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SINGAPORE: When Singapore Police Force (SPF) Sergeant Trainee (SGT) Noorafidah Mohamed Nasar failed his first real fire test, his instructors decided the technology could help.
After all, feedback from instructors is limited to what their eyes see, which is limited because they have to stand behind students for safety and observe the slightest movement of the body, arm or finger. Feedback is delayed as students must complete their rounds and retrieve the destination board first.
Sergeant (SGT) Noorafidah Mohamed Nasar has an opportunity with ELFRAS and an instructor behind her. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
But the latest SPF training trailer, shown on Wednesday (October 21), seeks to change all that.
The Enhanced Live Range System (ELFRAS) uses sensors, cameras, and data analytics to automatically detect, assess, and correct a student’s gun handling, breathing, gaze, and posture. The system also shows where the round hits on the target board and automates scoring.
After each round is fired, this information is immediately fed back to two screens for trainees and instructors. This allows instructors to provide more detailed and objective feedback, and for students to make finer adjustments to improve their performance.
Instructors can easily view ELFRAS comments on a screen above the firing line. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
“The difference (without the system) is that the trainer could only give general feedback,” said SGT Noorafidah, 27. “After letting me use ELFRAS, he told me in detail where I went wrong.”
Through the data, SGT Noorafidah discovered that he was anticipating the recoil of his pistol even before he pulled the trigger, something that affected his aim.
“Using the system helped me a lot because most of the time I am very nervous,” she said. “I can see where my last bullet landed and adjust my posture and breathing, so now it’s perfect.”
SGT Noorafidah said she did “very well” in her most recent test and now feels safer handling firearms.
Police Superintendent Joseph Yoong, chief of the Educational Technology Division of the Training Capacity and Development Department, said the new system will complement instructors in improving firearms proficiency.
“To guarantee high standards, we want to invest more in terms of technology; how we can better improve and train police officers, ”he said.
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The SPF has been testing ELFRAS since June with approximately 200 selected officers who are first-time shooters undergoing pistol and revolver training at the local team’s Academy live firing range.
The system was jointly developed with the National Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX), which helped identify the full spectrum of human factors that affect shooting performance.
Those involved in the project are receiving feedback from trainees and instructors, and analyzing ELFRAS-assisted shooting performance against a control group.
The trial is expected to end in February next year. If the results are “favorable,” SPF said ELFRAS could be used by front-line officials in other departments of the home team. It could also be expanded for use during the annual live shooting certification for SPF officers.
Comments on the student’s shots are collected on a screen. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Dr. Saravana Kumar, deputy director of HTX’s Center for Human Factors and Simulation Experts, said ELFRAS could be used with other types of firearms in the future.
“In the future, I think we could also involve tactical units,” he said. “They may be using different firearms. But that would be something we will pursue in a later phase of this project. “
THE TECHNOLOGY
In their current form, most of the ELFRAS cameras and sensors are located above or to the side of the firing lane. Sensors are also attached to the student’s gun and goggles or goggles to detect handling and gaze.
The Weapon Handling Sensor tracks the movement of the weapon before, during and after the trigger is pulled and identifies trainees’ trigger pulling techniques.
ELFRAS’s gaze sensor can see if students blink during filming, something that is incredibly difficult for instructors to detect. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
The gaze sensor tracks students’ eyes during shooting, even if they focus on aiming or blink while shooting. This sensor is first calibrated by requiring students to look at different points on a screen.
However, Dr. Saravana said the team has minimized the system body or weapon accessories to allow freedom of movement and simulate real-life conditions. The weapon handling sensor has negligible weight, he said.
“For example, for the breathing sensor, we had the option of mounting the device on the officer’s tool belt,” he added. “But that was not a very viable option because it doesn’t really facilitate movement.”
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Instead, the breathing sensor is located next to the firing line and uses radar-based technology to capture subtle movements that show how the trainees’ breathing affects their shot.
A body posture camera, also fixed on the shooting line, captures the movement of the pupils’ body and compares it to the recommended shooting postures. A high-speed camera captures the shots on the target board.
SGT Noorafidah and Staff Sergeant Ang Eng Hau review ELFRAS data on a tablet. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Staff Sergeant Ang Eng Hau, a firearms instructor with the SPF Training Command, said ELFRAS helps detect trainees’ mistakes that the human eye misses, such as pulling the trigger too hard. or with eyes closed.
“With all this information in real time, the coach could better guide the shooter to improve his shooting ability,” he said.
