SAN FRANCISCO, December 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — SimX Announces New $225,000 effort with the US Air Force to explore emerging areas for the use of advanced VR medical simulation training (MST). This effort aims to innovate around the use of VR MST in three critical training needs for the Air Force Special Operations Command Wing (AFSOC): urban and technical search and rescue, casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), and medical care during the active combat (Care Under Fire).
The VALOR program allows clinical trainees to hone their skills in training scenarios that aim to model realistic psychosocial and medical environments to allow staff to “train to fight”.
Depicted is an image of an existing USAF TCCC scenario, in which a point-of-care ultrasound is used to diagnose a combatant injured during a helicopter evacuation.
This effort, housed under SimX’s Virtual Advancement of Learning for Operational Readiness (VALOR) program, aims to improve the accessibility of training for these critical Special Warfare missions. During an initial three-month exploration phase, SimX will work with AFSOC subject matter experts from the 24th Special Operations Wing to conduct a detailed feasibility study of the use of virtual reality in these areas and produce curricular guidelines aimed at filling the existing gaps in training capacities. “These efforts will allow us to focus training on complex tactical decision-making and high-consequence, low-occurrence skills that will be essential in the future operating environment,” said Col. John R. Dorsch DO, USAF (ret. ), Senior Military Advisor at SimX and former USAF Pararescue Medical Director. “The expansion of VALOR will ensure accelerated learning and development of expertise across the spectrum of operations.”
Potential training requirements include high angle recovery, confined space rescue, breaching and extrication, packing and transferring patients, and moving casualties under fire. The overall goal of the collaboration is to identify key areas requiring future development in VR MST. The project aims to study the feasibility of civil and military needs, as the three areas of intervention also apply to civil emergency agencies. “Advances in virtual reality in these training areas will allow for more efficient and cost-effective simulation for rare but critical events. This training could be particularly effective for civilian agencies with limited resources, which could benefit immensely from access to a low-cost virtual reality simulation,” Karthik said. V Sarma PhD, Principal Investigator of the VALOR Program and Chief Technology Officer of SimX. Funding for the collaboration was provided by the Department of the Air Force (DAF) under the AFWERX Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.
About SimX
SimX has created an industry leader virtual reality medical simulation platform which is used worldwide and by top institutions including the Mayo Clinic, Stanford, North West, University of Pennsylvania, the US Air Force and many more. It allows trainees to work together in multiplayer virtual reality cases, either together in the same space or from the safety of their own home. SimX has developed a unique system that allows for a “holodeck-like” experience without drop-down menus or virtual selections. You talk and interact with virtual patients the same way you would in real life. SimX’s scalable scenario system enables rapid development of new training materials and cases, and instant deployment to all learners. Learn more about the SimX system at simxvr.com.
About AFVentures
AFVentures invests in emerging technologies to evolve the capabilities of the Department of the Air Force, thereby strengthening the American industrial base that empowers Airmen and Guardians by encouraging for-profit private investment in the interests of national security. Our success is achieved by connecting new business solutions to sets of defense problems, de-risking Airmen and Guardians initiatives to close capability gaps, and transitioning technologies. Learn more at https://afwerx.com/afventures-overview/.
Media Contact:
Michael Werner
650-231-5383
[email protected]
SOURCESimX
#SimX #Air #Force #Special #Operations #Command #Wing #Partner #Exploratory #Projects #Advanced #Medical #Simulation #Training