Month: March 2022

Last Friday, March 25, some of the most promising technologies developed in the frame of RESPOND-A project were presented at the CERIS – Community for European Research and Innovation for Security Cluster Conference on Disaster-Resilient Societies (DRS), by the European Commission – DG HOME. In the session dedicated to Technologies for First Responders, co-chaired by INGENIOUS, CURSOR, FASTER and Intrepid projects, and more particularly under the topic “Inventorying technologies for FRs & Discussing on their added value and operational challenges”, RESPOND-A, together with the previously mentioned projects and others such as Search & Rescue, TeamAware, MED1stMR and NIGHTINGALE, ASSISTANCE, ResponDrone, had the occasion to give some insights about technologies developed that are parts of the consortium.  The Inventory was divided in four categories: Robotics and unmanned vehicles, Sensors, Wearables and mobile devices, Mission Critical Systems: C2 and Communications, and Augmented and virtual reality. The here below technologies have been presented:  1. 5G System, by NCSR “Demokritos;  2. Data Format Fusion (DFT), by Eight Bells Ltd;  3. XBELLO, by Eight Bells Ltd;  4. Environmental Sensors, by HELLENIC INSTRUMENTS;  5. MAESTRO, by Ianus Consulting.  Such Inventory initiative helps identifying interesting similarities, differences or complementarities between the technologies of the different projects and might be a milestone for the European innovation in technologies for First Responders.

The mascletà of the 15th and the cremà of the 19th March 2022, in the frame of the Fallas Festival in València, have been the scene of several trials to test the manoeuvrability and sensors of robots developed in RESPOND-A by partners ROBOTNIK and VALLFIREST. It has been assessed in which scenarios and under which conditions we could use them for police interventions in emergencies, as well as to adjust their parameters and those of their sensors to the needs of police operations. The tests carried out were a pre-test of one of the tools that will be evaluated in the demonstration pilot that will be host in València in early 2023.

 On 2-3 March 2022, the European Project RESPOND-A organised yet another training session to familiarise first responders with the use of innovative technologies in an earthquake use-case scenario.  RESPOND-A (Next-generation equipment tools and mission-critical strategies for First Responders) is an EU-funded research project aimed at enhancing the capabilities of first responders through the use of innovative technologies. After two training sessions respectively held online in December 2020 and in Cyprus in September 2021, third 3rd training session took place at Egaleo City Hall near Athens on 2 and 3 March 2022.  Research and scientific staff from Greece and European countries trained rescue teams from Greece, Cyprus and Spain, using special equipment, such as new communications networks and platforms, augmented reality tools, unmanned vehicles and sensors systems. This training aimed at enhancing the capabilities of first responders through the use of innovative technologies in a simulated environment, as well as testing and evaluating the tools developed. The various technologies involved in the training are shown on this page.  The training was also the first step before the second RESPOND-A pilot, also taking place in Egaleo end of September 2022. More information about the project and the upcoming activities at https://respond-a.ianus-technologies.com/  If you want to know more about training #3 visit this page: https://respond-a.ianus-technologies.com/respond-a-training-3-greece/

“The RESPOND-A project was presented as part of the exhibition area of the Mobile World Congress 2022 (MWC) , taking place from February 28th to March 3rd in Barcelona Spain. The booth was operated by RESPOND-A partner Athonet which displayed the project video and distributed flyers to visitors.” Learn More

We are happy to announce that RESPOND-A is organizing a joint webinar with the  FirEURisk Project titled “Fire and Crisis Management” on 21 March 2022 from 10h30 – 12hCET.   The event marks the signing of an MoU between FirEUrisk and RESPOND-A, in an effort to establish close collaboration and knowledge sharing in the common efforts to provide holistic solutions in wildfire management and First Responders’ safety and health. During the event you will have the opportunity to learn more about the two projects through the presentations of the project co-ordinators, Dr. Domingos Xavier Viegas for FirEUrisk and Dr. George Boustras for RESPOND-A. Also, partners from the two projects will present their valuable work on smoke dispersion modelling activities and integration of new technologies for First Responders.   The event is open to all!  Register