The iMARS vision aims to revolutionize emergency services by harnessing AI, robotics, IoT, and cross-disciplinary expertise. This research program facilitates collaboration among three first responders, an industrial SME, and four research institutions, fostering the exchange of knowledge and personnel across sectors and borders. Its core impact lies in promoting a holistic problem-solving approach and practical innovation in emergency response through: 1. Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Leveraging diverse fields to create solutions surpassing the limitations of individual disciplines. 2. Knowledge Exchange and Mobility: Offering secondments to blend academic and industrial insights, ensuring real-world applicability of research. 3. Professional Development: Providing training to develop a skilled workforce ready to deploy advanced technologies in emergencies. 4. Creativity and Entrepreneurship: Cultivating an environment where innovation flourishes, potentially sparking new ventures focused on emergency services. 5. Sector Interaction: Ensuring direct involvement of end-users, from first responders to industry experts, guarantees that developments are user-centric and actionable. 6. Technological Advancements: iMARS addresses the full technology spectrum, from data acquisition to advanced communication, aiming for comprehensive enhancements in emergency operations. 7. Humanitarian Focus: Prioritizing the use of robotics in search and rescue to improve outcomes for society reflects the project’s commitment to humanitarian values. iMARS stands to redefine emergency service provision, making it more robust and efficient. By aligning cutting-edge technology with strategic collaboration, iMARS sets the stage for global advancements in emergency management and could become a benchmark for international cooperative innovation.

Recent disaster events, like the 2021 flood in Germany showed clearly, that even the best alert systems and top first responder organisations can not prevent fatalities and serious damage on property without having prepared the citizens how to act and react during disaster situations and crises, understand alerts and follow instructions. B-Prepared offers a cost-effective solution for building a culture of disaster preparedness with a multi-actor approach in realistic historical scenarios. B-prepared builds on a freely accessible massive collaborative knowledge base and data hub, demonstrating its usefulness via three demonstrator applications: a cooperative multiplayer VR serious game, simulating real disaster scenarios for the safest near-real experience; an interactive gamified mobile app with age-appropriate content and enhanced accessibility to people with specific functional needs for the widest possible reach; and an LMS system to effectively and comparably measure preparedness levels achieved by VR and/or mobile users on a unified scale. Players can take different roles to solve puzzle tasks in an immersive experience. Teamplay, collaboration and communication are keys to survival, strengthening the culture of mutual assistance and cooperation in danger. Player behaviour and gameplay logged in a privacy-preserving way helps collect data on in-game behaviour which serves assessment of preparedness but will also be shared with other synergic research in the same field. A large-scale virtual reality hackathon series will demonstrate its features. The open beta will be publicly available as a giveaway, inviting stakeholders via direct outreach. After closing beta, the game will be available in a non-profit freemium model where in-game purchases are replaced by in-game donations for relief organizations, with a small percentage kept for maintenance and further development.

TRIFFID targets the development of an integrated approach for maximizing the efficiency of First Responders (FR) field operations, by advancing remote and smart robotic reconnaissance in disaster sites, while integrating it into European Civil Protection (CP) procedures. The project will deliver the following advancements: a) Hybrid, mobile legged UGV+UAV robotic platform for autonomous real-time reconnaissance in dynamic environments. The TRIFFID robots will receive orders in the field by a human FR crew. Yet, the platform will feature an impressive level of low-level cognitive autonomy, thanks to advanced AI, thus minimizing human supervision and freeing FRs from routine tasks. b) Central Ground-Station with an advanced Augmented Reality (AR) interface, managed by a human Operator. The TRIFFID Ground-Station will merge and display all collected information in near-real-time, providing the Operator with an accurate, interactive semantic map of the disaster site. c) Analysis of technological, operational, organizational and policy aspects in the context of the overall FR ecosystem. The design of the TRIFFID system and the specification of its exact capabilities will proceed by considering the current technological landscape, as well as the entire operational environment and organizational structure of FRs, so that effective disaster robotics solutions are gracefully integrated into CP infrastructure. d) FR training activities: The project will exploit complementary means for implementing and boosting the adoption of the TRIFFID system by FR personnel in their everyday activities, including the development of detailed training curricula, the organization of training exercises, knowledge transfer and skill acquisition activities, etc. e) SSH, robot acceptance and industrial engagement: The design and evaluation of TRIFFID will consider in-depth all relevant legal, ethical, societal and usability issues, targeting maximal adoption by FRs in their daily operations.

Biotoxins pose significant challenges to current crisis management approaches. Existing concepts of operation, derived from Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear doctrines, and Union Civil Protection Mechanism initiatives, do not address the distinctive and highly complex attributes of a biotoxin crisis. EMBRACE aims to improve Europe’s capacity to respond effectively to biotoxin incidents. We will consolidate and apply scientific and clinical knowledge of biotoxins to revise response protocols and deliver innovative solutions specifically tailored to address gaps and needs identified in current provision. Highlights include analysis of biotoxins not previously addressed in this context, risk-based recommendations for PPE and novel decontaminants, in vitro studies to identify human biomarkers of exposure, novel samplers, portable biosensors and field diagnostics devices, and software tools to assist responders in biothreat risk assessment. To ensure intersectoral and cross-border interoperability of these solutions and successful commercialisation of our exploitable assets, we will prioritise a carefully planned standardisation and valorisation programme. EMBRACE will engage with existing initiatives and projects to create a vibrant biotoxin knowledge network; a multi-sectoral community of stakeholders, on the basis of which a sustainable Biotoxin Task Force will be established as a source of expertise and guidance on biotoxin incidents both for EMBRACE and the wider community. The network of stakeholders and EMBRACE’s ambitious programme of scientific, technological, and operational advances will be supported by the creation of a biotoxin reference and stakeholder hub designed to facilitate knowledge exchange and provide users with direct access to widely distributed and expertise. Finally, EMBRACE’s innovative sustainability strategy will ensure that its solutions and the biotoxin community continue to thrive beyond the duration of the project.

The subject of the Project:Determination of disaster and emergency (earthquake, fire and flood) response and evacuation methods for individuals who live depended to medical devices. Determination of measures to be taken against disaster risks in existing living areas and post-disaster temporary shelter standards.Target Audience of the Project:The main target group of the project is disaster and emergency response and evacuation personnel. In addition, the families of the individuals in question, as well as the personnel working on the housing of the victims after disasters, are among the target groups.The project aims to achieve the following objectives:- To increase the professional knowledge and skills of disaster and emergency response and evacuation personnel.- Taking the necessary precautions against the disaster and emergency risks in the living spaces of the individuals who live depended to medical devices and making them safe.- Determining the accommodation standards that these individuals can safely and healthily live after disasters and emergencies.Project Partnership:The project partnership was created by bringing together organizations that have different expertise in disaster and emergency situations, muscle diseases NGOs, distance education, medicine, disability, design, education, risk management and innovation.1- Eskişehir AFAD is a public institution experienced in disaster awareness training, the response in disaster and emergency, evacuation and the establishment of shelter areas.2- Osmangazi University (Training and Research Hospital) has experience in neurology and muscle diseases. Osmangazi University (Distance Education Application and Research Center) is experienced in distance education and producing innovative digital education contents.3- Association for Combating SMA Disease is an NGO experienced in ensuring the active participation of individuals with SMA in the community life and supporting all kinds of activities that will benefit the patients.4- PUI is an NGO experienced in responding to natural or human disasters and providing assistance to disaster victims.5- AIJU specializes in e-learning, data mining, cloud computing, augmented reality, 3D and virtual reality on various platforms.6- The Latvian Umbrella Body For Disability Organization (SUSTENTO) is an umbrella organization that includes more than 50.000 disabled or chronic diseases in 54 different member organizations in Latvia.Project Outputs;1- Distance Education Portal containing educational videos, animations and digital books produced by determining disaster and emergency response techniques and evacuation methods for individuals who continue their lives depending on medical devices (O1). In addition, the portal will contain training content on measures to be taken against disaster risks in current living areas and content on post-disaster temporary shelter standards.2- Training material to be produced with methods such as animation and 3D, which disaster and emergency response personnel can learn about the importance, priority and technical features of the medical devices which individuals living in depended to medical devices are connected. (O2)Project activities:Preparation, implementation and dissemination will be done in the following ways.Preparation Process;1. Working meetings with relevant organizations and associated partners (universities, NGOs related to muscle diseases, etc.).2. Home visits for the purpose of recognizing the living spaces of the individuals who live depended to medical devices and learning about the devices.3. Meeting with doctors and academicians working in health facilities for these individuals.4. Literature review and data collection.The implementation process;1. Transnational Project Kick-Off Meeting and Project Launch.- Project management, distribution of tasks between partners, time and financial management etc. administrative issues.2. Vocational Education and Training activity (Short-term personal mobility, Learning, Teaching, Training Activities)- Target; Sharing knowledge, experience, good practices and technical knowledge for the production of intellectual products.3. Output development processDissemination Process;- Project Workshop as a Multiplier Event; Both the evaluation of the quality of the project outputs and the introduction of the project results.- To hold project promotion meetings with related institutions, to attend workshops, fairs and to open stands.- To increase the visibility in printed, visual and social media and to prepare promotional brochures about project activities and results.- To distribute digital outputs to the relevant institutions in written or digital format.- To prepare scientific articles about project activities and results.- To ensure that the project outputs and results affect the policies and programs to be developed in this regard through the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency.