Developing innovative methods in medical training

One key element of military training is to train as you fight. Based on this, real-world training is required, which can be achieved by using dedicated military training facilities. Unfortunately, that kind of training can result in significant costs and effort due to the complexity of the scenarios. Furthermore, certain conditions, such as the gravity of the injuries and weather conditions, are often not possible to recreate in the typical classroom environment, requiring simplification of the training scenarios and resulting in a lack of expertise.

ESG has developed an innovative method to train military medical personnel by providing tactical (team) training applications, such as the Simulated Tactical Combat Casualty Care in Extended Reality (SimTCCC-XR). The solution provides a mixed reality training environment combining infrastructure requirements, such as classroom training with real-world scenarios, giving trainees an experience as close to reality as possible.

The main advantage to this simulation is that the trainee can experience and practice the treatment of simulated injuries – such as critical bleeding, gunshot wounds or lung compressions – on real people with real equipment whilst interacting with teachers and other trainees in the simulated combat or target environment, which can be adjusted by changing the weather, time of day or treatment required.

INNOVATIONS

The SimTCCC-XR brings two major and disruptive innovations to the market.

First is the application of an extended reality / mixed reality headset in combination with additional physical training equipment to stimulate as many senses of the trainee as possible. This results in a significant cost reduction in comparison to similar real-world training scenarios. Furthermore, a substantial increase in training efficiency, compared with standard classroom training, is achieved through minimized preparation times. e.g. no makeup or reset of the mannequins’ status and the ability to quickly change scenarios, reaching from medical evacuation (medevac) to Role 2; transport preparations including patient handovers; or triage training and mass casualties (mascal) scenarios.

Second is the groundbreaking ability to use real-world equipment within a virtual environment. For example, medical personnel can use their realworld equipment on a living person but within a simulated environment. Additional simulation dependent controllers are not required.

A special torso allows the usage of tourniquets, pneumothorax needles, combat gauze, special infusion system (FAST1) chest seal, or intravenous needles on a training member. The torso also serves as an anchor for the simulation, permitting the trainee to visualize wounds including blood, for instance. This stimulates almost all of the trainee’s senses and creates an optimum training environment.

ESG developed the technology to its current state and showcased a patent-worthy solution by:

• Applying a highly immersive content using a game engine for virtual reality content

• Exchanging mannequins and actors with trainees

• Adding virtual injuries on the training participant

• Adding the possibility for feedback loops in the mixed reality using a virtual overlay for an existing patient monitor as a changeable digital vital parameter display

• Enclosing an audio-visual debriefing system into an adaptable setup.

This is achieved in an environment ranging from a desk, room, truss, or even containerized system depending on the customer needs, with the opportunity to include rapidly exchangeable virtual or real mock-ups like medevac patient support system (PSS), helicopters or ground vehicles.