AUDREY (Assistant for Understanding Data through Reasoning, Extraction and Synthesis) has been developed in collaboration with organizations from the United States and Canada to enhance future communication and decision making for first responders. A demonstration and update on the progress of the initiative to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and situational awareness technologies to assist paramedics was provided today to members of Hastings County Council, and dignitaries from the local region.
“AUDREY–Hastings is a continuation of our cross-border initiatives that we started back in 2010 with our CAUSE series. CAUSE is our Canadian-US Resiliency Experiment series where we tested communication technologies for first responders over the past several years,” stated Paul Ragsdale, International Cooperative Programs Office Director for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). “Today’s exercise brings together Hastings County, including paramedics and medical oversight for Hastings-Quinte Paramedic Services, with DHS S&T from the United States federal government and our counterpart from the Canadian government, Defence Research and Development Canada’s Centre for Security Science (DRDR CSS).”
“We are trying to enhance the experience of the paramedics by using artificial intelligence. It’ll be able to ingest much more data than any human being can do all at once.” The experiment will demonstrate “how well AUDREY can perform based on some of the procedures that the paramedics use. We’ve programmed that into AUDREY to see whether or not AUDREY can assimilate itself, and exercise or execute some of the steps or actions of the paramedic using artificial intelligence,” explained DHS S&T program manager Denis Gusty.
“Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is excited to bring first responders together with technology like AUDREY to improve decision-making on the front line in our communities,” said Gerry Doucette, from DRDC CSS. “Artificial intelligence and other advanced decision supports are positioned to improve patient outcomes for paramedic calls for service.”
Hastings County Warden, Rick Phillips said “Hastings County Paramedics have been a leader in innovation and technology and are proud to participate in the development of technology to further enhance decision making for paramedics.”
The presentation was followed by information sessions and displays demonstrating the technology and how it can be used. Several key stakeholders were in attendance including InterDev Technology, First Link Analytics, Paramedic Chiefs of Canada, Regional Paramedic Program for Eastern Ontario, Science and Technology labs within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Defence Research Development Canada, as well as local first responders.
