AUGGMED is a Horizon 2020 funded research project involving multiple partners from throughout the European Union. The purpose of the project is to develop a serious games platform which enables online, multi-user training for first responders using numerous input modes including: desktop; touch screen; Virtual Reality (VR); and Mixed Reality (MR). The final goal of the project is to provide a next generation training tool which can be used to simulate multi-agency training scenarios in events involving fires, terror incidents and cyber-attacks.
AUGGMED is currently two thirds of the way through with one year of development left before completion. The AUGGMED platform is currently in the alpha stage of development with live testing being performed alongside end users in several project pilots.
The first pilot was held at West Yorkshire police’s Carrgate facility and simulated a terrorist incident on an undisclosed airport. Firearms police trainers used the AUGGMED platform to assess trainee’s situational awareness and decision capabilities within the simulation which required them to respond to a terror incident involving armed suspects and a large fire.
In March 2017, the second AUGGMED pilot was held in Barcelona with train security personnel from Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) and paramedics from Sistema D’Emergencies Mediques (SEM).
This pilot required trainees to use virtual reality, touch screen and standard desktop devices to simulate multiple ‘Hot Bag’ scenarios and post explosion triage scenarios. The pilot allowed multiple trainees to work together, make decisions and solve problems collaboratively under the close observations of the trainers and observers.
The pilot required CENTRIC and the other technical partners to set up a customised training suite with its own internal network, virtual reality devices, observation room and training theatre. Throughout the pilot CENTRIC was responsible for maintaining the stability and reliability of the AUGGMED system and underlying architecture whilst familiarising the end users with the system.
