Reviewed by Danielle Ellis, B.Sc.Sep 26 2024
According to a study published in the Royal Society Open Science journal by researchers at the University of Birmingham, virtual reality with a physics background may hold the key to lowering cyclists' and pedestrians' exposure to dangerous, non-exhaust vehicle emissions.
Through immersive virtual reality experiences, the University of Birmingham's research, which is funded by the Rosetrees Trust and Research England QR Funding, aims to address the problem of significant health risks and chronic diseases brought on by exposure to unregulated particle pollutants from sources such as road, tire, and brake pollution. The guidance will be simple to understand and accessible to the general public, policymakers, and city planners.
The public was educated about when these particles are most prevalent and how to navigate urban spaces more safely and mindfully by using detailed computational fluid dynamics models to simulate the release and dispersion of these particles from vehicles, which are typically invisible to the unaided eye.
Based on data from the UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI), Birmingham is the second most populous city in the country and, as a whole, the second largest contributor to PM2.5 emissions in the country from brake and tire wear. The VR models were tested by members of the public in Birmingham's downtown area.
Air quality plays a key role in the health and wellbeing of society. Despite the electric vehicle transition, harmful emissions persist through the release of small particles from brakes, tires, and roads, into the air we breathe. Computational models can help us to understand the pollution pathways and identify those key moments in people’s daily journeys where exposure risk is highest. By making these non-exhaust pollutants visible within a virtual urban environment using our models, people were able to actually see the dangers with their own eyes and act accordingly to reduce or avoid exposure wherever possible.
Dr. Jason Stafford, Principal Investigator, University of Birmingham
The study also shows how the use of VR could cause town and city planning to be reevaluated to promote cleaner air.
Early analysis revealed that exposure risk to these pollutants was highest at the end of braking events. Unfortunately, this means that most bus stops, pedestrian crossings, and cycle lanes are within these danger zones due to them often being located at the braking zones of cars (e.g. road junctions) where the largest pollution dispersion distances are found. These outcomes highlight the air quality issues with current layouts, while also supporting the re-design and navigation of urban spaces for cleaner air, particularly situations where vehicle traffic is unavoidably close to pedestrians and cyclists.
Dr. Jason Stafford, Principal Investigator, University of Birmingham
Journal Reference:
Si, R., & Stafford, J. (2024) Evaluating exposure to vehicle pollutants using physics-informed immersive reality models. Royal Society Open Science. doi.org/10.1098/rsos.241111