Good crisis preparedness: What is it actually? This is what emergenCITY researchers explained on June 20th at the Hessentag in Bad Vilbel.
Experience research and engage with scientists: The Hessian Ministry of Science and Research, Arts and Culture (HMWK) invited visitors to its booth during the Hessentag from June 13th to 22nd in Bad Vilbel. Every day, there were new insights into the world of science and culture. Five LOEWE projects also presented the results of their basic research.
On Friday, June 20th, a seven-person team from the LOEWE Center emergenCITY designed the HMWK booth. The researchers showed interested visitors how digital cities can become more resilient and how they can personally prepare for crises. Highlights included visits by the Hessian Minister of Science, Timon Gremmels, with State Secretary Christoph Degen, the Hessian Minister of Digital Affairs, Kristina Sinemus, and the actor and comedian Hans-Joachim Heist.
The serious game Krisopolis was particularly well-received by visitors. Using smartphones and a tablet, they were able to slip into the role of a resident of the virtual city of Krisopolis, which is repeatedly rocked by crises, such as prolonged power outages. During the course of the game, they had to make important decisions on questions such as: How long will my supplies last? Should I help my neighbor? What is the best preparedness strategy for the next crisis? Science Minister Timon Gremmels also tried out the latest version.
The scientists explained Hans-Joachim Heist which role the advertising pillar 4.0 can play in emergency communication. Thanks to a methanol fuel cell and photovoltaics, it can display information and warnings from the authorities even when other warning systems, such as the internet, fail. A prototype was inaugurated at Riegerplatz in Darmstadt at the beginning of April and successfully tested during the Darmstadt Fire Department’s siren test on June 12. Actor Hans-Joachim Heist took the opportunity to invite the Minister of Science to attend the Datterich production at the Darmstadt State Theater, in which he plays the leading role.
Digital Minister Kristina Sinemus also met with the Scientists. She is pushing for the establishment of a national center for digital resilience in disasters in Hesse and also supports the new Digital Resilience Xchange (DiReX) transfer and application center, which aims to translate emergenCITY research into practical applications.
Mission: emergenCITY Serious Games
