First Responder Sensor
Network
Goal:
Sensor networks are receiving growing attention as a means of providing
critical information in disaster environments. First responders at a disaster
site or must transmit and receive critical information related to:
- Building design and floor plan
- Building structural integrity
- Stability and safety of building pathways
- Location of emergency personnel
A sensor network is a possible solution for this need to quickly establish
tactical communications and relay critical information to ensure the effectiveness
and safety of disaster relief efforts. This proposal will investigate the employment
of sensor networks to perform the tasks critical to the success of 1st responders
at a disaster site. The proposal will study:
- Sensor Type & Deployment
Sensors that provide the aforementioned critical information must collect
temperature, smoke, position and motion information. These sensors must either
be pre-positioned in the building or be deployed by 1st responders as they
make their way through a disaster area.
- Communications Routing
The sensor network must convey critical information to mobile ad hoc network
(MANET) devices carried by 1st responders. If these sensors cannot directly
transmit their information to the 1st responders, then they must be able to
act as routing devices to convey information to the final destination.
- Data Fusion & Reporting
Each sensor sees only a small portion of the total picture. Much of its information
may be redundant. To transmit raw sensor information to a 1st responder may
result in information overload. Sensor information processing or fusion techniques
must be employed to present a coherent image to the 1st responders.
Tasks:
- See the list of tasks
to be performed.
Sponser:
This project is supported by a grant
from NISSC Fall 2003.
Team:
-
Dr.C.
Edward Chow, PI
- Ganesh Godavari, Ph.D. student,
Graduate Research Assistant
Current status:
Related Resources: