Qualifications
Research Interests
My area of expertise is Evacuation, and my main interest is the interaction between people and evacuation systems, e.g., way-finding systems and notification systems. Recent studies have involved evaluation of both visual and auditory way-finding systems in smoke filled tunnels, as well as studies on the design of fire alarms and way-finding systems in high-rise buildings. The research has involved both laboratory and field evacuation experiments, and most recently I have been involved in the development of Virtual Reality laboratory evacuation experiments. I am currently in charge of the development of a state-of-the-art Virtual Reality evacuation laboratory at CNRE. This laboratory will feature such technology as Head Mounted Displays (HMD) with eye track, and optical motion capture equipment.
Recent Publications
- Tavana H., Thompson P., Boyce K., Frantzich H., Nilsson D. and McGrath D. (2024) A novel approach to the investigation and quantification of the stop/start process for pedestrian traffic using motion capture devices. Travel Behaviour and Society 34 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tbs.2023.100659.
- Davis C., Sole C., Khan H. and Nilsson D. (2023) Investigating movement through smoke in virtual reality. Fire Safety Journal 140 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2023.103890.
- Xu N., Lovreglio R., Kuligowski ED., Cova TJ., Nilsson D. and Zhao X. (2023) Predicting and Assessing Wildfire Evacuation Decision-Making Using Machine Learning: Findings from the 2019 Kincade Fire. Fire Technology 59(2): 793-825. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10694-023-01363-1.
- Arias S., Mossberg A., Nilsson D. and Wahlqvist J. (2022) A Study on Evacuation Behavior in Physical and Virtual Reality Experiments. Fire Technology 58(2): 817-849. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10694-021-01172-4.
- Kuligowski ED., Zhao X., Lovreglio R., Xu N., Yang K., Westbury A., Nilsson D. and Brown N. (2022) Modeling evacuation decisions in the 2019 Kincade fire in California. Safety Science 146 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105541.