Safety Education Centre’s Innovative Technology Development is Out Of This World!

DangerPoint, the indoor activity centre in Talacre, launched an innovative new development last week when their resident character ‘K-os’ came to life. 

Gaia Technologies, one of the leading providers of ICT solutions and managed services to UK schools have developed the new software in kind to enable children and young people to engage with K-os bilingually as they embark on their visit.  Funding from The Big Lottery Fund and MoneySuperMarket has provided the funding for the hardware.  

The K-os Puppeteering Application fuses different, commonly used technologies into one cutting edge product. It brings together technologies such as VoIP, media streaming, networking and 3D to allow the user to remotely control a digital puppet/avatar to help engage the audience in a multitude of situations and environments. DangerPoint are the only organisation using this variation of the software, and are the first to use it in production, allowing K-os to interact with visitors on screens around the Centre.

K-os was has now been officially launched to DangerPoint Trustees, Sponsors and Stakeholders at an event where guests included David Meredith Jones, The High Sheriff of Clwyd; Simon Smith, Chief Fire Officer of North Wales Fire and representatives from The British Red Cross. 

Julie Evans, Centre Manager said “Since opening in October 2005, DangerPoint has continually worked to develop the Centre to deliver relevant and current safety messages to visitors. This latest venture is a very unique, new development of software and we are all excited to see K-os come to life after months of planning.  Since February he has been trialled with the children on school visits and their reaction to him has been really positive.  They love to ask him questions about his life on Planet Gaia and talk about what they have learned during their trip.  We are sure that the public will enjoy K-os just as much during the school holidays.”

The High Sheriff said “I have heard great reports from previous High Sheriff’s about DangerPoint and it was a great privilege to launch this new interactive medium. From my perspective, the charity deserves great respect and support from the community and local authorities”.  

Dangerpoint hosted a successful Alliance get together on Tuesday which included a visit from South Swedish Fire & rescue who are considering a safety centre in Malmo.

The visitors had spent Monday at Safeside learning about various initiatives in accident and fire prevention.

The meeting also heard exciting plans from Manchester Fire about a combined training and safety centre in the city. Visitors were delighted to meet Dangerpoint's new mascot, Chaos, who appears equally confident responding to visitors in Yorkshire, Swedish and Welsh!

The Alliance plans a bigger than usual AGM at Hazard Alley Milton Keynes on September 11th to which staff teams from centres are invited. Ideas for workshops, presentations and speakers are welcome.

We have successfully bid for funds from the Welsh Assembly Government and Environment Agency Wales to support the development of an interactive exhibit at DangerPoint which will be used to educate people, primarily school children of between 8 and 11 years of age, on the dangers of floods and also how to prepare at home for a flood. 

Several flood hazards are ranked as VERY HIGH on the North Wales Community Risk Register. Extending the remit of DangerPoint to incorporate the subject of flooding is a logical step to educate members of North Wales communities about flooding. 

The intended difference that the new flood exhibit will have on our visitors is: 

• Children are more aware of the flood risk in North Wales
  
• Children are more aware of the dangers that floods pose to their safety and how to behave responsibly around floodwaters 
  
• Children are more aware of the steps that can be taken to minimise the impact of a flood in the domestic setting such as, protecting doorways, having a Home Emergency Plan, the benefits of having an emergency Grab Bag, how to move valuable items upstairs etc 
  
• In turn, these messages will reach parents who have the ability to take ownership of the hazards that they face and introduce mitigation measures as outlined above