Verification Using Multi-agent Simulation for Evacuation Guidance with Robots

Abstract

In recent years, Japan has been adversely affected to a severe degree by the effects of a strong earthquake disaster. In such dire times, appropriate disaster prevention behaviors are important to reduce damage. Evacuation behavior to outside areas is one disaster mitigation behavior. Evacuation drills are regularly performed at large facilities such as schools so that appropriate evacuation measures can be taken. However, in times of disaster, guide staff members might be absent at night. It might be difficult for staff members to guide evacuees because of secondary disasters such as smoke caused by fire. To provide assistance reliably, a disaster prevention system can be constructed with robots, instead of people, to perform dynamic guidance in accordance with evacuation route situations. The final goal is to develop a robotic disaster prevention system. As described herein, we can verify the effectiveness of evacuation guidance with robots using multi-agent simulations.