Soldiers Evaluate Smart Surrogates at Fort Benning

Soldiers at Fort Benning tested SIMETRI’s Smart Surrogate medical training devices during U.S. Army Soldier Touchpoint 11, held September 12–18. The devices are designed to improve battlefield casualty care and support readiness by providing real-time feedback on performance.

The Smart Surrogates replicate critical procedures such as applying a tourniquet, using an emergency bandage, and performing chest needle decompression. Each device senses whether the treatment is performed correctly and sends data to a trainer’s tablet or smartphone. Simulated “wounds” light up to indicate bleeding and turn green once treatment is successfully applied.

“Soldier Touchpoint 11 provided an invaluable environment for soldier-centric evaluation,” said Angela Alban, SIMETRI president and CEO. “The real-time feedback from these devices demonstrates clear potential to shorten medical training cycles and increase confidence under stress.”

The prototypes can integrate with computer vision and training software to enhance after-action reviews, offering units more precise performance data at both individual and squad levels.

“Soldier Touchpoint 11 highlights how quickly we can move innovative ideas from concept to prototype and into the hands of soldiers,” said Dr. Matthew Hackett of the U.S. Army Simulation and Training Technology Center. “SIMETRI’s medical training technologies are a strong example of how rapid development and real-time feedback can accelerate readiness.”

Soldiers and medical trainers who participated praised the system’s ruggedness, easy setup and potential for expansion to multi-casualty and prolonged care training scenarios.