VERTIgO achieved a significant milestone with the successful completion of our testing and validation activities in Rieti. From May 6-9, 2024, the Joint NBC Defence School hosted the VERTIgO Joint Testing and Validation Week, which involved 14 specialised CBRN operators from various EU Member States in an intensive experience that combined real-life training with Virtual Reality (VR) simulations.
The Joint Testing and Validation Week featured the demonstration of the VERTIgO European Exercises Simulation Platform (EESP) and the Integrated CBRN VR Mask, both designed under the VERTIgO project. In the mornings, the 14 participants experienced real-life CBRN training as part of an official course hosted by the School. In the afternoons, they tested VERTIgO’s immersive VR solution with the EESP, which closely replicated the scenarios they had trained on in real-life. The goal of the activity was to test and validate the EESP and the Integrated Mask, and further assess the added value of virtual reality as complementary to real-life training for enhancing learning outcomes. To further showcase the results of the VERTIgO project to a specialised audience of high-level stakeholders, a dedicated VIP Day was held on 8 May. We were honored to have in attendance 15 representatives from the Italian Ministry of Defence, witnessing firsthand the capabilities of the Integrated CBRN VR Mask and the benefits of the EESP platform.
Last but not least, in a key effort to further sustainability of VERTIgO results, a dedicated Trainer the Trainer session with personnel of the Joint NBC Defence School also took place during the week. The main goal was to equip CBRN instructors with advanced skills to use the EESP and in particular its Editor, a key component which enables trainers to edit existing trainings and create new ones independently. The trained personnel of the School will continue to have access to the EESP on-site following the end of VERTIgO, marking a significant contribution towards enhanced CBRN training capabilities.
The VERTIgO project is proud to contribute to this step forward in training and protection against CBRN threats thanks to the innovation and technology developed in this field.