How Military Robots Can Save Lives

ByARTHUR NIEMYNSKI, ABCNews
Monday, August 8, 2016

Saving a life can be hard enough, but doing it in the middle of a battlefield with bullets flying can seem nearly impossible. But military programs like the Medical Simulation Training Center (MSTC) at Fort Carson in Colorado are training military medics so they're prepared for every situation during combat.



MSTC is a program that uses lifelike mannequins as well as special effects to mimic real -life combat scenarios. The mannequins can replicate cardiac arrest, gunshot wounds, loss of limb and other injuries common on the battlefield. They are even capable of showing various symptoms such as ear discharge, sweating and dilated pupils.



MSTC instructor Antonio Zavala told ABC News he's aware of both medics and soldiers who were unable to care for injured service members because they did not have the proper training and preparation.



"Pretty much any intervention you can do on a real person you can do on these mannequins," said Zavala.



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Various sensors, animatronics and a central computer in the mannequins can relay feedback to an instructor. The mannequin's condition can be changed from critical to stable by simply adjusting settings on an instructor's tablet that is connected to the mannequin.



One of the biggest benefits of these mannequins is that they are capable of providing instant feedback to the students. This feedback allows students to assess the situation and determine what procedure is necessary. The mannequin is also equipped with inflating lungs, helping the students to visualize the breathing pattern of their patient. By being able to mimic a collapsed lung, the student has the opportunity to physically practice needle chest decompression.



The new tools are a far cry from how medics used to be trained.



"Training was nothing more than your NCO [non-commissioned officer] sitting down with you and pretty much going over a checklist," said MSTC student Henry Poolam. "Everyone was good at regurgitating the answers but when it came time to apply it, is was a different story."



The mannequin also has a circulatory system allowing an instructor to control blood pressure by lowering or elevating it. A student can identify the bleeding and apply digital pressure to stop it while a second soldier applies a tourniquet. If the soldier does not apply the correct pressure on the artery, or fails to correctly put on the tourniquet, the dummy will theoretically die.



These mannequins are giving soldiers the most realistic reenactment of a battle wound without putting the soldier's safety at risk.



While nothing can fully prepare one for battle, these tools can help soldiers develop the muscle memory necessary to save lives in the face of danger.



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