamity of grave occurrence from natural or man-made causes, which is beyond coping capacity of the affected community. The disasters generally affected a large population and is something that they cannot cope without external help. Disaster Management an integrated process of planning, organising, coordinating, and implementing measures which are necessary or expedient for prevention of danger to life and property, evacuation, rescue, and relief. As part of the disaster management, disaster response involves safe evacuation, mass confinement, and sanitization of the affected disaster site. The disaster management involves various teams such as for example but not limited to, medical and para-medical team, evacuation team, policing team, crowd management team, relief team, siterebuilding team, etc. One of the major things associated with disaster management is collaboration between multiple first responding teams involved to combat the disaster with a goal of mitigating losses to human lives and damage to properties, quickly provide relief to the affected population, etc.Generally, one of the problems is the disaster management limited capability or complete absence of communication lines between the multiple teams involved in the relief and rescue operation which severely affects quality of response on ground. Examples of some shared communication protocols to aid in large-scale emergency response include CHALET (Casualties, Hazards, Access, Location, Emergency, Type) and ETHANE (Exact location, Type, Hazards, Access, Numbers and Emergency services) in United Kingdom (UK), and National Incident Management System (NIMS) in United States of America (USA). Such systems have well-defined command structure involving different personnel forefficient management. Also, on- round rescue personnel are provided physical copies of maps of the disaster sites or documents with access routes sent via emails to their handheld devices, with very minimal instructions provided using communication devices. This consumes critical time of the on-ground rescue personnel in understanding the maps and leaving them unaware and unprepared for providing immediate rehef. While the communication hnes are effective in enabling cooperation during emergency, they lack the collaborative, immersive and interactive aspects which can potentially increase efficacy of quality of response by a significant margin.In light of the above, there remains a need for an improved method of real-time disaster management in a computer simulated environment such as metaverse. The proposed disclosure aims to solve a lack of an approach to enable real-time simulation-aided collaborative decision making during an emergency scenario caused by the disaster. Such collaborative emergency response systems can be aided with real-time information (from on ground personnel, sensor data, etc.) to enable better decision-making. The conventional methods and systems do not include real-time simulation-based prediction models which can add to the safety of the on-ground personnel and facilitate better management of the disaster.The present disclosure seeks to overcome these challenges by providing an approach to enable real-time simulation-aided collaborative decision making during the emergency scenario caused by the disaster. The present disclosure forms a digital twin of the disaster site which supports input from sensors and on-ground personnel. Based on the simulation run on backend, a predictive model is generated which is a part of the digital twin. This information from the digital twin is then made available to a chain of command in a collaborative virtual environment with realistic visualization of the disaster spot for a more efficient response. Therefore, the revised approach enhances the efficiency of addressing the disaster management with better collaboration between the multiple teams, enhanced information exchanges between the chain of command and the on- ground personnel facilitating better decision making.The object of the present disclosure is achieved by a computer-implemented method for real-time disaster management in computer simulated environmentby an emergency response system. The method (100) includes determining a virtual model of a location of an event and determining a plurality of real-time parameters and a plurality of predicted parameters associated with a plurality of entities at a physical location of the event, using the virtual model of the location of the event. The method also includes displaying the real-time parameters and the predicted parameters to users collaborating in the computer simulated environment, in real-time! receiving input from the users to modify the real-time parameters and the predicted parameters in the computer simulated environment, for the event management! and sending instructions to the entities at the location of the event, to modify the real-time parameters and the predicted parameters for the event management.In one or more embodiments, the at least one instruction comprises automated alerts, warning signals, and evacuation plan.In one or more embodiments, the plurality of entities at the location of the event comprises on-ground personnel performing the event management and objects at the location of the event.In one or more embodiments, determining the plurality of real-time parameters and the plurality of predicted parameters associated with the plurality of entities at the location of the event, using the virtual model of the location of the event includes receiving information associated with the event from a plurality of sources from the location of the event, wherein the plurality of sources comprises a plurality of sensors located at the location of the event and a plurality of on- ground personnel at the location of the event. The method also includes determining the plurality of real-time parameters associated with the plurality of entities at the location of the event based on the received information associated with the event and providing the plurality of real-time parameters associated with the plurality of entities at the location of the event to the virtual model of the location of the event. Further, the method also includes simulating the plurality of predicted parameters associated with the plurality of entities by the virtual model of the location of the event based on the plurality of real-time parameters and determining the plurality of predicted parameters associated with the plurality of entities at the location of the event based on the simulation.In one or more embodiments, each of the plurality of users is associated with an emergency response team.In one or more embodiments, the plurality of sources comprises on ground personnel, on-ground sensors, and a 3D map of a location of the event.In one or more embodiments, determining the digital twin of the location of the event includes determining the virtual model of the location of the event is unavailable in a database of the emergency response system and determining the virtual model of the location of the event based on information associated with the disaster from a plurality of sources from the location of the event.In one or more embodiments, the plurality of users is from different physical locations interconnected and collaborating in the computer simulated environment.The object of the present disclosure is also achieved by an emergency response system for real-time event management in computer simulated environment. The emergency response system includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes instructions which, when executed by the processor, configures the processor to determine a virtual model of the location of an event and determine a plurality of real-time parameters and a plurality of predicted parameters associated with a plurality of entities at a physical location of the disaster, using the virtual model of the location of the disaster. The processor is configured to display the plurality of real-time parameters and the plurality of predicted parameters to a plurality of users collaborating in the computer simulated environment, in the real-time. The processor is also configured to receive at least one input from the plurality of users to modify the plurality of real-time parameters and the plurality of predicted parameters in the computer simulated environment, for the event management and send at least one instruction to the plurality of entities at the location of the event, to modify the plurality of real-time parameters and the plurality of predicted parameters for the event management.The object of the present disclosure is further achieved by a computer program code which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to carry out steps of the aforementioned method.The object of the present disclosure is further achieved by a computer program product comprising computer program code which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to carry out steps of the aforementioned method.Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the disclosure are readily apparent from the following detailed description, simply by illustrating a number of particular embodiments and implementations, including the best mode contemplated for carrying out the disclosure. The disclosure is also capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details may be modified in various obvious respects, all without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.A more complete appreciation of the present disclosure and many of the attendant aspects thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings^FIG 1 is a flowchart representation of a computer-implemented method for realtime event management in computer simulated environment by an emergency response system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure!FIG 2 is a block diagram representation of the emergency response system for real-time event management in the computer simulated environment, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;FIG 3 is a schematic illustrating workflow for the real-time disaster management in the computer simulated environment, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;FIG 4A is an exemplary depiction of real-time structural firefighting using the computer simulated environment by the emergency response system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure!FIG 4B is an exemplary depiction of firefighting site in a collaborative metaverse environment, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.Various embodiments are described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for the purpose of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide thorough understanding of one or more embodiments. It may be evident that such embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.Examples of a method, a system, and a computer-program product for real-time event management in computer simulated environment are disclosed herein. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the disclosure. It is apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced without these specific details or with an equivalent arrangement. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments of the disclosure.Large-scale disasters necessitate efficient cooperation among different emergency response teams for smooth operation. Protocols such as CHALET, ETHANE, and NIMS have been set up that facilitate cooperation between different emergency response teams. These protocols clearly define the chain of command for efficient operation. The chain of command can receive the inputs from the on-ground personnel to make informed decisions. However, there has been no attempt at creating a metaverse-aided emergency response system that will enable efficient resource management and better decision making utilizing the collaborative features backed by a simulation-aided prediction system.Conventional methods and systems, generally rely on manual communication between the on-ground personnel and the decision-making command chain which lacks a true collaborative platform during emergency. The conventional approaches cannot present the decision-making off-ground chain of command with real-time information from the disaster spot in an efficient and organised manner requiring the off-ground decision -makers to be present near the disaster spot. Also, the conventional approaches lack real-time information exchange between experts and a simulation engine to aid in decision-making.Unlike to the conventional methods and systems, the proposed solution provides an opportunity for different emergency response teams to collaborate effectively through computer simulated environemts such as Metaverse. The proposed solution presents the decision-making command chain with relevant information in an immersive fashion to enable more informed decision-making. Further, the proposed solution provides simulation-supported predictive models enabling better decision-making for the chain of command during disaster. As a result, the proposed solution does not require an expert or the decision-making chain of command to be present on the disaster spot.Also, a primary advantage arising from the proposed solution is in terms of increasing a quality of response in case of disaster. The metaverse provides a collaborative environment, whereas the simulation-backed prediction model will provide enough information to the chain of command to make highly informed decisions.With the more efficient response, following are the particular advantages provided by the disclosure ■1. Reduce a possibility of human casualty: The proposed solution reduces human casualties for both the emergency response team members as well as the people trapped in the disaster zone with an improved quality of response and rescue.2. Reduce a possibility of damage to property: By enabling a more efficient response with better resource management, the proposed solution potentially reduces losses and damages caused to the property.Therefore, the proposed solution provides an approach where all the individual response teams interact in real-time during the disaster in the collaborative environment. The decision -makers are able to visualize several important parameters regarding the disaster spot in real-time to enable efficient decisionmaking for rescue and relief. The proposed solution also includes a simulation engine providing real-time information to improve the response quality.Referring now to FIG 1, illustrated is a flowchart of a method (as represented by reference numeral 100) for real-time event management in computer simulated environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As used herein, event or disaster management refers to an integrated process of planning, organising, coordinating, and implementing measures which are necessary for prevention of danger to life and property, evacuation, rescue, and relief of the affected population. The disasters can be for example but not limited to disaster can be structural fire in high rise buildings, equipment malfunction in power plants, hostage situations, explosive diffusing, earthquakes, floods, etc. This approach aims to perform the disaster management using real-time data from the on-ground personnel and the disaster site and provide the same to the decision-making chain of command. The proposed solution provides a collaborative platform for real-time interaction of the various teams of the chain of command with the help of a digital twin of the disaster site.This approach enhances the efficiency and quality of response by the on-ground personnel based on a comprehensive decision provided by the chain of command. The chain of command has access to comprehensive list of parameters which are visualized in the metaverse environment along with predicted futuristic parameters using digital twin of the disaster spot.Referring to FIG 2, illustrated is a block diagram of an emergency response system 200 for real-time event management in the computer simulated environment, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the presentdisclosure. It may be appreciated that the emergency response system 200 described herein may be implemented in various forms of hardware, software, firmware, special purpose processors, or a combination thereof. One or more of the present embodiments may take a form of a computer program product comprising program modules accessible from computer-usable or computer- readable medium storing program code for use by or in connection with one or more computers, processors, or instruction execution system. For the purpose of this description, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any apparatus that may contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The medium may be electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system (or apparatus or device) or a propagation mediums in and of themselves as signal carriers are not included in the definition of physical computer-readable medium include a semiconductor or solid state memory, magnetic tape, a removable computer diskette, random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a rigid magnetic disk and optical disk such as compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), compact disk read / write, and digital versatile disc (DVD). Both processors and program code for implementing each aspect of the technology may be centralized or distributed (or a combination thereof) as known to those skilled in the art.In an example, the emergency response system 200 may be embodied as a computer-program product 200 programmed for performing the said purpose. The emergency response system 200 may be incorporated in one or more physical packages (e.g., chips of the HMD). By way of example, a physical package includes an arrangement of one or more materials, components, and / or wires on a structural assembly (e.g., a baseboard) to provide one or more characteristics such as physical strength, conservation of size, and / or limitation of electrical interaction. It is contemplated that in certain embodiments the computing device may be implemented in a single chip. As illustrated, the emergency response system 200 includes a communication mechanism such as a bus 202 for passing information among the components of the emergency response system 200. The emergency response system 200 includes a processor 204 and a memory 206. Herein, the memory 206 is communicatively coupled to the processor 204. In an example, the memory 206 may be embodied as a computer readable medium onwhich program code sections of a computer program are saved, the program code sections being loadable into and / or executable in a system to make the emergency response system 200 execute the steps for performing the said purpose.Generally, as used herein, the term “processor” refers to a computational element that is operable to respond to and processes instructions that drive the emergency response system 200. Optionally, the processor includes, but is not limited to, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or any other type of processing circuit. Furthermore, the term “processor” may refer to one or more individual processors, processing devices and various elements associated with a processing device that may be shared by other processing devices. Additionally, the one or more individual processors, processing devices and elements are arranged in various architectures for responding to and processing the instructions that drive the emergency response system 200.Herein, the memory 206 may be volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. The memory 206 may be coupled for communication with the processor 204. The processor 204 may execute instructions and / or code stored in the memory 206. A variety of computer-readable storage media may be stored in and accessed from the memory 206. The memory 206 may include any suitable elements for storing data and machine-readable instructions, such as read only memory, random access memory, erasable programmable read only memory, electrically erasable programmable read only memory, a hard drive, a removable media drive for handling compact disks, digital video disks, diskettes, magnetic tape cartridges, memory cards, and the like.In particular, the processor 204 has connectivity to the bus 202 to execute instructions and process information stored in the memory 206. The processor 204 may include one or more processing cores with each core configured to perform independently. A multi-core processor enables multiprocessing within a single physical package. Examples of a multi-core processor include two, four, eight, or greater numbers of processing cores. Alternatively, or in addition, the processor 204 may include one or more microprocessors configured in tandem viathe bus 202 to enable independent execution of instructions, pipelining, and multithreading. The processor 204 may also be accompanied with one or more specialized components to perform certain processing functions and tasks such as one or more digital signal processors (DSP), and / or one or more applicationspecific integrated circuits (ASIC). Other specialized components to aid in performing the inventive functions described herein include one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) (not shown), one or more controllers (not shown), or one or more other special-purpose computer chips.The emergency response system 200 may further include an interface 208, such as a communication interface (with the said terms being interchangeably used) which may enable the emergency response system 200 to communicate with other systems for receiving and transmitting information. The communication interface 208 may include a medium (e.g., a communication channel) through which the emergency response system 200 communicates with other system. Examples of the communication interface 208 may include, but are not limited to, a communication channel in a computer cluster, a Local Area Communication channel (LAN), a cellular communication channel, a wireless sensor communication channel (WSN), a cloud communication channel, a Metropolitan Area Communication channel (MAN), and / or the Internet. Optionally, the communication interface 208 may include one or more of a wired connection, a wireless network, cellular networks such as 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G mobile networks, and a Zigbee connection.The emergency response system 200 also includes a database 210. As used herein, the database 210 is an organized collection of structured data, typically stored in a computer system and designed to be easily accessed, managed, and updated. The database 210 may be in form of a central repository of information that can be queried, analysed, and processed to support various applications and business processes. In the emergency response system 200, the database 210 provides mechanisms for storing, retrieving, updating, and deleting data, and typically includes features such as data validation, security, backup and recovery, and data modelling. The database 210 includes digital twin of various possible locations of disaster. Even in cases where the digital twin is not available, then the digital twin that is generated is stored in the database 210.The emergency response system 200 further includes an input device 212 and an output device 214. The input device 212 may take various forms depending on the specific application of the emergency response system 200. In an example, the input device 212 may include one or more of a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen display, a microphone, a camera, or any other hardware component that enables the user to interact with the emergency response system 200 in the metaverse environment. Further, the output device 214 may be in the form of a head mounted display (HMD) for example but not limited to HoloLens or smart goggles, etc. It is to be understood that, when reference is made in the present disclosure to the term “display” this refers generically either to a display screen on its own or to the screen and an associated housing, drive circuitry and possibly a physical supporting structure, of which all, or part of is provided for displaying information.In the present emergency response system 200, the processor 204 and accompanying components have connectivity to the memory 206 via the bus 202. The memory 206 includes both dynamic memory (e.g., RAM, magnetic disk, writable optical disk, etc.) and static memory (e.g., ROM, CD-ROM, etc.) for storing executable instructions that when executed perform the method steps described herein for the real-time disaster management in the computer simulated environment. In particular, the memory 206 includes a disaster management unit 216 to perform steps for the real-time disaster management in the computer simulated environment. Also, in the emergency response system 200, the memory 206 may be configured to store the data associated with or generated by the execution of the inventive steps.Referring to FIGS 1 and 2 in combination, the various steps of the method 100 as described hereinafter may be executed in the by an emergency response system 200, or specifically in the processor 204 of the emergency response system 200, for real-time disaster management in the computer simulated environment. For purposes of the present disclosure, the real-time disaster management in the computer simulated environment in the present method 100 is embodied as a management algorithm for the real-time disaster management in the computer simulated environment. It may be appreciated that although the method 100 isillustrated and described as a sequence of steps, it may be contemplated that various embodiments of the method 100 may be performed in any order or a combination and need not include all of the illustrated steps.In embodiments of the present disclosure, at step 101, the method 100 includes determining a virtual model of a location of an event. The event can be disasters such as for example fire accident, earthquake, industrial accidents, terror incidents, etc. The event can also be mass gatherings requiring crowd management such as religious festivals or political rallies. The method of determining the virtual model of the location of the event includes determining whether the virtual model of the location of the event is already saved in a database 210 of the emergency response system 200 or not. If the virtual model of the location of the event is already available in the database 210, then the emergency response system 200 retrieves it and uses it for further processing. If the virtual model of the location of the event is not available in the database 210, then the emergency response system 200 receives information associated with the event from the sources at the location of the event and generates the virtual model of the location of the event. The sources can include but not limited to on- ground personnel’s inputs provided through various communication devices used by them, on-ground sensors, and a 3D map of a location of the disaster. The virtual model of the location of the event is for example a digital twin of the disaster spot featuring a prediction model enabled by a simulation -engine that takes inputs from sensors and on-ground personnel.To receive the information associated with the event, the emergency response system 200 may interface with an emergency management system through an Application Programming Interface (API) or other data exchange mechanisms, via the interface 208. Once the information associated with the event is obtained, it can be stored in the database 210, which serves as a central repository for the data required by the emergency response system 200. The database 210 may be designed using relational or non-relational database management systems, depending on the specific requirements and preferences of the emergency response system 200.In embodiments of the present disclosure, at step 102, the method 100 includes determining a plurality of real-time parameters and a plurality of predicted parameters associated with a plurality of entities at a physical location of the event, using the virtual model of the location of the event. The entities at the physical location of the event include on-ground personnel performing the event management and objects at the physical location of the event. For example, buildings and vehicles at a disaster site. The users are from different physical locations interconnected and collaborating in the computer simulated environment and each of the users is associated with an emergency response team. The real-time parameters associated with the entities can be for example, real-time temperature of a building that is on fire, humidity around the building on fire, etc. The predicted parameters associated with the entities can be for example, future temperature of the building on fire due to the fire. This is determined based on the real-time temperature of the building.The computer simulated environment is for example virtual platform such as metaverse. The metaverse is a next generation of fully immersive three- dimensional collaborative space that integrates multiple technical directions such as digital twin, internet of things, industrial internet, augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, and the like. The metaverse is a virtual universe with shared, 3D virtual spaces where virtual assets can be owned, placed, and interacted with. It also allows different users to interact with each other in the collaborative environment. These virtual assets can be simple entities like chair or table, or complex entities like industrial machinery.

[0004] For this purpose, a typical loT (Internet of Things) solution in the metaverse would include capturing the real-world data and then rendering the same in the environment in a photorealistic manner to provide an immersive experience to the user. However, recreation of real-world objects along with their motion in real-time in a virtual environment requires resource-rich information along with adequate computing power to process and make inferences. Changes in the actual environment should be readily visible in the virtual environment in near real-time to avoid discounting critical decision windows.Throughout the present disclosure, the term “computer simulated environment” as used herein refers to three-dimensional (3D) representation of a real orphysical world. It can be understood as a virtual world. The computer-simulated environment is accessible by a user, i.e., it is accessible from the real / physical world. This comprises data exchange between the computer-simulated environment and the real / physical world. In particular, the computer-simulated environment can be understood as the “metaverse”. It is also possible to interact with the computer-simulated environment, i.e., to influence or use processes, components and / or functions in the computer-simulated environment. Therefore, processes in the computer-simulated environment may have direct influence on processes in the real / physical world, e.g., by modelling control processes virtuallyFor example, it is possible that a user can access the computer-simulated environment via an interface, e.g., a virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) interface. The counterpart of the computer-simulated environment does not necessarily have to exist but can be for example a 3D model. It is also possible that physical forces and phenomena, e.g., gravity, are represented in a different way in the computer-simulated environment than in the real world, e.g., gravitational acceleration. For the purpose of this disclosure, the metaverse is comprised of one or more animated scenes being rendered corresponding to the plurality of entities interacting in the industrial environment.The metaverse may comprise a plurality of computer-simulated components. The computer simulated components can for example be understood as a representation, in particular a 3D representation, of a real or physical component. A component can for example be a room, a building, an item, or an object. The computer-simulated component can have different functionalities / features, e.g., an access interface. The computer-simulated component further comprises data that are component-specific, e.g., sensor data of a virtual sensor, that can be retrieved for example via the access interface. An access to a computer-simulated component can for example comprise usage, modification, connection to other computer-simulated components, etc. The computer-simulated component can interact with the computer-simulated environment. For the purpose of this disclosure, the computer-simulated component may be one or more entities being rendered in the computer simulated collaborative environment or metaverse. The metaverse can be realized by a hosting environment. The hosting environment can be for examplebe implemented as a cloud environment, an edge-cloud environment and / or on specific devices, e.g., mobile devices.Further, the determining the real-time parameters and the predicted parameters associated with the entities at the physical location of the event, using the virtual model of the location of the event includes receiving information associated with the event from multiple sources from the physical location of the event such as for example, sensors located at the physical location of the event and the on- ground personnel at the physical location of the event. The method also includes determining the real-time parameters associated with the plurality of entities at the physical location of the event based on the received information associated with the event and providing the real-time parameters to the virtual model of the location of the event. The virtual model / digital twin then simulates and determines the predicted parameters associated with the entities based on the real-time parameters using various predictive models. For example, the data coming from the sensors is fed to the virtual model (either an industrial PC located near the disaster spot, or a cloud computing framework) to perform computations / simulations. With the raw data collected, the virtual model provides useful information by utilizing a combination of simulation and visualization to the off-ground commands.In embodiments of the present disclosure, at step 103, the method 100 includes displaying the real-time parameters and the predicted parameters to the users collaborating in the computer simulated environment, in real-time. The real-time parameters and the predicted parameters are then presented to the multiple users in the metaverse environment along with actionable elements which can be selected by the users to get further details. Here, the users who form the chain of command may be located at different locations. In the conventional methods and systems, the users would have to communicate multiple times with multiple different users to get details about the on- ground scenario, analyse the same and then send instructions to the on-ground personnel. However, in the proposed solution all the users of the chain of command can collaborate with each other in an immersive platform like the metaverse and the use of digital twin reduces the burden of getting the inputs and analysis by performing the same by itself. The users are provided with the current as well as the predicted data associated withthe event which makes the decision-making quicker and easier. Further, the proposed solution ensures that all the stakeholders are on the same page with a single line of command. The users can interact with each other, collaborate, and arrive at the best and coordinated plan for managing the disaster situation. The real-time parameters and the predicted parameters may be presented in various forms such as for example colour codes, graphs, augmented content, etc for easy and quick understanding of the users.In embodiments of the present disclosure, at step 104, the method 100 includes receiving an input from the users to modify the real-time parameters and the predicted parameters in the computer simulated environment, for the event management. Here, the users to whom the real-time parameters and the predicted parameters are presented may provide inputs to perform certain actions that can lead to change in the real-time parameters based on the predicted parameters. For example, if the predicted temperature of the building on fire indicates that a portion of the building with higher temperature is susceptible to collapse then the fire team user can provide inputs to spray water on the portion for quick cooling of the building, the medical team can provide inputs to increase supply of doctors who can treat burn injuries, etc.In embodiments of the present disclosure, at step 105, the method 100 includes sending instruction to the entities at the location of the event, to modify the plurality of real-time parameters and the plurality of predicted parameters for the event management. The instruction can be automated alerts, warning signals, and evacuation plan. Here, the inputs provided by the users who are in the chain of command, is sent to the on-ground personnel, the firefighting vehicles, or ambulances as instructions. These instructions can also be sent directly by the digital twin. For example, the instructions can be sent to the firefighters who are close to the portion of the building susceptible to collapse to spray water for quick cooling.Therefore, the proposed solution increases the response quality for large scale disasters by creating a combined response system that provides real-time collaboration and interaction among members of commanding team, and a digital twin of the disaster spot featuring a prediction model enabled by a simulation-engine that takes inputs from sensors and on-ground personnel. Therefore, the proposed solution is very useful in disaster management and with reduced processing time and enhanced efficiency of response.FIG 3 is a schematic illustrating workflow for the real-time disaster management in the computer simulated environment, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to the FIG 3, the features of the proposed solution are presented in a generic fashion without taking into account the specifics of any particular disaster. At the center of the emergency response system 200 is the virtual model of the location of the event i.e., digital twin 310 of the disaster spot. This digital twin 310 is fed information from multiple sources such as for example but not limited to information from the on-ground personnel 302, information from on-ground sensors 304-308 and a three-dimension (3D) map of the disaster spot. The on-ground sensors 304-308 collect various information from the disaster spot. The data collected may include, for example,1. real-time location of on-ground personnel,2. temperature profile,3. humidity profile,4. air quality, and more.This information from multiple sources is raw data fed to the digital twin 310. The digital twin 310 uses this raw information and enables a combination of simulation and visualization to convey useful information to the decisionmakering chain of command 318 in real-time. This includes^1. Real time visualization of important parameters that affect the decisionmaking for the emergency response teams which includes medical team 312, rescue team 314 and police team 316.2. Identification of zones of interest inside the disaster spot (High-risk zones, evacuation path , etc.). This can be visualized on the 3D map provided to the digital twin 310.3. Real-time location of the on-ground personnel visualized on the 3D map.4. Simulation-based prediction of important parameters that will affect decision-making (Parts of the disaster spot susceptible to collapse, possible safe zones, etc.).The information from the digital twin 310 is made available to the chain of command 318 that comprise of members of various emergency response teams 312-316. Based on the information supplied by the digital twin 310, a set of information is passed to the on-ground personnel 320'326. This information will be a combination of the following:1. Manual instructions from the chain of command 318 based on the information received from the digital twin 310.2. Automated alerts generated by the digital twin 310.Therefore, the proposed solution utilizes the collaborative environment offered by the metaverse will enable better resourse management, ensuring safety of the on- ground personnel, reduction of losses to the property leading to an overall better quality of response to the disaster.FIG 4A is an exemplary depiction of real-time structural firefighting using the computer simulated environment by the emergency response system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to the FIG. 4A, consider a scenario of a fire disaster at a location where there are multiple buildings. Consider that a firefighting system comprising of firefighting team, medical team, evacuation team, police team, etc are put into place for the disaster management. The firefighting system also includes the chain of command 418 with the specific teams which includes medical team 412, firefighting team 414 and building management team 416. The emergency response system 200 includes the digital twin 410 of the buildings receiving the information from multiple on-ground sources such as on-ground paramedics and on-ground firefighters 402. Such information may include real-time location of the personnel, medical data representing the health of the personnel and the people in the buildings, any vocal message conveyed by the personnel, etc. Such data is used for visualization purposes only.The digital twin 410 receives real-time wind direction and wind speed data 404 from sensors placed around the building. The digital twin 410 also receives information from heat and lidar sensors mounted on drones 406 flying around the building. The digital twin 410 also receives information from the existing fire sensors 408 inside the building. This raw information can be used to simulate the propagation of flames, possible fume exit path, areas of buildings susceptible to collapse, and more. The members of the chain of command 418 will collaborate using a virtual environment such as the metaverse environment with the aid of information provided by the digital twin 410 of the building on fire. The chain of command 418 can visualize the information on the 3D map of the building in real-time to aid in more efficient decision-making.The visualizations from the metaverse will include real-time location of the firefighters and paramedic team on ground, visualization of temperature profile, and propagation of fumes, etc. It will also identify high-risk zones based on temperature profile and visualize on the 3D map. It can perform simulation to also identify which portions of the building are susceptible to collapse. Based on the information made available to the chain of command 418, they can issue specific instructions to the firefighters and paramedics on the ground. Automated alerts can be issued to the on-ground team for example, when they approach a high-risk zone. Further, parameters like heart rate, oxygen saturation level of the on-ground personnel can be monitored through the digital twin 410 to ensure safety.FIG 4B is an exemplary depiction of firefighting site in a collaborative metaverse environment 400, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to the FIG. 4B, consider a map of the fire disaster location depicting the firefighting site is immersively provided in the metaverse environment 400. The map is displayed to in a collaborative metaverse environment 400 to the chain of command which is the decision-making body of the disaster management including but may not be limited to firefighting team, medical team and building management team, etc.The map includes multiple buildings 432, 434 and 440 that are on fire displayed in the metaverse environment 400. A location bubble is provided on top of the buildings 432 and one of the buildings of in the set of buildings 440. The location bubble is an actionable element which can be accessed by the plurality of users to know the real-time location details of firefighters within the building or location of alternate exit paths for evacuating the people within the said buildings 432 and 440 in the metaverse environment 400. The multiple buildings 432, 434 and 440 can be colour coded in the map to indicate a current and predicted temperature profile of each of the multiple buildings 432, 434 and 440 in the metaverse environment 400. This data can be used by the chain of command to collaborate with each of the teams and determine which of the buildings may be more susceptible to collapse due to the fire, as a result the same can be conveyed to the on-ground personnel to be addressed on priority so that people in that building can be rescued first.Further, school building 436 which near the firefighting site can be used to temporarily lodge the rescued people. The same is indicated in the map along with the location of the school building 436. The details of the school building 436 such as capacity to hold the rescued people where they can be provided first aid treatment by the paramedics. A nearby lake 442 is also indicated in the map in the metaverse environment 400, so that the firefighting team may use to for water supply to their firefighting vehicles. The location of the nearest hospital 438 is also indicated in the map that is displayed to the plurality of users of the chain of command in the metaverse environment 400. As a result, this helps the plurality of users of the chain of command who are from different teams to be able to take decisions for firefighting at the location.The decision taken by the plurality of users of the chain of command can be sent as alert messages to the on-ground personnel. Therefore, the proposed solution provides real-time information from the disaster site along with the predicted parameters determined by the digital twin 410 which enables the chain of command to take effective decisions to mitigate the disaster and reduce the loss to life and property.Thus, the method 100 and the emergency response system 200 of the present disclosure implements a comprehensive disaster management technique which brings in the benefits of real-time collaboration and interaction between the individual response teams during disaster in a collaborative environment. The proposed solution also enables the decision-makers to visualize several important parameters regarding the disaster spot in real-time to enable efficient decisionmaking. Further, the digital twin of the disaster spot featuring a prediction model enabled by a simulation-engine that takes inputs from sensors and on- ground personnel. Therefore, the proposed solution ensures quick response to mitigate loss of lives and damage to the property in times of disasters. Also, the proposed solution enhances the quality of response due to the enhanced collaboration between the various teams.While the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to certain embodiments, it should be appreciated that the present disclosure is not limited to those embodiments. In view of the present disclosure, many modifications and variations would be present themselves, to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the various embodiments of the present disclosure, as described herein. The scope of the present disclosure is, therefore, indicated by the following claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes, modifications, and variations coming within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be considered within their scope.REFERENCE NUMERALS100 method101 step102 step103 step104 step105 step200 system202 bus204 processor206 memory208 interface210 database212 input device214 output device216 event management unit302 on -ground personnel304 - 308 information from on-ground sensors310 digital twin312 medical team314 rescue team316 police team318 chain of command320'326 on-ground personnel402 on-ground firefighters404 real-time wind direction and wind speed data406 heat and lidar sensors mounted on drones408 fire sensors410 digital twin412 medical team414 firefighting team416 building management team418 chain of command420'426 on-ground teams432 buildings on fire434 buildings on fire436 school building438 nearest hospital440 buildings on fire 442 nearby lake

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method for real-time event management in computer simulated environment by an emergency response system (200), the method (100) comprising: determining a virtual model of a location of an event; determining a plurality of real-time parameters and a plurality of predicted parameters associated with a plurality of entities at a physical location of the event, using the virtual model of the location of the event; displaying the plurality of real-time parameters and the plurality of predicted parameters to a plurality of users collaborating in the computer simulated environment, in real-time; receiving at least one input from the plurality of users to modify the plurality of real-time parameters and the plurality of predicted parameters in the computer simulated environment, for the event management; and sending at least one instruction to the plurality of entities at the location of the event, to modify the plurality of real-time parameters and the plurality of predicted parameters for the event management.

2. The method (100) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one instruction comprises automated alerts, warning signals, and evacuation plan.

3. The method (100) according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of entities at the physical location of the event comprises on-ground personnel performing the event management and objects at the physical location of the event.

4. The method (100) according to claim 1, wherein determining the plurality of real-time parameters and the plurality of predicted parameters associated with the plurality of entities at the physical location of the event, using the virtual model of the location of the event comprises: receiving information associated with the event from a plurality of sources from the physical location of the event, wherein the plurality of sources comprise a plurality of sensors located at the physical location of the event and a plurality of on-ground personnel at the physical location of the event;determining the plurality of real-time parameters associated with the plurality of entities at the physical location of the event based on the received information associated with the event; providing the plurality of real-time parameters associated with the plurality of entities at the physical location of the event to the virtual model of the location of the event; simulating the plurality of predicted parameters associated with the plurality of entities by the virtual model of the location of the event based on the plurality of real-time parameters; and determining the plurality of predicted parameters associated with the plurality of entities at the physical location of the event based on the simulation.

5. The method (100) according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of users is associated with an emergency response team.

6. The method (100) according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of sources comprises on-ground personnel, on-ground sensors, and a 3D map of a location of the event.

7. The method (100) according to claim 1, wherein determining the virtual model of the location of the event comprises ■ determining that the virtual model of the location of the event is unavailable in a database of the emergency response system (200); receiving information associated with the event from a plurality of sources at the location of the event; and determining the virtual model of the location of the event based on the received information associated with the event.

8. The method (100) according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of users are from different physical locations interconnected and collaborating in the computer simulated environment.

9. An emergency response system (200) for real-time event management in computer simulated environment, the emergency response system (200) comprising:a processor (204); and a memory (206) coupled to the processor (204), wherein the memory (206) comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor (204), configures the processor (204) to: determine a virtual model of a location of an event; determine a plurality of real-time parameters and a plurality of predicted parameters associated with a plurality of entities at a physical location of the event, using the virtual location of the event; display the plurality of real-time parameters and the plurality of predicted parameters to a plurality of users collaborating in the computer simulated environment, in real-time; receive at least one input from the plurality of users to modify the plurality of real-time parameters and the plurality of predicted parameters in the computer simulated environment, for the event management; and send at least one instruction to the plurality of entities at the location of the event, to modify the plurality of real-time parameters and the plurality of predicted parameters for the event management.

10. A computer program product, comprising computer program code which, when executed by a processor (204), cause the processor (204) to carry out the method (100) of one of the claims 1 to 8.

11. A computer-readable medium comprising a computer program product comprising computer program code which, when executed by a processor (204), cause the processor (204) to carry out the method (100) of one of the claims 1 to 8.

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