How can we effectively prepare for disasters?

András Majdik from SZTAKI tackled this question in his presentation, “Disaster Is No Game? B-prepared – Realistic Preparation for the Worst-Case Scenarios,” at the Hungarian Informatics Day 2025 conference on 21st January 2025, organized by the John von Neumann Faculty of Informatics at Óbuda University.

Traditional disaster preparedness methods often struggle to engage participants or provide realistic training. The B-prepared project addresses this challenge by offering an innovative, cost-effective approach that utilizes virtual reality (VR), gamified learning and multi-stakeholder collaboration.

Through a VR multiplayer serious game, VR-prepared, users can experience real-life disaster simulations in a controlled but immersive environment. In addition, a gamified mobile application called IM-prepared provides interactive, age-appropriate content tailored to different audiences, with special attention to individuals with specific needs. 

To measure and enhance preparedness levels, B-prepared also includes a learning management system (RU-prepared) that evaluates both VR and mobile users on a unified scale. This structured approach ensures that participants gain meaningful insights into their readiness while improving their ability to respond effectively in real-life emergencies.

By combining technology with hands-on learning, the B-prepared project aims to revolutionize disaster training, making it more engaging, inclusive and effective.