TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A team at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) in Taipei has developed a virtual reality system to help people escape buildings during fires, reports said Friday (Oct. 29).

Figures show that 2.46 per 100,000 people died in fires in the country during 2020, CNA reported. The NTNU research team concluded there needs to be a systematic approach to training people on how to escape from a blaze and reduce the number of casualties.

Led by Department of Industrial Education Professor Hong Jon-chao (洪榮昭), there is instruction on how to handle firefighting equipment and find the best way to escape a fire. The VR project also features simulations of difficult situations to test users' ability to respond.

The system recorded the reactions of users, allowing for personalized analysis and advice on how to improve a fire response. The VR method hopefully allows users to memorize the right steps to follow, the NTNU team said, adding that the product is an example of a university shouldering its social responsibility.