VIPC Public Safety Innovation Center Showcases Emerging Tech for First Responders at Virginia Fire and Rescue Conference
The following is a press release from VIPC regarding the Virginia Fire Rescue Conference in Virginia Beach that the team attended.
The PSIC identifies and evaluates innovative technologies to empower public safety to effectively navigate critical challenges.
Photo courtesy of VIPC.
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES, March 12, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Public Safety Innovation Center (PSIC), which is a Strategic Initiative of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), showcased a lineup of cutting-edge technology aimed at enhancing the capabilities of first responders during the recent Virginia Fire Rescue Conference (VFRC) organized by the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association (VFCA) at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
The annual VFRC serves as a premier platform for fire and rescue professionals, educators, and industry experts to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and explore the latest advancements in public safety technology. At its exhibit, the PSIC demonstrated new solutions that are driving innovation in public safety and equipping first responders with life-saving tools.
“The PSIC remains committed to fostering collaboration, innovation and excellence in public safety across the Commonwealth,” said Chris Sadler, director of the PSIC. “Through its participation in the Virginia Fire Rescue Conference, VIPC continues its commitment to support emerging technologies for first responders to protect and serve their communities.”
Among the companies and technology solutions the PSIC featured at the conference were: AccessVR: Virtual Reality (VR) is increasingly used for public safety training in Virginia. The AccessVR system provides immersive scenarios, microtraining modules and on-demand learning. First responders practice skills in realistic virtual environments with the technology, which promotes readiness, improves decision-making and cultivates inclusive training opportunities.
Dedrone: With offices in Sterling, Dedrone provides innovative counter-drone solutions for airspace security. The technology detects and tracks drones using sensors like radar and cameras with advanced algorithms. The PSIC is deploying Dedrone sensors for its Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Activity Study to understand drone usage patterns and develop measures to ensure safe airspace integration.
Dominion Energy and Bent Ear Solutions (BES): The PSIC is developing an app with Dominion Energy, which is headquartered in Richmond, and BES of Alexandria for service outage reporting, emergency preparedness, resource allocation, community engagement and energy usage insights. BES works with Dominion and other organizations to deeply understand their operating environment, identify risks and hazards before they occur, and quickly respond and recover from disruptive events.
Droneresponders: A non-profit program based in Charlottesville, Droneresponders unites aerial first responders, emergency managers, and search and rescue specialists to maximize drone operations for public safety. By using Drones as a First Responder (DFR), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are dispatched to arrive first at an emergency scene to provide real-time situational awareness and collaboration among public safety response teams.
Elevating Health Care Access (EHCA): VIPC provided seed funding to the EHCA program to use drones to deliver medical supplies for improving healthcare access and patient outcomes, particularly in underserved areas. It is a partnership involving the Virginia Institute of Space Flight and Autonomy (VISA) at Old Dominion University (ODU), Riverside Health System, DroneUp and the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission. EHCA is currently serving patients on Virginia’s Eastern Shore with plans to expand to Tangier Island.
Enigma Science and Technology: Located in Woodbridge, Enigma develops innovative biometric devices. Its signature product attaches to handcuffs for law enforcement, offering streamlined data collection. The company also creates specialized wristbands used by athletes, firefighters, and medical personnel to track vitals and improve performance or patient care. Enigma was awarded the Archimedes Award from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab in recognition of the commercial viability of its technology.
Photo courtesy of VIPC.
EvoLogics: An international biologics company with a North American office in Yorktown, EvoLogics has developed underwater communication and positioning solutions with patented Sweep Spread Carrier (S2C) technology. They are being used for a variety of missions to support public safety, including ensuring critical infrastructure security, coordinating emergency responses, and conducting search and rescue operations.
The PSIC drives technology adoption through testing and training to inform first responders about solutions and best practices to address critical challenges. Collaborating with state and federal agencies, the PSIC advances initiatives such as unmanned systems and artificial intelligence (AI) to promote innovation in public safety.
About Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) Connecting innovators with opportunities. As the nonprofit operations arm of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority (VIPA), VIPC is the commercialization and seed stage economic development driver in the Commonwealth that leads funding, infrastructure, and policy initiatives to support Virginia’s innovators, entrepreneurs, startups, and market development strategies.
VIPC also collaborates with local, regional, state, and federal partners to support the expansion and diversification of Virginia’s economy. Programs include: Virginia Venture Partners (VVP) | VVP Fund of Funds | Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) | Petersburg Founders Fund (PFF) | Smart Communities | The Virginia Smart Community Testbed | The Virginia Unmanned Systems Center | Virginia Advanced Air Mobility Alliance (VAAMA) | The Public Safety Innovation Center (PSIC)| Entrepreneurial Ecosystems | Regional Innovation Fund (RIF) | Federal Funding Assistance Program (FFAP) for SBIR & STTR | University Partnerships | Startup Company Mentoring & Engagement. For more information, please visit www.VirginiaIPC.org. Follow VIPC on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn.
