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Unique ‘Pandora’ project reaches a new height of 3D technology at UEL

Wednesday 27 January 2010

Partners involved in the Pandora project

A dynamic two year 3.9 million Euro research project looking at developing new innovative 3D training environments for professionals who deal with national emergencies, is currently underway at the University of East London.

The Pandora programme started on 22 January this year and is led by Professor Mohammed Dastbaz, Dean of the School of Computing, Information Technology and Engineering (CITE) based at the university’s Docklands Campus.

Funded through the EU’s Frame Work 7 security call, the project aims to help key decision-makers bridge the vital gap between traditional table top and field training approaches and to help avoid a national emergency becoming a critical crisis.

Working jointly with national and European partners including the Emergency Planning College – part of the Cabinet Office, the University of Greenwich and the Italian Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, Pandora proposes a global approach to real time crises management.

Professor Dastbaz, who is also the Project’s Principal Investigator, said: “The reference to Pandora is of course very relevant today, and our Pandora project is also trying to use emergent technologies to simulate real life scenarios.

“For example, in a national emergency such as if another terrorist attack happens in London and the transport system shuts down, what critical choices do the relevant decision makers need to take in co-ordinating with the other key decision makers, such as the police, with very limited time? We are trying to improve and learn from similar scenarios in the past.”

The project envisages creating a 3D virtual control room where various training programmes based on different scenarios will take place. The training controller, or Avatar, will monitor trainees’ behaviours and decision taking processes and feed back to them the impact of their choices.

The system will also have an 'emotion' engine that will monitor the realistic emotional impact and pressure that a decision maker goes through and that information is passed back to the Trainer for assessment.

Professor Dastbaz added: "UEL is excited about being involved in this innovative project. Pandora provides the trainee with a near-real training environment at an affordable cost. We hope in the future this will save more valuable time in a crisis and ultimately, save lives."

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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