Photo: Martin Edlinger
Disaster Competence Network Austria (DCNA) acts as a link between scientific research and practitioners in crisis and disaster management. Through knowledge and technology transfer, findings from basic research are implemented and directed to those interested in security and disaster research in Austria and beyond.
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The latest issue of the fire service magazine Blaulicht not only covers the recent record-breaking onset of winter weather, but also high-tech monitoring of the vital signs of emergency personnel. This monitoring is the core of the FORTE project "RT-VitalMonitor" by JOANNEUM RESEARCH (JR), which for the first time provides objective, real-time data on the physical condition of emergency responders.
What are the latest developments and findings in avalanche and glacier research? These and other questions were answered in a DRR lunch talk hosted by DCNA on February 25, 2026. Glaciologist Andrea Fischer (Austrian Academy of Sciences) and JT Fischer from the Austrian Federal Research Centre for Forests shared fascinating insights and findings from their work. If you missed the session, you can now watch the recording.
DCNA has expanded its mobile research laboratory with a state-of-the-art quadruped robot: the Unitree GO2-W. Compact, agile, and robust, this legged robot complements the existing equipment consisting of a laboratory bus, pick-up vehicle, drone, and the Mercator robotic platform, opening up new perspectives for research and deployment in realistic crisis and disaster environments.