[tt] Wearables for emrgency responders

[Hughes, James J.]

RESCUE Project Web Site...
http://www.itr-rescue.org/

NSF press release:
Technology to the RESCUE ...
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=110144

http://www.medgadget.com/archives/2007/10/the_rescue_project.html

The RESCUE Project

By Michael

Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Responding to
Crises and Unexpected Events (RESCUE) project is designed to improve
response to disasters and emergencies, to minimize injuries, and to
prevent the loss of life. For now the project aims to upgrade the
ability of emergency responders to gather, process, and spread critical
information with each other and the general public. One can also imagine
applying project's principles and technologies to improve work flow and
safety in emergency rooms and ORs, and hospitals in general.

    Led by the University of California, Irvine, RESCUE brings together
researchers from around the country who work in a variety of academic
fields that bring a unique perspective to understanding disaster
responses.

    Social scientists, for example, have an understanding of the
communication challenges disaster responders face when trying to
interact with each other and the public. Experts in information
technology are skilled at building complex information systems, data
networks and other systems that can help decision makers in an
emergency. Engineers can provide a detailed analysis of a disaster's
impact on transportation systems and other physical infrastructure. By
bringing experts from these various disciplines together with first
responders and community leaders, RESCUE is able to bring the best ideas
and technologies from academic research and make them available to the
people who need them most.

    Sharad Mehrotra, a professor at the University of California, Irvine
and the director of RESCUE, cites improving crisis communication as an
example of how this multidisciplinary approach allows the project to
provide better solutions to first responders. "Looked at from an IT
perspective purely, the problem is essentially of message delivery
through multiple communication channels," Mehrotra said. "But the 'real'
issue is not the delivery of messages but rather generating an
appropriate response."

    To meet this challenge, the scientists provided risk communication
models and insight into how humans perceive and react to risk
communications. Engineers helped the team understand how tools like
early warning systems could impact evacuation routes and other concerns.
The result has been new approaches to risk communication that are being
put into practice.

    "The multidisciplinary alliance allowed us to explore the problem of
risk communication holistically instead of simply as a technology
problem," Mehrotra said.

    According to professor Ramesh Rao, director of the University of
California, San Diego division of the California Institute for
Telecommunications and Information Technology, including first
responders has greatly improved the quality of the products that RESCUE
has produced. One example is a backpack that provides a
satellite-enabled wireless network in a disaster area. RESCUE worked on
its design with the people who would actually use the device in a
disaster. The result is a product that is easy to use and is compatible
with most wireless devices, so no additional special equipment is
needed.

    This collaborative approach is typical with RESCUE, explained Rao.
"Responders like it because they dictate the user interface and
functionality--they get to design it, instead of having it imposed on
them."

    Another tool being developed by RESCUE researchers is a complex
disaster simulation platform called MetaSim. This computer system allows
researchers to merge different types of simulations at once in order to
both provide planners with a more accurate picture of what conditions
may be like during and after a disaster. It also provides researchers
with a way to test and validate how new technology concepts could help a
response effort.

    RESCUE has participated in several emergency preparedness drills
with local responders to analyze how effective the potential response is
and to find ways their expertise can help emergency personnel. These
drills and exercises have already produced useful new tools and insights
that will be put into place in the event of a disaster.