Browsing by Author "Abeygunawardhana, P"

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    PublicationOpen Access
    Evaluating the Effectiveness of Virtual Reality-Based Fire Safety Training Using Performance Metrics and User Behavior Analysis
    (Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2026-05-21) Nisme, N; Wijayasiri, U; Abeygunawardhana, P
    Fire safety training is essential for improving emergency response; however, conventional methods often lack interactivity and fail to provide measurable performance data. Existing Virtual Reality (VR)-based training systems enhance immersion but primarily rely on subjective evaluation, limiting quantitative assessment of effectiveness. To address this limitation, a VR-based fire safety training system integrated with performance metrics and user behavior analysis was developed and evaluated. An experimental study involving 47 participants was conducted using a pre-test and post-test design. Learning outcomes, behavioral data, and user feedback were analyzed. Results indicate a significant improvement, with median scores increasing from 4 to 8 and 70.21% of participants showing improvement. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test confirmed statistical significance (p = 0.00016) with a moderate to large effect size (r = 0.525). Behavioral metrics further demonstrated measurable user performance, supporting the effectiveness of VR-based fire safety training.
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    LifeBeacon: Offline Emergency Communication and Victim Detection System for Disaster Areas
    (IEEE Computer Society, 2025) Senaratna S.M.T.S; Widanage W.T.N; Muhandiramge M.D.A.D.; Bandara H.K.K.T; Pandithage, D; Abeygunawardhana, P; Wijayasekara, S
    Natural disasters often compromise traditional communication infrastructure, significantly delaying emergency response and coordination efforts. This research presents a novel, disaster-resilient communication system designed to address these challenges through the integration of mobile ad-hoc networking and Wi-Fi-based victim localization. The proposed system comprises of a decentralized, infrastructure-less, self-healing mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) utilizing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Wi-Fi direct with an encrypted SOS messaging mechanism between end devices and a Wi-Fi probe request-based end device detection mechanism that estimates the location of affected individuals based on their mobile phones. If nodes disconnect, a self-healing algorithm guarantees automatic reconnection and uninterrupted message flow, while the ad-hoc network facilitates low-power, peer-to-peer communication without the need for traditional infrastructure. Both targeted and broadcast notifications are supported by the SOS messaging system, which is encrypted to protect the integrity and security of data. The victim localization system, meantime, makes precise estimates of the population and location of people in the disaster region using trilateration and Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI). Experimental evaluations conducted under simulated disaster conditions demonstrate the system's scalability, energy efficiency, and effectiveness in maintaining real-time communication and accurate victim tracking.