Virtual Challenges, Real Preparation: At Lucca Comics & Games the Earthquake VR Experience
Innovation Meets Emergency Preparedness: Earthquake VR helps Visitors Understand How to Respond During an Earthquake
In the colorful and pulsating context of Lucca Comics & Games 2023 (Italy), an event taking place Nov. 1-5 in Lucca, initiatives emerge that go far beyond entertainment and pop culture. At the crossroads of advanced technology and civic responsibility, a special experience awaits visitors: the Sisma VR project. This event, which blends the virtual with the vital, demonstrates how new technologies can be harnessed to improve preparedness and response to natural emergencies.
This year’s edition of Lucca Comics & Games, which is internationally recognized as one of the largest community events dedicated to comics, gaming, fantasy fiction, and other forms of entertainment, adopts the motto “Together”-a call for unity manifested through a variety of projects and initiatives. Prominent among these is Sisma VR, proposed by Lares volunteers in collaboration with the Department of Civil Defense.
The Earthquake VR experience allows visitors to virtually immerse themselves in an earthquake simulation, making them the protagonists of a highly realistic scenario. The effects of the earthquake are faithfully reproduced to educate visitors on the correct behaviors to adopt during an earthquake tremor. The simulation is intended not only to inform but also to raise awareness of an issue of great social relevance, especially in a country like Italy, which is frequently hit by seismic events.
Virtual reality technology is a powerful medium for conveying knowledge and emotions; in the case of Earthquake VR, it allows one to experience the tension and urgency of an earthquake in a controlled environment. What makes this experience as unique as it is useful is its ability to make participants understand the importance of proper preparedness, providing them with concrete tools and practical advice that can make all the difference in case of real need.
In addition to being a first in the panorama of activities offered by an event like Lucca Comics & Games, Sisma VR is an example of how new technologies can be put at the service of the community. It is a significant step forward in the field of safety education, a learning opportunity that is perfectly combined with the fun and discovery that characterize the Lucca event.
Through direct involvement and immersive experience, visitors can increase their awareness of civil protection issues and learn interactively. This approach fits into Lucca Comics & Games’ broader vision of offering not only entertainment and spectacle but also opportunities for personal and collective growth, in line with its commitment to shared social responsibility.
Sisma VR is proposed as a valuable initiative, both in terms of its emotional and educational impact. Once the visors are removed, participants will take with them not only the memory of a unique experience, but also practical knowledge that could one day save their lives or the lives of others.