How Technology is Impacting the Emergency Services
Recently, as our team travelled down to London for Tech Week 2018, we got the chance to explore how technology is impacting multiple industries. From Sheffield Robotics and their empathic robotic rabbits to the fire safety training VR headsets, the technology on display was incredibly diverse.
One industry in particular that appeared to have an incredible range of technology on show during London Tech Week was the emergency services, as their immersive and eye-catching exhibitions aimed to educate how technology is impacting and improving their life-saving work.
An example of one of the new technologies aiding the emergency services was showcased by the Leicester Fire Department and RiVR, for their upcoming training regimes. Demonstrating just one of the benefits of Virtual Reality for training programs, technicians have engineered a VR programme and kit designed to help trainee fire service workers to immerse themselves in a typical fire scenario without needing to leave their station. Strapped into a portable device, with a lightweight headset and small handheld controllers, the VR programme allows the user to explore a burned out building, practice fire safety techniques in a simulated space, and even approach and interact with a burn victim safely. Created using over one thousand images of burn scenes and crime scenes, and simulated experiences, the experience is designed to be as realistic as possible - presenting an accessible, evolutionary and budget-friendly alternative to on-the-ground training.
Another contribution to technology designed for the emergency services was the inclusion of a new design of mobile phone for the police forces. Combining the designs of the typical walkie talkie shoulder devices worn by the police today, and the slimmer, hand-held devices of the modern mobile phone, British police forces are working with developers to create something versatile for all scenarios. Speaking to ESN (Emergency Services Network for the Home Office), we discovered that a new form of practical UX is being implemented, as sleek and easy to manoeuvre devices are planned to help the police forces stay agile, yet up to date with modern and user friendly devices.
One of the most engaging technologies we discovered at London Tech Week 2018 was the Sheffield Robotics display of their wellbeing robotics. Inspired by the robotic seal that dominated headlines for its use in comforting the elderly generations, Sheffield Robotics and Consequential Robotics presented the MiRo autonomous robotic rabbit at London Tech Week 2018. The small, fully programmable rabbits come with an inbuilt ‘six senses’, designed to respond to human touch, with colour-changing software underneath their plastic casing to display particular emotions
The newest forms of technology emerging in 2018 has the potential to positively impact every industry and sector of healthcare, emergency services and emotional care, from it’s insights into VR fire training, to the microrobotics of autonomous wellness rabbits.
If you would like to find out more about our experiences at London Tech Week, or to speak to one of our team about any development projects you have in mind, please get in touch with us at [email protected]!
Posted from my blog with SteemPress : http://rolleragency.co.uk/blog/technology-impacting-emergency-services-2/