MEASURE
To overcome emergencies and disasters effectively means that first responders must maintain constant training and exercising. Simulations are performed to generate effective learning experiences and useful findings, which later can be utilized to design new tactics, response equipment or training content. To achieve valuable exercise output, the evaluation approach must allow for close-meshed observation, as well as valid and objective interpretation. This currently demands extensive involvement of resources and high time consumption. Furthermore, observations are prone to human bias.
MEASURE (Monitoring Exercises using Ai-SUpport for Reliable Evaluation) examines the applicability of Artificial Intelligence, as well as multi-dimensional analysis of sensor signals (such as position, movement, etc.), to establish valid and swiftly available evaluation results for emergency exercises. Besides technical feasibility, the focus of the project lies on usability requirements for first responder evaluators and legal-ethical circumstances, which have been researched little yet.
While paying much attention to end user requirements, a method and instrument for automatic exercise evaluation will be developed. This aims to increase effectiveness and efficiency of first responders and contributes towards stronger crisis- and disaster management overall.
Additionally, studying the legal-ethical aspects of the utilization of those technologies ensures fair assessment of exercise participants, while reducing bias towards e.g., origin, gender, or organizational belonging. The project contents are carefully evaluated, before being tested in emergency exercises for fire service and emergency medical service. This ensures added value and paves the way for further innovation in this field.
This project is funded by the FFG (KIRAS program, Call "Kooperative F&E-Projekte" 2021) and coordinated by the AIT (Austrian Institute of Technology). Other project partners are the Freiwillige Feuerwehr Pinkafeld, Landesfeuerwehrverband Steiermark, BOC Products & Services AG, Disaster Competence Network Austria (Kompetenznetzwerk für Katastrophenprävention), Österreichisches Rotes Kreuz and Universität Wien.
Project Duration: Nov. 1, 2022 to Jan. 31, 2025
