The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that approximately 36,000 people are injured by chainsaws annually in the United States alone. One reason why the number is so huge is that many people don’t know how to operate the powerful cutting tool correctly due to a lack of professional training.
Rescue Saw VR is a VR training app aimed at foresters and rescue workers that wants to make high-quality chainsaw training more accessible. The app was developed by Imsimity in cooperation with STIHL, and it includes a number of realistic training scenarios that cover everything from general woodcut techniques to cutting techniques for metal and other extremely resistant materials.
“The digitally enhanced training concept for fire brigades and emergency services is a signpost for the future that has the potential to reform training and further education in this industry worldwide. This ensures that rescue workers are up to their task in a future-oriented manner,” commented Marbod Lemke, Head of International Training Services and Product Training at STIHL.
“Through the interactive training method using a real chainsaw as an interaction device, the user not only understands the learning content cognitively but also grasps and internalizes it physically,” says Martin Zimmermann, CEO of Imsimity, the studio behind the app.
The training app was funded by the Bavarian State Accident Insurance Fund (Bayerische Landesunfallkasse), which hopes that it will have a positive impact on workplace safety. In addition to making it easier for professionals to obtain the training they need, the app can also save companies that employ many chainsaw operators a lot of money because virtual reality chainsaws don’t wear out or break (unless they’re programmed to do so, of course).
“If this can save valuable forest resources or even prevent accidents, that’s a great piece of sustainability for the forest environment after all,” added Zimmermann.
To see Rescue Saw VR in action, you can head over to Imsimity’s website and register for a live online demo.
