Bublar Group partners with Dafo to create Virtual Reality fire emergency training solution

In Virtual Reality News

June 12, 2020 – Bublar Group’s subsidiary, Vobling, has announced a new strategic partnership with Dafo, a Nordic supplier of fire suppression systems and fire safety equipment. Dafo will act as a reseller of the new stand-alone version of Vobling’s “VR Fire Trainer”. The two-year licence deal is the first reseller agreement for training solutions built on Vobling’s Virtual Training platform, according to the company.

The VR Fire Trainer is a mobile, off-the-shelf package, targeting companies in need of readily accessible virtual reality fire emergency training solutions. Dafo will be the exclusive reseller in Sweden, a key partner in the Nordics, and the partnership will also include further product and business development of scalable immersive training solutions.

“We are pleased to have found a strong partner to develop our digital training concept. The VR Fire Trainer is an excellent complement to our teacher-led and web-based training. Realistic environments and scenarios are shaped based on customers’ activities, and users’ experiences are often enhanced compared to practical extinguishing exercises. The feeling of different extinguishing agents is also a significant feature. VR is a great tool for when it’s challenging to gather larger groups or set aside time for teacher-led training,” said Thomas Sparring, CEO, Dafo Brand AB.

Anders Ribbing, CEO of Vobling & Head of Bublar Enterprise, commented: “I’m very happy and excited about this partnership with Dafo. We are pursuing a reseller strategy for our Virtual Training products, and I can’t think of a better partner for our VR Fire Trainer. Dafo’s solid experience is a real asset for us in the continuous development of the product and its capabilities. Us joining forces and combining our knowledge is extremely valuable and a necessity in order to make sure that our product remains superior”.

Vobling’s off-the-shelf solution does not rely on a computer to function, so training can be done from anywhere at any time – users need to simply put on the provided headset (which appears to be an Oculus Quest HMD) and start training for putting out fires. The VR Fire Trainer solution also recently made it to the finals for the Auggie Awards, part of AWE 2020’s annual industry recognized AR & VR awards ceremony.

“This partnership fits perfectly well with our growth strategy and business model for Bublar Group. I am pleased that the laid-out plan to develop scalable products based on our Virtual Training Platform creating licence income is now starting to be realized,” added Maria A. Grimaldi, CEO of Bublar Group.

Fire emergency training through virtual reality helps to solve a number of fundamental challenges associated with traditional training methods, according to Bublar. Aside from being completely safe, VR training has the benefit of being more cost efficient, sustainable and scalable, while offering an enhanced learning experience. There is no longer a need to utilise real fires to emulate real world scenarios, which makes it safer and more sustainable. Training features such as the simulation of varying levels of heat, smoke development, and material flammability allow for further degrees of realism. Furthermore, users can train in isolation, thereby minimizing the risks associated with gatherings in times of Covid-19.

The off-the-shelf offering, VR Fire Trainer, will be available through resellers worldwide or by contacting Vobling directly. Bublar states that additional partnerships are currently being developed, and environments and features will be continuously added through updates to the software. Customers are also offered opportunities of further customization where scenarios relating to different respective industries can be included in the system.

Image credit: Bublar Group

About the author

Sam Sprigg

Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.