FirstNet, NIST initiate public safety virtual experience center

First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) officials are espousing the launch of the Public Safety Immersive Test Center in Boulder, Colo.

Authorities indicated the effort would nurture the development and deployment of technologies critical to effective public safety response.

“When seconds count, situational awareness can be a matter of life or death for first responders,” FirstNet Authority Chief Network and Technology Officer Jeff Bratcher said. “We are proud to partner with NIST on this state-of-the-art facility and provide first responders with an immersive virtual experience to help them prepare for those critical moments. The FirstNet Authority is dedicated to advancing technologies and innovative ways to ensure first responders have the tools they need for their life-saving mission.”

FirstNet Authority and NIST’s Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) Division would collaborate to foster research and development, education, and training through the venue free to public safety agencies and organizations supporting public safety response efforts.

“This facility enables us to take our research to the next level by allowing natural interactions,” Scott Ledgerwood, leader of NIST PSCR’s User Experience/User Interface Group, said. “Traditional virtual reality simulations required controllers for interaction, which didn’t translate well to real-life scenarios. In this new facility, users can walk or crawl throughout the space, physically touch walls and furniture, and pick up props like fire nozzles or dummies. This approach will improve measures and build confidence in the test results for translations of technologies to the real world.”

Through the endeavor, technology developers will be able to test their equipment in realistic scenarios, with first responders also participating, officials noted.