Connecting Extreme E’s medical team in remote locations

Extreme E is an electric racing series that takes place in some of the most remote environments across the world to highlight the impact of climate change and to urge action.

As Extreme E’s official technology partner, we’re working to integrate emerging technologies into its global operations and are also supporting the series’ Legacy Programmes.

From installing sensors that predict forest fires in Italy to monitoring water acidity in Scotland to help protect Atlantic Salmon, we’re helping Extreme E leave behind a long-lasting positive impact at each race location, and now we’re improving its on-site safety too.

Safety in remote locations

Locations have included the Arctic, the Amazon and the Arabian Desert. This is a racing series that takes place far from the beaten track so if an accident takes place, the medics on-site can’t rely on the sophisticated resources they would have at a professional motorsport track.

While they’re trained to handle injuries, they sometimes require urgent and specialised support before a patient can be transported to the nearest hospital.

Through Vodafone in Health, we partnered with Proximie to bring its world-class remote medical collaboration platform to Extreme E’s medical team. Running on a Vodafone Business Mobile Private Network, they can get real-time medical collaboration, enhanced video-based training and data analytics.

Visibility when it counts

Providing Extreme E with a video network, the race control and medical teams can now monitor events during the race. If there’s an accident, they can understand the circumstances before even arriving at the crash site.

This can save precious time and, since medics are equipped with body-worn cameras when they arrive on scene, the video of the incident can also be broadcast back to the race control team and the Chief Medical Officer, who can follow the situation in real-time and give instructions.

“Vodafone is providing us with the capability to see the incident, so I’m able to prepare the medical centre for what is incoming. I can guide medical management and plan forward,” says Clare Morden, Chief Medical Officer at Extreme E.

In the case of emergencies, medics can also get remote support from specialised clinicians.

Previously, the team used to communicate through a traditional radio system which proved difficult as instructions and descriptions were verbal.

With our solution, the whole team can connect despite their isolated location, creating a safer environment during the races, better patient outcomes and improving medical training as the staff can record the sessions and share videos for future reference.

Looking ahead, the platform can also make real-time collaboration and guidance accessible in other fields too, for example, ensuring remote support to handle workplace accidents.