Triage Simulation in a Virtual Environment

Triage is the assessment of physical conditions of casualties with limited support of staff and equipment. The critical factor in handling a mass casualty situation is time. The focus is on the quick and accurate assessment of the physical conditions of casualties and the application of life-saving treatment to those who stand a chance to survive their inflictions under curont circumstances. However, the survival and revitalisation of a group of casualties has a higher priority than the treatment of an individual casualty. In a military triage training programme expert medical knowledge is conveyed to non-specialists who should be able to assess casualty conditions. Such a programme can be facilitated with computer-based training equipment and training in a Virtual Environment to allow for flexible "on-demand" training focused to a military deployment. In this paper we present Virtual Environment technology, including actuator and sensor technology, and elaborate on the key building blocks for triage training in a Virtual Environment and conclude with a future perspective