Research center showcases advances in telemedicine

FORT DETRICK -- The Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center works on science and engineering ahead of programmed research projects.

In practical terms, that means virtual-reality rigs for training surgeons, chemical, biological and explosive agent detectors, and robots capable of identifying and diagnosing battlefield casualties.

Those technologies were on display Thursday at the center's Advanced Medical Technology Expo.

The center's mission is "to come up with solutions for the warfighter and then get them into the hands of the warfighter," said Col. Ron Poropatich, the center's deputy commander.

It mainly oversees projects funded through congressional earmarks -- some $400 million this year.

Two of the areas it's focusing on are improving training for doctors and advanced robotics for telemedicine and field support.

The Army needs to train or retrain 100,000 personnel in trauma medicine a year, said J. Harvey Magee, technical director of the center's Medical Simulation and Training Technologies group.

The center's goal is to create ways to train doctors in simulated situations -- either on models or mannequins, or in virtual reality -- and ways to objectively measure whether the students are learning the skills they needs.

Magee likened it to the simulator training that allows pilots to practice water landings without actually ditching a plane.

"The idea is: No surprises, Doc."

The center has ongoing projects in robotics, to develop self-guiding helicopters for carrying supplies to and wounded soldiers from the battlefield, improved hydrogen fuel cells, and improved telemedicine equipment.

But in keeping with the center's mission, it's all still five to 15 years away from being fielded, said Gary Gilbert, chief of the center's Knowledge Engineering Group.

"We kind of take it to the point where it's ready for final development," Gilbert said.

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