After a journey of almost three years, Chris Haarmeijer and Daan Nusman won the tender issued by the Ministry of Singapore with their REDSUIT. Instead of one of the three local companies, the Ministry chose the relatively small and unknown player from Enschede. 

Chris: ‘In 2019, we gave a demonstration in Singapore of REDSUIT, the realistic VR training system developed specifically for educating and training firefighters. A year later, the ministry under which the fire service falls turned out to have reserved budget and they were able to issue a tender. Besides RE-liON, three other companies from Singapore participated. Only a year after issuing the tender, we were told that we were the winning party AND that we had to deliver by the end of this year. Southeast Asia had been on our wish list for some time, because here they are already very advanced with VR technology and already apply it on a large scale, often more than in Europe, for example. That we have now gained a foothold here motivates us even more to also conquer the US and Europe - the others on our list.’

Benefits of virtual training

Firstly, virtual training has many practical benefits. Building and keeping a physical training venue relevant costs a lot of money, time, manpower and space. In addition, you are dependent on all kinds of factors, such as role-players who never act exactly the same, all attributes that you have to put down in the same place every time, and you also have to deal, for example, with a building that is built to not burn out permanently, so you never quite match the real situation. The physical aspect also plays a role: participants can still ingest smoke during physical training, it is tough on instructors and, in the case of shooting exercises in an enclosed space, in the long run, brain damage similar to that suffered by footballers who often kick the ball can occur. 

With this form of VR, you train lifelike and can practise all the scenarios you can think of, so that participants are truly prepared for all situations and also know how best and safest to act accordingly.

Additional applications for Singapore

One of the reasons RE-liON won Singapore's tender is that the system fits in a couple of suitcases and is therefore easy to move around and can be trained in almost any space, without having to build everything up. So you can educate and train on the spot.

For Singapore, the REDSUITS are equipped with an advanced measurement and recording system. This allows you to run through different scenarios in exactly the same way and, for example, assess participants on exactly the same points during an assessment. All movements, communication and actions are registered and recorded, so that evaluation can also take place afterwards on the basis of what actually took place. 

Technology Base

Two years ago, Chris and Daan received the key to their new office at Technology Base, the business campus for innovative technology companies in Enschede. Technology Base - with its innovative Twente Airport - allows RE-liON to develop and test products and systems in a shielded environment. A transformed F16 shelter in the middle of nature is now a comfortable home for both RE-liON's development and testing teams. Besides the space in the shelter itself, they were able to create another large hall at the back where clients can also train in the BLACK, BLUE and REDSUITS. 

For the further development of the REDSUIT, RE-liON was already working together with the Twente Fire Brigade and the Twente Safety Campus, but since RE-liON is also located at Technology Base, the cooperation is even more intense and they not only use each other's expertise, but also each other's facilities. The Twente Fire Service has been involved from the beginning of REDSUIT's development and contributed to the programme of requirements. Important for the Twente Fire Service is becoming and staying competent. REDSUIT makes an important contribution to this, but at the same time it also provides insight into what can be improved.  Chris: ‘Besides the fact that we are now so close to the Twente Safety Campus, the shielded environment is also a huge plus. We have several government clients and for them it is very nice that they can practice undisturbed and out of sight.’

© Image: Herman Zonderland

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