At New Mexico Tech, the EMRTC first responders training team is leveraging AI tools to create custom decorative images for their courses, enhancing the visual quality of their training modules.
In the past, finding high-quality, relevant images for course slides was both a time-consuming and difficult process. Challenges include navigating copyright restrictions and sometimes the inability to find the perfect image to fit a specific concept. By using an open-source AI model, the team can now generate images tailored to their exact needs.
Currently, the team is using these AI-generated visuals primarily for decorative purposes, relying on open-source models to speed up the development process. Custom images can be created within seconds and tailored to fit the course theme, while also providing narrative support for training activities. As an example, AI-generated images can provide a visual descriptor of a scene, suspect, or situation.
Looking ahead, New Mexico Tech plans to develop custom models capable of producing more complex imagery, such as realistic depictions of explosions or improvised explosive devices generated from field laboratory data. With the release of tools like Google Veo, the potential exists to enhance notional scenarios with AI-generated video clips. As these technologies become more accessible, instructors may eventually be able to generate dynamic, customized scenarios in real time during classroom sessions.