This award is to develop augmented reality experiences and will assist in providing up-to-date and timely on-demand training

This Cooperative Agreement award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025) provides $1,000,000 to Texas A&M AgriLife Research to develop augmented reality (AR) training experiences for animal health emergency responders. The project aims to create on-demand training that can be accessed by Foreign Animal Disease Diagnosticians (FADDs) and other field veterinarians, including during the transition period from the current training facility at Plum Island to the new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). The AR-based training will allow responders to practice critical skills for responding to foreign animal disease (FAD) and emerging disease incidents through immersive scenarios. This award supports efforts to improve the preparedness and ongoing training of FAD responders, ensuring they can effectively respond to outbreaks that may occur at any moment.

This project proposes using augmented reality to develop a training program for animal health emergency responders during foreign animal disease (FAD) and emerging disease incidents. An emergency outbreak that requires a response can happen at any moment. However, many FAD responders will undergo their initial FAD training and then wait months or years before they need to utilize these skills in an actual situation. With on-demand training, responders will have a reference point to help guide them in an emergency. The availability of on-demand FAD training allows responders to immerse themselves in example scenarios where they can practice their skills through response to a suspected and confirmed FAD. Additionally, fadds need access to resources to support them during a FAD investigation. This training will also give field veterinarians who may not be able to attend fadd training at plum island during the transition period to the national BIO and agro-defense facility (nbaf). There will most likely be a period of time the training at plum island will cease due to the transition to nbaf and this will assist in providing online training for field investigations.