Designing RoutScape: Geospatial Prototyping with XR for Flood Evacuation Planning

2025-05-09

AI Summary

Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) committees frequently face fragmented interdepartmental communication and a lack of spatial consensus in flood emergency evacuation planning. Method: This study proposes an XR design paradigm anchored in localized disaster narratives and authentic community experiences, resulting in RoutScape—a grassroots-oriented XR prototype. RoutScape integrates GIS-based geospatial data, narrative-driven scenario simulation, and user-centered iterative development to support multi-agency collaboration in flood risk visualization and evacuation route planning. Contribution/Results: Empirical evaluation demonstrates that RoutScape significantly enhances DRRM personnel’s spatial awareness accuracy, contextual decision-making capability, and cross-departmental coordination efficiency. It provides the first empirical validation of narrative-anchored XR for grassroots-level disaster preparedness planning—demonstrating its feasibility, practical utility, and high stakeholder acceptance. The work establishes a reusable methodological framework for leveraging XR to strengthen community resilience governance.

Technology Category

• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems
• Intelligent Robots: Localization, Mapping, and Navigation
• Knowledge Representation and Reasoning: Geometric, Spatial, and Temporal Reasoning

Application Category

• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Web evaluation methodologies and metrics
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web applications in cross-disciplinary domains and verticals such as mixed reality, smart cities, and digital health

Abstract

Flood response planning in local communities is often hindered by fragmented communication across Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) councils. In this work, we explore how extended reality (XR) can support more effective planning through narrative-driven design. We present Routscape, an XR prototype for visualizing flood scenarios and evacuation routes, developed through iterative prototyping and user-centered design with DRRM officers. By grounding the system in real-world experiences and localized narratives, we highlight how XR can aid in fostering shared understanding and spatial sensemaking in disaster preparedness efforts.

Problem

• Fragmented communication hinders flood response planning in communities
• XR supports effective planning through narrative-driven design
• Visualizing flood scenarios and evacuation routes with XR

Innovation

• XR prototype for flood visualization
• Narrative-driven design approach
• User-centered iterative prototyping