The Simulation Crew is a technology company, says Bosma, which over the past ten years has developed a platform that forms the basis for all kinds of virtual training courses. The company specializes in soft skills such as communication skills. “We always develop applications in co-creation with clients. Take, for instance, a training course in motivational interviewing, in which you can practice conversation techniques with virtual clients or patients. The necessary communication knowledge comes from our partners. After all, they know the most about the learning goals and scenarios that are the most important. We are the techies who turn it into a training course.”
Specialist training courses for a broader market
Such a co-creation process is quite intensive, says Bosma. “Partners are more than just clients. The final product is a collaborative effort and is therefore jointly owned. We do offer it to a broader market, because we can never recoup the development costs with just one client. And we want to be able to continue developing our catalogue of products, which requires money.”
The topics for which The Simulation Crew creates training courses are therefore chosen to serve a larger market. “Communication skills are needed in many organizations and are covered in all kinds of training courses. There is a high demand for good training materials, including in practical education.”
Virtual reality role-playing games, with scenarios tailored to practical situations, are a godsend. “You can practice as much as you want, and the system gives you personal feedback and tips. We are now even developing an AI-driven coach, which you can use after practicing to reflect on how it went, identify areas for improvement and get guidance on what to do next.”
Collaborating with neighbours
The company often collaborates with partners in mental and physical healthcare. “Even before we moved to the Science Park, we had links with Radboudumc and several programmes at HAN University of Applied Sciences. Reaching one another has now become even easier. For example, we are now working with Beter Gezond, a programme run by Radboudumc that supports hospitals in structurally integrating lifestyle into medical treatment. And we have just completed a project together with the Centre for Language and Speech Technology at Radboud University and OnePlanet Research Centre: Stuff-4-Life, which makes e-health applications more accessible to people with low socio-economic status. To this end, we have developed an AI coach that allows you to communicate in easy language.”
Scientifically developed and tested
The Simulation Crew's products are not only based on scientific knowledge, they are also evaluated by scientists. For example, articles have been published on the effectiveness of VR training in motivational interviewing. In addition, the company is collaborating on research into a VR scenario that allows people with aphasia to be tested in simulated but realistic situations. “That is a very specialized product, not necessarily something for our catalogue for the general public. But we want to keep room for those kinds of projects, partly because they increase our knowledge and expand our network. And because we enjoy it.”
