Technology Spotlight: Leadership Cameras

Leadership simulation involves the close observation of one individual’s actions to provide greater insight into that individual’s performance throughout a simulation. This can make for more thorough debriefing and therefore a more effective learning experience for all learners involved, even if only observing.

This level of observation can be achieved by equipping this individual with a camera of some sort which is able to stream its video wirelessly onto another device.

Early attempts with a GoPro did not work as needed, since the size and placement of the camera detracted from the realism of the scenario.

The Panasonic HX-A1M wearable camera, which was designed for outdoor sports and leisure activities and attaches on a headband, partially solved this problem.

The Smart Live Glasses are even less obtrusive, embedding a camera and microphone into a slightly-larger-than-normal pair of spectacles.

Both cameras are able to wirelessly connect to their own dedicated iPad apps and, with the right connections, the live feed can be duplicated on the leadership screen in the debriefing room, running in parallel with a wider shot of the whole scenario on the main screen.

Although no full leadership simulations have been run to date due to other technological constraints, the leadership cameras are often used to give simulation facilitators extra information in a scenario which is not picked up by the main room cameras, such as inputs on machines during ECMO courses.