High-Tech Manikins Train Future Medical Staff

At Swansea University’s Simulation and Immersive Learning Centre, high-tech manikins help prepare future doctors, nurses, and paramedics for real-world medical challenges. In one room, students assess Aria, a child-like manikin that talks and reacts to simulate a frightened patient with pneumonia. Nearby, a surgical team practices delivering a baby via C-section, complete with operating theatre sounds, smells, and equipment.

The center offers immersive scenarios ranging from hospital wards to sports injuries on a simulated rugby pitch, where students work under crowd noise and changing temperatures. Staff say these lifelike conditions help students handle stress, reduce cognitive overload, and safely learn from mistakes.

"We have the sights, the sounds, the smells of realistic environments," said Joanne Davies, head of simulation education. The facility aims to supplement clinical placements by ensuring students are better prepared before they encounter real patients.