SIMCharacters In-Situ Simulation

From Clinical Vision to Simulation Innovation

Dr. Jens Schwindt – pediatrician, neonatologist, and CEO of SIMCharacters – is one of Europe’s leading voices in neonatal care and medical simulation. As a passionate advocate for quality improvement through in-situ training, he helped bring an important idea to life: a mobile AV system designed specifically for realistic simulation in clinical environments. This article tells the story – from the earliest training sessions with SIMCharacters to the development of the very first SIMStation Pro.

The Right Tools for In-Situ Training

Early in his career as a simulation trainer, Dr. Schwindt encountered a recurring issue: there was no AV system that could keep up with the realities of in-situ simulation. What he needed was a mobile solution – one that offered high-quality recording, transmission, and debriefing without disrupting the clinical setting. In 2012, he pitched the idea to a small group of AV and media experts. The goal? To build a system that would meet the specific needs of in-situ training. This marked the beginning of SIMStation.

The Prototype: Born from Practice

The first prototype of the SIMStation Pro wasn’t developed in a lab – it was shaped directly in the field. Together with the SIMStation team, Dr. Schwindt tested early versions of the system during live simulation trainings across Europe. These sessions were more than test runs: they were joint learning experiences that influenced every detail of the new setup – from hardware layout to software interface. The result was a compact, high-end AV system made for real-world in-situ simulation.

The Impact: Still in Action Today

More than a decade later, the original SIMStation Pro developed for Dr. Schwindt is still in active use. With it, the SIMCharacters team has conducted hundreds of simulation trainings, recorded thousands of hours of video, and supported the skill development of countless medical professionals. Maintained and updated regularly, the system continues to support training in neonatal intensive care units and beyond – proving that the right tools can make a lasting impact.
Close-up of a medical professional performing an endotracheal intubation on a high-fidelity patient manikin during a clinical simulation, featuring realistic medical tubing and monitoring sensors.
Two medical professionals, Ellen and a colleague, intensely monitoring a live simulation on a computer screen while using a SIMStation recording and communication interface.
A clinical simulation team in a hospital setting using SIMStation software on multiple monitors to observe, record, and evaluate a live medical training exercise.
A medical team participating in a post-simulation debriefing session, watching a projected video playback of a neonatal resuscitation exercise to analyze team communication and clinical performance.
A clinical debriefing session where a healthcare team uses a mobile SIMStation unit to project and analyze multi-view video and vitals data from a completed medical simulation exercise.

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Healthcare professional at workstation analyzing clinical video feed with real-time data visualization and monitoring tools.