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Using AI To Train Firefighters
Roland Piquepaille writes "Computer scientists at the University of Southern California (USC) have developed DEFACTO, a training program which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help firefighters practice simulated emergency situations. The system is currently used by the Los Angeles Fire Department. DEFACTO has committees of AI 'agents' which can create disaster scenarios with images and maps seen in 3-D by the trainees. The software agents also evaluate the trainees' answers and help them to take better decisions. As one LAFD captain said, 'You can see if you're heading toward a mistake much more quickly.' Read more for additional details about this AI project and a photo
of a LAFD Fire Captain using the system."
First off, it's a AI program. This will not give you that much practical experience compared to being in a more traditional controlled test environment. I used to run ship fire simulations, with actual fire and smoke in a building setup for this type of deal when I was in the Navy. We actually trained a group of Iranians back in the day, and I remember several trying to get out of the port holes on the building, because they freaked out. (ever see a 2 1/2" hose flying around? this will put a serious hurt on your team if nailed.) I guess my whole point is that actually going into a test environment on a moments notice, donning your equipment and getting a first hand view of smoke/fire is a better experience, IMHO.
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Over here in the lovable land of .au, we (CFA) and other fire agencies around the country already use a training simulator made by VectorCommand in the UK (link) which is very similar to this package in the OP. Career staff particularly, as well as volunteers, are readily ran through various exercises and drills on it. One of the most useful features is that it a scenario can be run individually or with a team of users (with networked computers).
This is not to replace real training at all, I totally agree that this type of training can and never will be able to (in the foreseeable future) match a real training simulator. This is more of management type training, where a firefighter learns how to make decisions with disaster type situations.
The real advantage of this system of the previous version is it no longer ties up an entire fire team in order to run the simulation, it comes up with truly random situations (a person is more likely to train people about things they experience all the time, well you also need to be able to meet unexpected situations), and it is easier to run. The changed graphics is really just a different UI, it is not nearly good enough to trick someone in to thinking it is the real thing, but as long as you're making the same type of decisions under some pressure, the graphics do not matter. The increased graphics might make it easier to relate to a real situation. An example being a red box is a firetruck vs a more complete model, it just helps with the visualizations.
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