U.S. patent application number 12/870117 was filed with the patent office on 2011-06-02 for systems, methods and devices for the rapid assessment and deployment of appropriate modular aid solutions in response to disasters..
Invention is credited to Timothy W. Coleman, Simon R. Daniel, Yitzhack Schwartz, Zubin Rustom Wadia, Justyna Zander.
Application Number | 20110130636 12/870117 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41171996 |
Filed Date | 2011-06-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110130636 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Daniel; Simon R. ; et
al. |
June 2, 2011 |
Systems, Methods and Devices for the Rapid Assessment and
Deployment of Appropriate Modular Aid Solutions in Response to
Disasters.
Abstract
The invention relates generally to systems, devices and methods
for global disaster response, more particularly to the rapid
detection, qualified assessment and monitoring of disasters and
electronic triage of victims, communication, alert and evacuation
systems, provision of suitable modular sensing or medical aid
solutions, and their rapid deployment via delivery platforms such
as disaster messaging formats and resources on client mobile phone
applications or physically via remote operated vehicles (unmanned
aerial sea or land systems) or targeted air delivery.
Inventors: |
Daniel; Simon R.; (Farnham,
GB) ; Coleman; Timothy W.; (Palm Beach, FL) ;
Schwartz; Yitzhack; (Haifa, IL) ; Wadia; Zubin
Rustom; (White Plains, NY) ; Zander; Justyna;
(Berlin, DE) |
Family ID: |
41171996 |
Appl. No.: |
12/870117 |
Filed: |
August 27, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
600/301 ;
340/3.1; 709/201 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B64C 39/024 20130101;
H04L 12/1895 20130101; G08B 25/016 20130101; B64C 2201/128
20130101; G08B 21/02 20130101; H04Q 9/00 20130101; H04L 51/38
20130101; H04L 12/189 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
600/301 ;
340/3.1; 709/201 |
International
Class: |
A61B 5/00 20060101
A61B005/00; G05B 23/02 20060101 G05B023/02; G06F 15/16 20060101
G06F015/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 27, 2009 |
GB |
GB0914962.6 |
Claims
1. A disaster response system (DRS) comprising a communication and
monitoring environment (CME) in optional combination with modular
aid solutions (MAS) or a deployment system (DS); where said
communication and monitoring environment comprises communication
infrastructure capable of data exchange such as via pre-caching,
real-time or delayed transmission, from and between central command
or distributed information resources and a plurality of client
devices in the field comprising at least some of sensor devices,
wearable monitoring units, mobile phone or computing devices.
2. A disaster response system according to claim 1 where said data
exchange makes use of a compact short message service format, where
said format is further codified by means of a disaster messaging
standard (DMS) being a means of key codes that can be expanded by
reference to previously cached or stored local data resources.
3. A disaster response system according to claims 1 and 2 where
said code expansion is by means of a Disaster Markup Language (DML)
which enables a mark up or visualization of key features and
resources.
4. A disaster response system according to claims 1 and 2 where
said data resources may include selectively include information
maps, disaster resource ontologies, evacuation routes, emergency
resources, medical advice, body maps for electronic triage
assessment, damage assessment and reporting resources.
5. A disaster response system according to claims 1 and 2 where
said disaster messaging standard (DMS) may be used via a software
application on said client device for capturing field data or a
user driven data entry, which may selectively include dynamic
monitoring of an environmental variable or vital sign, categorizing
and facilitating coding and prioritization of a disaster need,
coding according to a disaster resource ontology, electronic
medical triage of a victim needs, coding and compressing disaster
site assessment data such as photographs audio or text reports,
coding of medical data or medical resource usage.
6. A disaster response system according to claims 1 and 2 where
said disaster messaging standard (DMS) may be used by an incident
command resource to selectively broadcast a set of locally specific
instructions to said client devices in the field, or to
authenticate and authorize information access from a previously
cached or local data resource, or to prioritize information allowed
to be sent or received across a limited or damaged communication
infrastructure.
7. A disaster response system according to claims 1 and 2 where
said previously stored local data may selectively be information
previously stored on the client device, geo-local information
locally cached on the client device on entering a zone or building,
data available in an external local disaster data resource point,
data relating to a building or transport system, data relating to
hazardous material, data relating to a specific disaster category,
data relating to a deployed modular aid solution.
8. A disaster response system according to claims 1 and 2 in
combination with a modular aid solution (MAS) being a wearable
electronic bracelet suitable for providing services in support of
medical triage, where said services may selectively include some of
tagging, tracking, recording of electronic data, accessing medical
details, recording of treatment status, medical prioritization,
monitoring of vital signs and other biological or environmental
tests.
9. A disaster response system according to claims 1 and 2 in
combination with a modular aid solution (MAS) being a first aid
diagnostic kit and selectively comprising basic first aid
materials, medical diagnostic tools, medical information resources,
means to monitor material usage, means to codify and report by
means of the disaster messaging standard (DMS).
10. A disaster response system according to claims 1 and 2 in
combination with a modular aid solution (MAS) being an intelligent
medical kit comprising a plurality of modules for different medical
resource and diagnostic needs together with a local communication
and computing resource for accessing and facilitating medical
treatments.
11. A disaster response system according to claims 1 and 2 where
said modular aid solutions (MAS) can be rapidly directed and
delivered to an incident site by means of a deployment system (DS);
where said deployment system for data based modular aid solutions
may be by means of the communication and monitoring environment;
and where said deployment systems for physical modular aid
solutions maybe selectively by means of pre-deployment in the field
such as via vending machines, resource points in buildings, retail
outlets or emergency locations, or by means of dynamic deployment
systems such as a localized air drop, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)
or robotic deployment means.
12. A first aid diagnostic kit according to claim 9 where said
diagnostic tools selectively comprise tools for EKG/ECG
(electro-cardiography), Oximetry, pulse and blood pressure monitor,
USB ultrasound, and where said diagnostic kit is formed in modular
manner suitable for easy portability, pre-deployment such as in a
vending machine, or physical deployment into a disaster site by
means of an air-drop or UAV.
13. A intelligent medical kit according to claim 10 formed from a
series of modules and a back-bone capable of rapid configuration
for a disaster site or type or for re-configuration based on
gathered triage data received via the disaster messaging standard
to prioritize volumes or specific medical resources needed based on
casualty assessment, and said diagnostic kit may be suitable for
easy portability or physical deployment into a disaster site by
means of an air-drop or UAV.
14. An intelligent medical kit according to claim 10 comprising a
computing and power back-bone and series of modular aid solutions
and selectively comprises a computing device, docking point for PDA
with medical tools (such as diagnostic device, medical calculator,
pulse timers, prescription dosage assessment), slave low energy
display screen preferably formed from a low energy e-ink or OLED
material, wireless radio communication means, extendable processing
capability such as a reconfigurable FPGA or XMOS processor, battery
power back, renewable power solutions such as photovoltaic
material, mechanical generator or fuel cell, voltage converters and
USB hub for data/power connectivity, lighting solutions such as
portable LED or OLED light panels, basic telemedicine support, RFID
link with patients RFID or short range communication bracelets,
RFID tag on devices and RFID reader and built-in inventory
management software, tagged tools such as EKG, blood pressure and
USB based diagnostic devices, AED (automated external
defibrillator) and disposables (bandages, drugs, fluids,
tourniquets, splinters).
15. A deployment system according to claim 11 where field data is
gathered from a network of deployed sensors or modular aid
solutions deployed to a disaster site, and reported by means of a
communication platform deployed to a disaster site, or carried on a
UAV.
16. A monitoring environment via a deployment system according to
claim 11 where field data is gathered from client devices being
mobile phones carried by end-users which capture and record an
environmental property being selectively temperature, vibration,
chemical property or vital sign, and where said overall data
exchange can be used by an incident command to understand the
geographic nature of a disaster.
17. A monitoring environment via a deployment system according to
claims 11 and 16 where said data tracks vibrations, and via
software means can detect and report correlated vibration
signatures implying an earthquake or shock event, and preferably
location damage such as impact or collapse status of the immediate
building or location to enable an incident command to understand
the geo-specific and likely building collapse status within an
earthquake disaster site
18. A disaster response system according to claims 1 and 2 in
combination with an incident control and backend management system
comprising software, algorithmic analysis and visualization means.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to GB
application serial no. GB0914962.6, filed Aug. 27, 2009, the
content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its
entirety for all purposes.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION(S)
[0002] The invention relates generally to systems, devices and
methods for global disaster response, more particularly to the
rapid detection, qualified assessment and monitoring of disasters
and electronic triage of victims, communication, alert and
evacuation systems, provision of suitable modular sensing or aid
solutions, and their rapid deployment via delivery platforms such
as mobile applications and networks, remote operated vehicles
(unmanned aerial sea or land systems) or targeted air delivery,
automated or robotic support means, or pre-deployment.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0003] Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis and
hurricanes and other mass emergencies represent significant threats
to mankind in terms of mortality, injuries, chaotic reaction of
civilians and response organizations. With over half the world
population now living in urban areas, the complexity of the
response phase is also increasing in terms of search and rescue
across a damaged three-dimensional cityscape, rapidly and
effectively assisting large numbers of casualties or citizens
across a wide area with medical aid or evacuation advice, loss of
main communications networks, delay or damage to response
infrastructure--transport, energy and medical facilities, and
difficulties in logistics and distribution of aid resources.
Similarly with large scale disasters the mass displacement, refugee
volumes and need for substantial sustenance in terms of large scale
medical assistance, food, clean water, habitat and infrastructure
in the days following a disaster is significant and can result in
considerable threat to life, medical needs and other problems if
not addressed and managed properly.
[0004] For example, in a major earthquake, damage can be sustained
over thousands of square kilometers, resulting in millions of
people impacted or displaced, loss of transport/access and
communications infrastructure, electricity and medical facilities
within the region, and consequential fires, flooding, aftershock
damage, sanitation/water issues, habitat and food crises. In the
2008 Sichuan 7.9 Earthquake some 70,000 people were killed, and
another 5 m made homeless. FEMA estimate that an afternoon 8.3
magnitude earthquake on the San Andreas fault could kill 11,000
people instantly and over 44,000 needing hospitalization. Similarly
in the Katrina Hurricane in New Orleans, groups of people did not
evacuate and were left isolated creating clusters in need but no
emergency personnel were able to reach them for several days. War
zones and famines also create huge displacements and volumes of
refugees, and significant medical and sustenance challenges in aid
camps.
[0005] Various proposals have been made to improve emergency
broadcast systems, or methods of directing people to safety during
an emergency whereby a wireless device extracts directional
information from an emergency signal or receives notifications and
evacuation plan, e.g. U.S. application Ser. No. 11/965,204 by Kane
et al., U.S. application Ser. No. 11/966,536 by Nowlan et al., U.S.
application Ser. No. 12/069,899 by Mendelson, U.S. application Ser.
No. 12/281,456 by Huber, and U.S. application Ser. No. 12/315,848
by Norp et al.; Distributing warning messages to plurality of
mobile devices within a defined geographic location was also
disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/862,742 by Langsenkamp et
al.
[0006] However, none of these solutions addresses the challenging
scenario of failing networks during or after a disaster, which the
invention addresses by using pre-caching of information and novel
burst-SMS condensed message structures sent to selected
subpopulations according to their geo-location to provide advice,
resources and guided evacuation, and enable incident command to
better direct evacuation with limited network bandwidth.
[0007] Systems for professional incident response teams have also
been proposed, e.g. U.S. application Ser. No. 12/410,003 by Lewis,
for automatically uploading wirelessly maps and preprogrammed
instructions to a mobile phone prior to entering a disaster zone to
support teams focused on both short and long term recovery
operations and relies on stored data and base unit availability,
but does not address real-time information or data for civilian
usage, or the benefits of the invention in enabling any user of
mobile phone who is already present in a disaster zone to access
relevant data stored on the phone itself. The phone would be
continuously synching local maps, local floor-plans, and points of
interests (medical resource, toxic and other hazards) into its
local memory cache upon entry into new zones, risk areas or
buildings. Said local data essentially being `rehydrated` or
refreshed seamlessly in the background, and expandable or unlocked
and made available to the user upon a disaster even if the network
is down.
[0008] Currently there are systems for remote monitoring of
personnel, especially for monitoring the well being of military
personnel on the battlefield and during training exercises. See
e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 6,198,394 by Jacobsen et al.; Similarly,
sensor-based patient monitoring and tracking is already used
extensively in hospitals. During an emergency event involving mass
casualty rapid e-triage (electronic counting and sorting) of
patients by early responders, rather than usage of paper tags, is
an essential early step in the emergency response process. Such
solutions were proposed in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/741,756 by
Gao et al., U.S. application Ser. No. 11/895,762 by Vasquez et al.,
and U.S. application Ser. Nos. 12/213,672, 12/213,673 and
12/213,675 by Graves et al.
[0009] Early feasibility studies of e-triage as performed by
professional first responders were indeed very promising. See
Killeen JP. A wireless first responder handheld device for rapid
triage, patient assessment and documentation during mass casualty
incidents. AMIA Annu Symp Proc 2006:429-33; Massey T et al. The
Design of a Decentralized Electronic Triage System. AMIA Annu Symp
Proc 2006:544-548; Gao T, White D. A Next generation electronic
triage to aid mass casualty emergency medical response. Conf Proc
IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2006; Suppl:6501-4; and Jokela et al.
Implementing RFID technology in a novel triage system during a
simulated mass casualty situation. Int J Electron Healthc 2008;
4(1):105-18. Each of these references are hereby incorporated by
reference in their entirety for all purposes.
[0010] Such e-triage would be extremely valuable in terms of
rapidly generating trusted data in terms of situational awareness,
allocation of necessary resources and prioritization for
evacuation. Attaching a wristband containing machine readable
information to each victim of the group was proposed as a method
for rapid tracking of trauma victims and ascertaining continuity of
treatment. See e.g. U.S. application Ser. No. 12/132,668 by
Carlton. In the invention the provision of electronic bracelets
would further enable real-time monitoring of all casualties,
optimal continuous treatment at all levels and generation of
reliable statistics for governmental disaster database. It is
foreseeable that novel electronic triage performed by
first-on-scene professional volunteers or by eligible civilian
volunteers like Community Emergency Response Teams would further
facilitate an even faster situational awareness and improve the
immediate care. The data generated by the volunteers would feed the
dispatched first responders as well as all levels of incident
command.
[0011] Moreover, as RFID tags, communication, sensors, memory and
processing become cheaper and with greater capacity said bracelet
functionality could become common in standard wearable electronics,
people could routinely use them to download their relevant previous
medical history, allergies, genetic predisposition, etc. These
bracelets would thus be also readily available to be used for self
e-triage or e-triage by first-on-scene untrained civilians.
[0012] In yet another useful embodiment the above mentioned
bracelets would enable effective search and rescue. Tracking people
and assets in multistory building by RFID tags was proposed in U.S.
application Ser. No. 11/868,908 by Deavilla. A further goal of our
invention, in certain natural disaster scenarios, like a Tsunami or
a Hurricane where there is sufficient warning time, is deploying
such bracelets to a scene and wearing these would become an
integral part of the recommended standard of civilian
preparedness.
[0013] Numerous proposals suggest how to provide high situational
awareness in the aftermath of a disaster mainly by allocating
cellular communication network resources to emergency response
personnel or by prioritization. See e.g. U.S. application Ser. Nos.
11/609,216 by Gage et al., 12/273,146 by Smith and 12/423,062 by
Greene et al. A goal of the invention is to introduce new trust
levels and application tools on phones to enable first-on-scene
civilian volunteering physicians or other civilian volunteers with
some relevant training to be able to contribute in the event of the
disaster by using the application or by accessing special bracelet
or other wearable devices. Such volunteers could also undertake
special training to be eligible to assist e-triage or medical
assessment.
[0014] These users would be identified by the emergency operators
as trustworthy and categorized and weighted to their experience or
skill level so that their field reports would be qualified and
trusted by the incident command. Apart from medical triage and
medical reports they would be able to assist in surveying aspects
of damage sites and provide early trusted situational assessment.
Additionally, bi-directional communication between them and the
incident control would further assist in clarifying swiftly the
situation on the ground.
[0015] A medical device inventory management system including one
or more RFID tags was proposed in U.S. application Ser. No.
10/579,517 by Ortiz et al, however, does not address the wider
inventory management and aid deployment opportunities of the
invention, enabled by the combination of first responders,
applications, bracelet devices, and medical kit solutions and
integration with incident command systems, data aggregation and
analysis systems, as well as increased resilience through
messaging, delay tolerance and mesh network approaches.
[0016] Various prior art also outlines the application of UAV
(unmanned aerial vehicles) in field situations, generally in
military conflict, and their role in surveillance, targeted weapon
delivery, medical assistance, however, do not address some of the
benefits of the invention deployment approaches in large scale
deployment of low cost, or light UAV systems, coordinated UAV
cluster or swarm activity via a central command UAV, or combination
with some of the sensor modules, deployment and drop solutions, or
modular payload solutions described herein.
[0017] Despite the numerous examples of prior art in the field of
disaster management, communications infrastructure and medical
assistance, few address the problems outlined here or provide the
benefits of the holistic and integrated approach to utilize skilled
assets already caught up in the disaster, simple accessible tools,
modular designed solutions, integrated e-triage approaches,
communication approaches and rapid delivery systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION(S)
[0018] According to embodiment of the invention, there is provided
systems, devices and methods for global disaster response, more
particularly to the rapid detection, qualified assessment and
monitoring of disasters and electronic triage of victims,
communication, alert and evacuation systems, provision of suitable
modular sensing or aid solutions, and their rapid deployment via
delivery platforms such as mobile applications and networks, remote
operated vehicles (unmanned aerial sea or land systems) or targeted
air delivery, automated or robotic support means, or
pre-deployment.
[0019] In accordance with aspects of the invention, there is
provided a disaster response system (DRS), preferably comprising at
least one of or in combination; a communication and monitoring
environment (CME), modular aid solutions (MAS), deployment system
(DS).
DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FIGURES
[0020] The accompanying drawings illustrate presently preferred
embodiments of the invention and together with the detailed
description herein serve to further explain the principles of the
invention:
[0021] FIG. 1. Illustrates a high level schematic of elements of
the Disaster Response System (DRS) 1 preferably comprising at least
one of or in combination a communication and monitoring environment
(CME) 2, modular aid solutions (MAS) 3, deployment system 4
(DS).
[0022] FIG. 2. Shows a schematic of a User interface and window
function flow 26 for an example software application for running on
a phone client device 5.
[0023] FIG. 3. Shows a further schematic of a phone client device 5
running a software application displaying an example evacuation map
40, and suggested route 41 to a evacuation path or safe cluster
area 42.
[0024] FIG. 4 shows an example schematic of a client phone device 6
being used to facilitate the qualified reporting of a disaster site
using menu selections 50 and categorizing via tiered menu icons
51.
[0025] FIG. 5 shows example first aid capsule 53 and kit 54 (as
modular aid solution 3) that could be rapidly deployed to the scene
by deployment systems.
[0026] FIG. 6 shows an example of a modular aid solution (3) being
an intelligent medical kit 64 capable of being worn on the person
by means of an outer case 65 capable of also attaching specialist
modules such as resuscitation 66 or specialist disposables such as
orthopedic vacuum splinters 67.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] In a preferred embodiment said CME may comprise a
communication infrastructure such as a sensor network or cellular
phone network, consisting of a plurality of sensor, wearable units
or client phone devices, wireless radio communication means,
back-end server and data infrastructure, and management and advice
tools. Where said network and infrastructure is capable of wireless
data exchange with sensor devices or wearable units, or
transmitting compact `text` SMS messages (Short message service
e.g. up to 160 7-bit characters), voice or other data services
to/from end client phone devices, in normal operation, or is
capable of basic data transmission and exchange in reduced
operation, or is capable of real-time or delayed transmission of
compact priority messages when infrastructure is down or
re-established during a disaster by means of a modular solution aid
(MAS) communications mast, transponder or repeater, deployed to the
scene via a deployment system (DS).
[0028] Said CME also preferably comprising a monitoring environment
for local or user data gathering in real-time or delayed
transmission, by means of a sensor on a sensor device, wearable
unit or phone client device, such as a light, temperature or audio
sensor, camera, scanner, MEMS (Micro-electromechanical system),
chemical, biological, or motion sensor, for measuring for example
an environmental property, geo-graphic location (e.g. via a
GPS--global positioning system chip, or accelerometer and
computation or triangulation means) or site scene data capture, or
via external sensor apparatus (e.g. a medical equipment). Said
phone client devices also in further embodiments capable of
wireless data exchange or aggregating data messages from nearby
sensors or wearable units.
[0029] Said monitoring environment data gathering also by means of
a software application and memory on said sensor, wearable unit or
phone client device that facilitates a sensor computation or
history analysis, user preferences and security management, local
data caching, or facilitates user driven new data entry, menu tree
and icon selection and drill down questions or status flags.
[0030] Said sensor computation or history analysis for example
being an alert or event detection on a step-change in performance,
change pattern or reporting of a sensor as described, such as a
accelerometer, or environment sensor, or a combination of a sensor
history or multiple sensors. For example a computation may detect a
fall or car in motion, transport action or likely accident event by
means of a change in GPS and accelerometer behavior. Similarly a
correlation of a stationary phone changing to a periodic
oscillation with other periodicities in other phones or sensors,
may indicate an earthquake event, and thereby a network of phones
and sensors reporting data could enable a precise map of earthquake
impacts across a region, and as actually experienced across
different soil types and building formats. Similarly a real-time
audio sensor and correlation across a group may indicate a
shooting, blast or environment sensor a pollution or other event.
Similarly aggregate and correlated GPS or device location data
provides information on groupings of people as well as historic or
predictable trajectories, enabling clusters of people to be
identified or prioritized in the event of a disaster. Such data
where locally cached also providing a form of information resource
to enable a user to re-trace their steps when lost or as one
evacuation choice option.
[0031] Said user preferences and security management being a means
to control access to any sensor data shared dynamically with the
network, such that GPS trajectory data could be hidden and
unavailable in normal use, but set with a preference to release to
a relative, employer or emergency service in the event of a
disaster or crises event, e.g. the ability for an employer to see
last location and number of employees in specific locations.
Similarly said security management may be used to allow the client
phone to have previously stored or receive background data, but
only be able to access the data in the event of a disaster or on
security key release. Said user preferences data--also providing a
means to authenticate the user and trust or experience level, for
example at registration or set-up. Said trust level providing to
employers or external authorities the experience of qualification
skill level of the user, e.g. first aid qualification or civic role
(e.g. school teacher, first responder, office safety manager,
community emergency response team (CERT) level) to enable any data
exchange with an incident command or emergency service to be
qualified by trust level for accuracy assessment or potential
leverage of the resource caught up in the disaster.
[0032] Said local data caching, being a means of complementing base
data stored on the device, with geo-local or disaster relevant
data--updated on request or in the background when entering a new
or specific zone of risk, or received by the device in advance of a
predicted event or disaster risk, or updated wirelessly in
proximity to a disaster data resource point (e.g. in a building),
or updated at the instance of a disaster via a rapid broadcast
system, or following a disaster when a network communication
becomes available. Similarly local data caching may be used to
store recent sensor history or GPS data, as a form of `black box`
data track for analysis or newly entered user or gathered data, to
send on request or when a communication network becomes
available.
[0033] Said base data may for example include general disaster and
safety advice, including emergency aid advice such as initial
actions, or first aid advice and instructions. It may also include
local data relating to the frequent home and office locations of
the user, downloaded at registration or updated wirelessly when in
that location, such as local map, key medical or emergency contact
locations in the area, location of nearest medical resources (e.g.
first aid kits, defibrillators in offices) or details of
employer/office first aid contacts. Similarly it could contain
state information--e.g. local laws or state advice on disasters
(e.g. earthquakes or hurricanes and links to notable
resources--e.g. websites). For a state, civil organization or
corporation using the system, said base data could be maintained as
part of the back end server and data infrastructure and updated
frequently.
[0034] Said pre-cached or post event geo-local or disaster relevant
data or risk zone could for example include local evacuation points
or routes, floor plans, local points of interest--such as medical
resources or first aid points, hazardous material on site or advice
on such hazards. Risk zones could include transport
systems--providing transport specific safety advice (e.g. for
ships, airplanes or trains), or when users undertake a risky
activity (e.g. a sport or using power tools), or visit a specific
site (e.g. an industrial or factory site). End client devices could
automatically receive and cache such detailed local data based on
geo-tag information shared with the back-end server, and pre-stored
in the background, and then deleted after a period of time, or
after leaving the zone. Detailed information--such as full floor
plans or hazardous materials could also be encrypted via security
keys, and only released via a security key or key trigger issued in
the event of a disaster or local alarm release. Said local alarm
preferably having a means of sending a signal to the back-end
server to enable a broadcast release of a security key, data or
link to disaster data resource points. Similarly in further
embodiments such site specific data could be stored and cached on
any phone but only made available to qualified resources at a
certain level, or password security key access (e.g. professional
emergency response).
[0035] Site specific data could also be stored in a disaster data
resource point (e.g. secure SD data card or USB drive) in a
building capable of being accessed from a distance via a wireless
or radio connection by a secure reader held by local emergency
crews, which would be especially valuable in the case of hazardous
materials on site, and could become a suggested legislated
requirement. Said data resource points could also in further
embodiments keep a real-time monitor and count of all personnel in
the facility as a form of building `black box` to aid emergency
resources in the event of a mass casualty or collapse event.
[0036] Said base data and pre-cached local information, or building
disaster resource points, having significant benefit in the event
of a disaster when networks are unavailable or over-loaded, as end
client phone devices could be used as a resource and evacuation
aid, having appropriate immediate map, evacuation and point of
interest data.
[0037] Said data exchange being in preferred embodiments, mediated
by means of a disaster messaging standard (DMS) capable of coding
and compressing key information and data resources into short
messages or data packets capable of being sent via SMS or other
emergency exchange protocols, such that pre-cached local
information such as evacuation maps or points of interest, can be
exchanged efficiently with delay tolerance at low data rate and
bandwidth, and requiring minimal battery and processing use, to
enable data to be cached effectively. Similarly in the event of a
disaster, concise additional information can be broadcast or
downloaded to phones containing key data without absorbing valuable
high data network communication. Said disaster messaging standard
(DMS) capable of being visualized rapidly via a Disaster Markup
Language (DML) so that key features, e.g. points of interest of
evacuation on a map, could be sent efficiently and layered onto an
existing local map co-ordinates in an analogous way to a mapping
keyhole markup language (KML), or used as an extendable mark-up
language (XML) to tag and parse data from one disaster storage form
and share with other resources or form disaster resource
ontologies. Said DMS and DML formats enabling a greater enquiry,
compatibility and exchange of data between disaster systems.
[0038] Said software application preferably being usable for user
driven data entry and selection using a series of menus, icon
selection and drill down questions and status flags, to simplify
user data entry, ensure consistency in disaster data categorization
and facilitating coding into a disaster messaging standard (DMS).
Said categorization for example could utilize application version
number, menu layer, option, and flag result, to compress complex
information into a short form string, that could be transmitted and
allow classification at the back-end server and data infrastructure
level, expansion and visualization via a similar mark-up language,
automatic clustering and prioritization.
[0039] Such user driven data entry could in preferred embodiments
include a menu and icon driven approach to enable users to provide
reports on an incident or disaster, including classifying type and
scale of disaster, assessing number of victims or casualties in
need of assistance, or prioritizing request for resources and
assistance. Similarly said end phone clients could capture
photographs, audio, text commentary or other sensor data from the
site, and transmit the data or process to report at a meta-tag
level key parameters, such as photo time, location, direction,
classification type for transmittal via a DMS string, or to be sent
on demand should bandwidth become available or if the remote system
releases an authorization to send a larger data file. Such an
authorization could form a release sequence header on the string or
SMS to determine a transmission priority, where said CME network
infrastructure provides transmission access or priority to such
messages. Similarly in a further embodiment of a deployment system
comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with local
communications mast/transponder module, said devices could accept
such larger data messages with sequence headers, and relay them via
an uplink, mesh network or satellite system, as an alternative to
such messages being sent via the damaged communications
infrastructure.
[0040] In a preferred embodiment, such a user driven data entry
system could be applied to assist disaster site medical triage, by
enabling semi-qualified people or semi qualified personnel who are
caught up in a disaster site to use the software application on a
phone client device to provide site reports and medical assessment
of casualties, to describe and prioritize those in need of the most
urgent medical assistance or for which limited medical resources
would have the greatest impact or likelihood in saving or
preserving life. Such decisions are complex, emotional and require
accurate field data, to allow incident command to assess how best
to deploy often limited or time delayed medical resources,
personnel and medical aid to the field. Said trust level of the
user, together with structured menus, and use of DMS transmission
codes, allow data to be aggregated and scored by qualification
level, to aid incident command decisions and victim number and
location assessment. First professional responders arriving on the
scene could then also utilize similar tools on phone client or PDA
devices to make and report further triage assessments or of large
groups of people at evacuation sites, or refugee camps, to
prioritize the need for medical assistance. Such prioritization is
likely to be critical in the large scale disasters such as
earthquakes described earlier.
[0041] In a preferred embodiment, electronic information bracelets
or other wearable devices could assist the process of electronic
triage, where said bracelets are carried or placed on people or
casualties caught up in the disaster, to aid tracking of their
location, tagging electronic data--such as triage level, medical
assessment, name or medical details (e.g. blood type, diabetes,
allergies), and avoid duplicated assessment or double counting of
victims observed by other parties. Said bracelets typically
comprising a low power and low cost form of short range
communication such as RFID, Zigbee, Bluetooth, a machine readable
memory, an optional power unit (such as a coin battery cell, or
power paper strip), a low energy display such as liquid crystal,
OLED or LED, affixing means--such as a strap capable of secure
attachment to the wrist or leg in a manner to preferably prevent
easy removal by the user, a means of attaching or affixing a
printed label or record. In a further embodiment said bracelet
could support more advanced communication, such as a two-way text
data exchange or low cost phone module, could be coated with an
electroluminescent material or a piezo-luminescent material capable
of light generation with motion, or include more automatic vital
signs monitoring means such as means to measure blood rate or pulse
rate of the wearer by means of sensors or wires within the strap or
a cuffless device, or detection of skin capacitance variance, or
respiratory rate via impedance measurement, or through connectivity
with other implantables (pacemaker/defibrillator, HR monitor, BP
monitor).
[0042] Said bracelet capable of exchanging and synchronizing data
with a nearby phone device, medical PDA or intelligent medical kit
unit, or wirelessly with a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) or
communications mast/transponder deployed to the field, or in
further embodiments to form a mesh network with other bracelets for
information exchange. Said bracelet also capable of storing
critical patient medical record details (such as blood type,
allergies, medical treatments) preferably as a DMS message
format.
[0043] Said phone application, Medical PDA or bracelet capable of
showing and storing in machine readable or user visual form,
traditional triage category nomenclature (CDC) priorities of
Priority I Red: Immediate (e.g. controllable massive bleeding,
tension pneumothorax), Priority II Yellow: Delayed (e.g. simple but
significant fracture--femur, hip and humerus), Priority III Green:
Minor (e.g. abrasions, contusions, sprains, simple lacerations,
walking wounded), Diseased/Expectant patient--Black (minimal chance
of survival, e.g. massive head injuries, >95% 3.sup.rd degree
burns).
[0044] In a preferred embodiment, said medical triage and
assessment could be aided by a first aid diagnostic kit comprising
basic first aid materials (such as plasters, bandages, scissors,
anti-septic patches) and a plurality of diagnostic tools, such as a
for HR EKG/ECG (electro-cardiography), Oximetry, pulse and blood
pressure monitor, USB ultrasound. Said diagnostic kit being
preferably comprised of a satchel like pouch containing first aid
materials and a cylindrical electronic triage pouch containing a
plurality of electronic triage bracelets. Said bracelets could be
wrapped around a smartphone when deployed as stand-alone of
shippable unit. Said kit could be purchased or available to
qualified users of the phone software application, or stored in
cars, homes or office first aid locations. Said first aid
diagnostic kit or electronic triage pouch could also be packed
within a compact capsule suitable for deployment to the scene, by
means of a UAV or localized air-drop, pre-deployed e.g. in vending
machines, or available at mass retail locations. Said software
application storing data on nearest location of said kits, by means
of the local caching and DMS message exchange, enabling the user to
find nearest medical aid resources by means of menu selection.
[0045] Said software application containing suitable menus and
workflows to facilitate the capture of data recorded via said
plurality of diagnostic tools, and optional help pages to aid
instruction should procedures be less familiar to the operator.
Said software application could also aid automatic monitoring and
recording of nearby bracelets (to track respiratory rate, blood
pressure) or connect with implantables, as well as access patient
medical data.
[0046] In a preferred embodiment professional first responders
would be dispatched to the main disaster sites with an appropriate
intelligent medical kit. Said intelligent medical kit preferably
being formed as a series of modules and back-bone capable of rapid
configuration for a disaster site or type, or extension and
tailoring based on the gathered triage and medical data on needs
and volumes of casualties at specific sites e.g. via DMS messages
sent from phone software applications or read from nearby
electronic bracelets. Said intelligent medical kit, also preferably
being designed in an overall modular form, capable of being
deployed to a site by means of a UAV or directed air-drop means,
carried or worn on the person.
[0047] Said intelligent medical kit capable of interacting with
said electronic bracelets and e-triage data in order to prioritize
and guide first aid and medical assistance, update patient
bracelets with new diagnostics, treatments or aid required,
communicate with back-end systems and electronic medical records
(EMR) and overall casualty management systems
[0048] The medical kit preferably comprising a computing device,
docking point for a rugged PDA with medical tools (such as
diagnostic advice, medical calculator, pulse timers,
prescriptions/dosage assessment), slave low energy display screen
such as an e-ink material (used for example to display records or
field victim management software), wireless radio communication,
extendable processing capability (e.g. a re-configurable XMOS
reprogrammable processor), battery power back and renewable power
solutions, voltage convertors and USB hub for data/power
connectivity, lighting solutions such as portable LED or OLED light
panels, basic telemedicine support, RFID link with patients RFID or
short range communication bracelets, RFID tags on devices and RFID
reader and built-in inventory management software, tagged tools
such as EKG, blood pressure and USB based diagnostic devices (such
as 12.5 Mhz ultrasound, or EKG card), AED (Automatic External
Defibrillator) and disposables (bandages, drugs, fluids,
tourniquets, splinters, etc.). In an embodiment RFID tagging would
enable software to track device and resource use, to help determine
resupply needs and provide real-time field data to incident command
on types of injuries treated, disposables consumed and
requirements. Moreover, this platform would allow automatic
management of the warehouse as well as rapid automatic packaging of
specialties according to a specific disaster and its characteristic
requirements, e.g. fluids, intra-osseous infusion kits and vacuum
splinters for deployment in an earthquake, or other specialty
packs. Similarly RFID tagging could prompt suitable advice pages to
appear on a screen to assist on diagnosis, or provide learning
videos/education. Said diagnosis screens could prompt a series of
associated questions, checks or other relevant medical history
information. For large scale refugee or pandemic disasters, further
embodiments could support additional specialist packs such as SNP,
DNA arrays or lab on chip readers, for assisting viral or blood
assessment, to identify viruses, blood poisoning or other genetic
disorders. Similarly said intelligent medical kit in future
embodiments could support modules, tools such as guided a
intratracheal intubation ambu-aScope, automatic intraosseus line,
wireless therapeutic US and enhanced telemedicine, guided
thoracotomy, peritoneal lavage or advanced medical materials;
powdered blood, powdered platelets, regenerative skin, biological
glues, respirocytes.
[0049] Said PDA being used as an overall control interface, UI to
select and control information or connect with devices or display
information on the separate display screen. Said PDA accessing a
similar software application to the client side phone to enable
more detailed diagnostic and e-triage or accessing of bracelet
patient information, or in further embodiments containing dedicated
sensors and diagnostic devices. Said PDA when mounted in the
docking point being chargeable by means of the USB hub and power
back, said USB hub also providing power and data connectivity to a
plurality of modular devices and tools or separate back-up power
packs suitable for said devices, torches or accessories. Said USB
hub also connected to a memory such as a SD Card, which may
preferably be customized prior to dispatch to a field site to
appropriate disaster type data.
[0050] Said power-back preferably comprising at least two
independent lithium or other battery cells, such that one battery
can be used whilst the other is being charged. Said charging means
including renewable solutions such as flexible photo-voltaic panels
used on the external surface of the medical kit, or as a separate
un-foldable unit, or via an accessory mechanical charging device.
Said overall power-back being connectable to a charging station
rack for powering multiple batteries during storage or deployment,
e.g. during air or container dispatch to a disaster site, so that
power-backs can arrive topped up and ready for use.
[0051] Said overall intelligent medical kit, having a modular
construction, so that sub-kits such as disposables can be easily
loaded and replaced, or new tools added and placed in appropriate
docking points easily by manual or automated (e.g. warehouse
conveyors or simple robotic systems). Said overall modular
construction also favoring attachment of deployment layer means,
such as directional parachutes, or stacking onto containers for
mass deployment, or for attaching to a UAV deployment platform and
drop frame as part of a deployment system (DS).
[0052] Said modular construction also being standardized to
facilitate a plurality of other modular aid solutions (MAS) capable
of being delivered by suitable deployment systems. Said solutions
could for example include an Energy generating module such as
photovoltaic, fuel based, hydro or mechanical, a Habitat in a box,
such as tent forms, or rapid assembly shelters suitable for use as
medical clinics or habitats, Communications modules--suitable for
recreating mobile phone transponders or satellite connectivity, or
local mesh network hub support.
[0053] Further embodiments may include sensor modules suitable for
assisting specific disaster scenarios for site assessment such as
HD video and wireless connectivity to held-held PDA displays, Infra
Red scanning to identify heat sources or bodies within a space or
at night, environmental sensors to measure water properties,
chemical or other hazard properties, water toxins or pollutants,
vegetation density and flammability. In the case of large-scale
disasters in an urban area, such sensors in preferred embodiments
could be attached to UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) which could be
controlled from a remote site or support onboard auto-pilot or GPS
aided navigation means to navigate a path or flight plan over a
disaster site, or fly or hover between building structures, or
explore within buildings or cavities (or enabled by small ground or
portable remote vehicles and sensor devices). Such sensor platforms
could work as clusters of devices to improve coverage time, or
allow greater resolution of sensor coverage.
[0054] In preferred embodiments clusters or swarms of UAVs could be
locally controlled by means of a central UAV which supports more
advanced navigation or remote control means, and support local
wireless communication for navigating/controlling a swarm of nearby
devices. Such an embodiment would have the benefit that `slave`
UAVs could be at a substantially lower price point or in certain
circumstances be disposable or single-use devices, and thereby
support coverage across a wide region, or ability to carry multiple
payloads. Said UAVs could also be used to rapidly locate personnel
within a disaster site, such as personnel wearing said electronic
bracelets, or carrying end client phone devices, and also support
local mesh networking and communications relay support or data
exchange with bracelets and phone devices. Said devices also
preferably being able to aid phone device location through being
able to create local triangulation references to measure signal
strength. Said approaches could similarly be used by ground or sea
based ROVs (Remote Operated Vehicles), which could similarly be
utilized as deployment systems for delivering aid solutions.
[0055] In further embodiments, deployment systems and modular aid
solutions could include robotic platforms, capable of delivering
assistance within a field situation--such as lifting or cutting
heavy objects, or reaching extreme/difficult locations (e.g. in
mountainous terrain, or damaged skyscrapers). Said devices may be
capable of aiding forest fire reduction, building repair/stability
or repairing flood defense systems or assembling sand-bags or other
defensive measures. Similarly miniature robotic systems or robotic
snakes could be deployed to facilitate search and rescue or
delivery of aid to casualties in a building collapse or
inaccessible area, where for example a robotic system could deliver
emergency intravenous liquids, injections and medicine, and
establish communications with casualties for the purpose of advice,
triage assessment and comfort.
[0056] In further embodiments, where said deployment layers could
include parachute forms made from a thermally insulating foil
material so that they could be re-used in the field for body
warmth. Said foil chute could be contained in small modules affixed
for example to a first aid electronic bracelet canister. In other
deployment approaches, small inflatable units could be inflated by
a gas unit or by a deployment layer apparatus, and allow small
modular aid solutions to be dropped close to the ground such that
the inflatable protects the landing, or acts as a floatation aid.
In a preferred embodiment a UAV deployment platform containing a
deployment layer and plurality of bracelet/mini first aid packs and
inflatable's/foil chutes could follow a planned trajectory and
identify casualties on the ground (or via the assistance of a
remote control map link and selection means on a phone application
or rugged PDA by a first responder), and drop small parcels of aid
to individuals. Such an approach could facilitate rapid initial
response of trackers, e-triage monitoring bracelets and basic aid
to victims across a wide disaster site, or to inaccessible sites,
such as house roofs in a flood scenario.
[0057] Said UAV deployment systems for disaster sensors, medical
aid and e-bracelet sensors, being preferably pre-deployed to
warehouses (such as FEMA locations) or other sites near areas at
higher risk of disasters, such as earthquake zones (e.g. San
Andreas/Bay Area), or hurricane zones, or storing remote operating
vehicles in sea vessels within range of tsunami risk sites, to
facilitate the speed of response in the event of a disaster.
Similarly larger scale deployment platforms could use high-altitude
air platforms, blimps or dirigibles, or space platforms such as low
earth orbit satellites in support of communication modules, such as
transponders or repeaters, or sensor modules, such as HD cameras
and Infra-red, or in combination with a plurality of platforms of
UAVs for synthetic aperture radar sensing technologies, or for
storage of low weight aid systems, such as e-bracelets or other aid
solutions. In the event of large scale heighten crises, requiring
rapid response, civilian airplane fleet could also include solution
modules capable of being deployed in flight, and in future, space
systems could support the ability to drop a module to anywhere on
earth within 45 minutes of a disaster, to provide a local
communications module or other solution aid.
[0058] Deployment systems may also preferably include local flight
control means, such as an local Air Traffic Control system for UAV
movements, to be able to ensure UAV's deployed in a civilian area
(pre disaster/air space restrictions) are tracked, reported and
coordinated to avoid conflicts within the air-space with civilian
or military air systems, or other air users. Such systems could be
deployed as solution modules, for example comprising a deployable
portable radar system (such as those made by Raytheon) which could
be dropped to a site by means of a air drop and directed parachute,
in combination with local 50-75 m radius air control systems, as
proposed by SAVDS. Such an approach as part of said deployment
system would enable a rapid deployment and authorization to use UAV
platforms in the event of a disaster, at standards close to those
expected by air authorities such as FAA. Similar use of said
platforms could enable local operations to be established in
remote, conflict or politically sensitive areas of operation, where
data and local air information could be made available, or
controlled by local government or military resources, whilst still
providing common data standards such as DMS to enable data
interaction. Said systems could also in preferred environments
support fire-walls, or other security means, or keep isolated or in
country of origin, technologies, such as flight control or
autopilot means, that have restrictions on technology transfer.
[0059] Similarly in the event of certain disaster risks, e.g.
forest fires, ballistic systems could be used to dispatch solution
modules or micro-UAV systems rapidly to a fire site, to aid
sensing, evacuation or local incident response.
[0060] Risk assessment of potential disaster sites could help
pre-deployment of modular aid solutions and UAV/ROV platforms,
including identifying suitable big box retailers that could carry
medical aid kits as commercial items, with live inventory
visibility and RFID tagging to enable rapid pre-authorized
distribution of collection in the event of disasters. Post event
analysis, of behavioral patterns of e-triage, tracking/tagging maps
of victims, recovery rates, and evacuation rates would in preferred
embodiments create substantial data mines held within the back-end
data infrastructure enabling better forecasting and prioritization
for future disasters. Similarly early tremor analysis, provided by
geo-tagging and mapping correlative phone accelerometer vibrations,
could enable improved forecasting of subsequent larger earth quake
events. Such data could be locally cached on phones and shared as a
form of background distributed sensor network reporting tool, to
contribute to safety research as a virally adopted program, e.g.
when phones are left in charge docking stations. Such an approach
could also be used to send DMS messages to critical infrastructure
to shut down machinery, transport systems, or electricity/gas
infrastructure within the first few moments of a major quake or
disaster event, potentially protecting significant resources from
increased damages. Similarly such rapid messaging approaches could
pause traffic lights, or be a trigger in releasing phone
application locks, or raising the alert or preparedness status, or
raising the threshold/volume of local caching of data in advance of
a disaster likelihood.
[0061] Said incident control and backend management systems could
therefore maintain a permanent presence and control and aggregate
significant data feeds, from worldwide sensor networks, satellite
and space monitoring and image systems, data feeds such as consumer
behaviors or social networks, such as Twitter, or phone activities,
in order to perform complex behavioral modeling, fusion modeling,
cluster analysis and rapid neural network or Artificially
intelligent pattern recognition to identify trends of patterns.
Such techniques have already been indicated for pandemic spotting,
but could be used more extensively with the benefits of the medical
and triage embodiments in providing significantly increased access
to qualified data.
[0062] Visualization means in preferred embodiments can further aid
rapid analysis and decision support, such as algorithmic clustering
via a algorithms weighted by trust level, population impact, number
of incidents. Back end software and data infrastructure preferably
including command can control systems to support decision making,
analysis of incoming DMS messages and reports from phone client
software applications, triage data, and enable incident managers to
control advice, evacuation and guidance advice to sub-populations
of software application users, to over-ride of complement default
settings and evacuation data stored in local caches. In preferred
embodiments incident managers could view a visualization of
disaster zone, major evacuation paths, and select proportions to be
directed to different paths (e.g. bridges, major roads), and
authorize targeting or of specific advice messages at different
times to sub-clusters of end devices, or be assisted by algorithmic
means in calculating optimal paths by considering person or vehicle
density, behavioral models, disaster site information/obstacles,
and formulae, for example geo-tag triangulation analysis and
sending messages to ensure safe dispersal to nearest or optimal
guided paths. Such systems could also be applied in large scale
civilian sporting or other events to aid modeling, mapping of
arrival and dispersal of crowds and spectators. Various real-time,
post-event analysis could aid in the development of optimal
guidance and evacuation ontologies, in response to different
disaster scenarios, and rapid forecasting (e.g. of fire spread or
weather patterns impacting toxic gas or other dangerous substance)
dispersals could further aid and adapt real-time guidance maps.
[0063] Referring to FIG. 1, overall CME 2 is shown as example to
include a back end data 14 and server 15 infrastructure with
visualization systems 16 and incident managers 17 forming an
overall incident command infrastructure 32, radio mast or
transponders 12, a physical or wireless network 11, sensors 33,
reduced service mast 7, inoperable masts or transponders 8, UAV
platform 9 carrying a payload 10 which indicated as a temporary
communications unit broadcasting a signal 35, wearable bracelets
29, phone client units 5, 27, 6 in the disaster site which is
indicated with intact buildings 28 and damaged or collapsed
structures 13; modular aid solutions 3 are shown as example to
include field resources such as portable first aid kits 24,
electronic triage bracelet and Phone packs 21, and warehouse or
response modules such as intelligent medical kits 22, and portable
carrying apparatus 31, droppable first aid canisters 23, charging
and packing stations 19, sensor modules 14; deployment system 4 is
shown as example to include deployment UAV platforms 18, sensor
carrying platforms 9 which may preferably support loading and
deployment layers and chutes. Where for example people 26, 25, 28,
20, 30, 34 are caught up in disaster site. In an example scenario
civilians 25 have access to a phone client unit 5 which has
connectivity to the network 11 via a semi-operable communications
unit 7 or a temporary UAV platform 18, where said phone client unit
5 is shown receiving a compact DMS message 28 providing updated
evacuation advice. In another scenario civilian 26 is shown with
access to a phone client unit 27 which has no live connectivity but
can still access basic evacuation data and advice that had been
previously cached locally in the device memory before the incident
took place, or on a delay tolerance when passing through an area of
live communications, and is also able to direct/advise other groups
of people 28 without phone client units 27. In another scenario
there is a shown a collapsed structure 13 with casualties 20 in
proximity to the building, and a further person 34 with access to a
phone client 6 where said person 34 is a semi-qualified or
professional resource with some medical knowledge who is able to
use the software application to assess and report on the disaster
site 13 and use the device to assist in the process of electronic
triage of the casualties 20, where preferably said person 34, also
has proximity to a basic first aid kit 24 containing electronic
bracelets 21, 29, or is directed by the phone application to a
nearby first aid kit (e.g. in an office or vehicle) and can use the
kit and electronic bracelets 21,29 to aid in the assessment of
casualties, where other persons 30, have similar access to a supply
of electronic bracelets (e.g. via an air drop or UAV 18 delivery),
or have already been assessed.
[0064] FIG. 2. Shows a schematic of a User interface and window
function flow 26 for an example software application for running on
a phone client device 5, where example menu option 37 provides a
means of a user sending an emergency priority message using the
compact DMS message 28, example menu option 38 provides a means for
submitting a crises report, such as categorization, photographs,
recordings and description of a damaged site, which would be
geo-tagged and compressed for key data into a similar DMS message
28, or sent with media if bandwidth is available or on request
along with a trust level identified by the user type registration
enabling incident command 32 to analyse and qualify the
information, example menu 39 provides a further reporting example
for assessing medical needs, at the patient or group level, and
entering initial diagnostic or triage assessment to create a
patient record and preferably also in combination with an
electronic bracelet 29.
[0065] FIG. 3. Shows a further schematic of a phone client device 5
running a software application displaying an example evacuation map
40, and suggested route 41 to a evacuation path or safe cluster
area 42, where said path may be calculated on the software
application on receipt of a DMS message alert 28, containing hazard
and evacuation geo-tag information, or calculated from a recently
cached local points of interest data message in the absence of a
real-time communication network, and said DMS message preferably
encoding data into a preferred DML mark-up data string 49 of key
mapping features. The back-end data and server infrastructure at
incident command 32, is also shown, whereby operators 17 may use a
visualization system 16 to display a command control application
43, capable of showing a incident map 48 stored on a local database
14, and highlighting the risk or disaster site area 45 and using
algorithmic and analysis means on said server 15, to calculate
preferred evacuation routes 46, 47 based on numerous factors
including an assessment of data reports from the field sent by end
phone client device users, population analysis of mobile phone
density or other data aggregation means or from user assisted
instructions such as preferably using a multi-touch user interface
where incident operators 17 can draw or outline evacuation routes.
On confirming a preferred route and selecting, in this example,
traffic percentages 46, the system would calculate and send
geo-targeted DMS 28 messages to appropriate sub-groups within or
near the disaster site 45, to provide appropriate geo-locally
specific advice and guided evacuation to personnel and civilians in
the field.
[0066] FIG. 4 shows an example schematic of a client phone device 6
being used to facilitate the qualified reporting of a disaster site
using menu selections 50 and categorizing via tiered menu icons 51,
and entering user data or using the device to capture local data 52
via embedded sensors or recording means, and then converting into
DMS messages 28, comprised of coded strings 49 to be sent as short
messages over a delay tolerant network. Said messages 28 being
received by incident command 32 and categorized to aid operators 17
and systems 15 in rapidly assessing site damages to aid
prioritization. Said software application being similarly used for
reporting casualty or other victim electronic triage
assessment.
[0067] FIG. 5 shows example first aid capsule 53 and kit 54 (as
modular aid solution 3) that could be rapidly deployed to the scene
by deployment systems, such as UAV (e.g. 18) or targeted air-drops,
or available within the disaster site, at offices, medical centers,
big-box retail stores, or pre-deployed in vending machines, or
available to qualified resources in vehicles or other locations.
Said capsule 53 preferably comprising a droppable canister
containing a plurality of electronic triage bracelets 29 and phone
client unit 5. Said capsule 53 in a further embodiment may be the
approximate size and form of a beer can, and capable of being
stored in a vending machine. Said capsule 53 being preferably
reversibly attachable to a first aid kit 54 containing basic
disposable and diagnostic resources as described herein, where said
kit 54 can also preferably be carried on the person such as via a
strap 55 or easily attached to a deployment layer (such as a
parachute, or inflatable) where dropped into a field. Said
plurality of electronic bracelets 59, being used to rapidly assess
and electronically score and tag casualties in a disaster site by
using the phone client device 5, and said bracelets 59 possessing a
face 60 to show a visual record of an electronic triage assessment
or vital signs measurement, together with data storage, alert and
communication means.
[0068] FIG. 6 shows an example of a modular aid solution (3) being
an intelligent medical kit 64 capable of being worn on the person
by means of an outer case 65 capable of also attaching specialist
modules such as resuscitation 66 or specialist disposables such as
orthopedic vacuum splinters 67. Said intelligent medical kit 64
shown as comprising background OLED lighting 68, docking point 69
for a detachable rugged PDA or smart-phone 5 (not shown), phone
charger contact 70, label printer 71, slave OLED or e-Ink low power
screen 72 (suitable for showing patient records, diagnostic advice
or learning), a carrying handle 73, wireless radio antenna 74
(suitable for also creating a local hot-spot/network), super-bright
LED torch and spotlight 75 also suitable for rotation or removal
and usable for medical diagnosis, a removable 64 battery pack 76,
removable clips 77, USB hub 78 for data connectivity and power
control between devices and tools within the overall intelligent
medical kit, a second battery pack 79, removable fold flat 48W
solar panel sheets 81 capable to be storable within the surface of
the medical kit (or within wearable case 65), EKG cord and cable
sub-unit 80, USB ultrasound sub-unit 82 (capable of connecting to a
charger point and to the USB data and power hub 78), defibrillator
sub-unit 83, and blood pressure monitors sub-unit 84, where said
overall medical kit 64 or battery packs 76,79 are capable of being
charged when placed in a charging and storage rack 19 by means of
contact or proximity wireless charging points 63.
[0069] Although the invention has been described and illustrated
with reference to example embodiments it is expressly understood
that it is in no way limited to the disclosure of such example and
preferred embodiments within the domain of disaster response
systems, but is capable of numerous modifications within the spirit
and scope of the underlying inventions. By way of reference said
DMS messaging language, and local caching of data, together with
DML mapping and mark-up layers, and resource ontologies may have
wider application in civilian and regular commercial applications,
for the provision of information services, or offering products,
location, news of event activity. Similarly UAV platforms and
logistics systems herein described may have applicability in the
distribution of materials and packages, or for distribution within
facilities or buildings. Similar medical aid, electronic bracelets
and triage systems have been described largely in the context of
disaster site management but have wide applicability in large sites
of ongoing crises such as famine and refugee centers, urban slums,
military theatres of war, and in hospitals and assisted care
monitoring of the elderly.
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