Unless you’re a first-time passenger who’s a little anxious about flying, you probably pay more attention to your phone than a flight attendant’s safety spiel. But since it really is important to pay attention, researchers from the University of Udine’s HCI Lab are developing smartphone and tablet apps that gamify in-flight safety info.
The first to be released—for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and even PCs—is Learn To Brace which teaches passengers how to properly brace for impact in the event of a crash. Players can adjust and tweak the position of a virtual passenger, who then has to endure a simulated crash. Afterwards, the app provides feedback on if they would have survived, and how bad their injuries would have been.
It’s a little morbid, for sure, and hearkens back to the graphic ‘scared straight’ videos used to teach young drivers about being safe on the road. But at the same time, if it secretly gets passengers to learn something about what to do in the event of an emergency, it’s hard to fault the approach. [Learn To Brace via Slashdot]
