The main purpose of ASSISTANCE project is twofold: On the one hand to help and protect different kind of first responders’ (FR) organizations that work together taking into account the type of disaster/crisis they are mitigating in each moment and on the other hand, to enhance their capabilities for facing complex situations providing them advanced training based on Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR) and Augmented Reality (AR), tailored to their real needs depending on the type of incident. ASSISTANCE project will use novel technologies such as; UAV, Robots, drones’ swarms and advanced training based on VR, MR and AR for increasing the FR’s situation awareness (SA) taking into account their need in terms of data (e.g. real time video, persons and objects location, evacuation routes status, ad-hoc network coverage and so on). Different types of adapted SA modules will be developed inside a common SA framework capable of offering the sensor outcome needed by each FR organization (e.g. real time video and resources location for firemen, evacuation routes status for emergency health services and so on). Regarding training, an advanced training network based on VR, MR, AR and other novel technologies and methodologies (e.g. tailored curricula, immersive interfaces, adapted training methodology definition, etc.) will be established in order to share different VR platforms and scenarios for enhancing the current training capabilities and skills of different FRs organization. All the ASSISTANCE results will be tested under controlled conditions in three different demostration pilots. Solutions will be developed in compliance with EU societal values, fundamental rights and applicable legislation, including in the area of privacy and personal data protection. Societal aspects (e.g. perception of security, possible effects of technological solutions on societal resilience, gender diversity) have to be taken into account in a comprehensive and thorough manner.

SYNERGISE will design, develop, integrate, deploy, test, validate and demonstrate a Novel Integrated Toolkit for Collaborative Response and Enhanced Situational Awareness (NIT-CRES), at the service of response agencies which ensures an upgrade to managing of complex incidents. This will comprise a multitude of tools and services required for: 1) boosting situational awareness and sense-making by offering them the means to autonomously and synergistically perform indoor and outdoor exploration of incident sites towards victim identification whilst receiving at all times information about responders’ position and vitals as well as analyses of passive and active threats and hazards at the area of operations and 2) upgrading collaborative response and incident as well resources management by continuously sharing and updating the common operational picture across deployed teams, among the chain of command and between participating agencies. The NIT-CRES armors the FRs at all fronts by delivering novel, affordable, accepted, and customized response tools and services as part of their operational assets. Notably, the toolkit abides to privacy, ethical, security and legal constraints by design, considers an increased degree of inclusiveness for its operators and its set-up facilitates collaborative response addressing standard operating procedures. The NIT-CRES will be provided at the service of the search and rescue personnel, fire brigades, emergency medical, police and civil protection agencies for extensive testing, training and validation (at component and Toolkit levels) in the framework of a rich Integration, Testing and Validation Activities Programme – of Round Tables (RTs), Collaborative Lab Tests (CLTs), Technical Integration Workshop (TIWS), Component Field Tests (CFTs) and System Field Tests (SFTs) – towards empowering collaborative response and handling of complex incidents to its fullest.

Today’s First Responders (FR) are using technology of the past. During their primary mission of saving lives and preserving society’s safety and security, FRs face a multitude of challenges. In both small scale emergencies and large scale disasters, they often deal with life-threatening situations, hazardous environments, uncharted surroundings and limited awareness. Threats and hazards evolve rapidly, crossing municipalities, regions and nations with speed and ease. Armouring public safety services with all the tools that modern technology has to offer is critical. Such tools holistically enhance their protection and augment their operational capacities, assisting them in saving lives as well as ensuring their safe return from the disaster scene. INGENIOUS will develop, integrate, test, deploy and validate a Next Generation Integrated Toolkit (NGIT) for Collaborative Response, which ensures high level of Protection & Augmented Operational Capacity to respond to the disaster scene. This will comprise a multitude of the tools and services required: 1) for enabling protection of the FRs with respect to their health, safety and security; 2) for enhancing their operational capacities by offering them with means to conduct various response tasks and missions boosted with autonomy, automation, precise positioning, optimal utilisation of available resources and upgraded awareness and sense-making; 3) for allowing shared response across FR teams and disciplines by augmenting their field of view, information sharing and communications between teams and with victims. The NGIT armours the FRs at all fronts. The NGIT will be provided at the service of the FRs for extensive testing and validation in the framework of a rich Training, Testing and Validation Programme – of Lab Tests (LSTs), Small-Scale Field Tests (SSTs) and Full-Scale Field Validations (FSXs) – towards powering the FR of the future being fully aware, fully connected and fully integrated.