FMD preparedness training goes virtual
Image: Early screenshot of clinical examination in the pilot VR experience
Article written by Animal Health Epidemiology and One Health division
We’re turning to virtual reality to enhance foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) preparedness, by transforming live training courses into simulated learning experiences.
Since 2012, the department has been working with the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD) to run training courses in FMD-endemic countries, such as Nepal. These face to face training courses give livestock workers, industry representatives and veterinarians first-hand experience diagnosing and investigating FMD outbreaks. They also play an important role in raising awareness of FMD when they return home. However, providing this training in person is resource intensive, and inaccessible to some.
Virtual reality has been shown to be a successful, cost effective and practical method for training large numbers of people using task-based scenarios. So, in the search for an alternative, the department asked Novus Res, a virtual reality games studio in Adelaide, to conduct a pilot virtual reality experience and develop a research report on the efficacy of the training.
The pilot experience includes activities such as clinical examination of cows, laboratory sampling, and setting up a biosecurity control point. The pilot will evaluate the effectiveness of the technology for biosecurity training, with a focus on FMD preparedness. The research report will provide insights into the possibilities of virtual reality as a training tool, and how it could potentially be rolled out.
Project manager, Corrie Croton, said ‘the report and pilot outcomes will help show government and industry the current state, and the potential, of virtual reality training. It will provide a foundation for future virtual reality training projects. This is an emerging field with the potential to enhance future training programs.’
The department expects to release the report in July 2020.