Kyiv Hackathon to Create VR Training Simulator for EOD Specialists

On 8 December, Kyiv will host the Deminer’s Lab VR hackathon, dedicated to finding technical solutions in the field of humanitarian demining. The event is organised by the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine in cooperation with the national platform Demine Ukraine, the Centre for Humanitarian Demining, and in partnership with Dropla and Safer Access.

The goal of the event is to develop a minimum viable product — a product with the minimum functionality of a VR training tool for training bomb disposal experts, which will allow them to practise a typical algorithm for searching for explosive objects in safe conditions: surveying the area, using a metal detector, identifying and marking suspicious objects, and making decisions in variable scenarios.

The tasks of the teams within the hackathon:

• Creation of an interactive VR scene with one of the typical scenarios of a sapper’s work;
• Modelling of a simple 3D landscape with a movement route;
• Integration of a metal detector’s reaction to hidden objects;
• Development of UI and mechanics for evaluating the results of completing a training mission;

The organisers invite technical teachers and postgraduate students, as well as volunteer initiatives with relevant technical expertise, and specialists who want to gain experience in creating solutions with real impact, to participate.

What specialists are invited to participate in the hackathon:

• Unity / C# / XR Interaction Toolkit / WebXR developers;
• 3D designers;
• AI/ML engineers and data specialists;
• OSINT analysts;
• UX/UI designers;
• VR/AI mentors and humanitarian demining specialists.

The Humanitarian Demining Centre promotes the creation of innovative VR and AI tools that help save lives and accelerate the clearance of mines in Ukraine.

Teams can register for the event via this link.