18-03-2010, 12:46 PM
Abstract
This proposal offers an exciting new technology tool for the development of a wearable computer system prototype for firefighters. This tool is worn by firefighters under their jacket with the computer mounted on the external Oxygen tank. The database is accessed from a miniature computer/PDA to display the floor plan, pictures, hazardous materials, building occupancy numbers and owner contact information while traveling to the scene of the fire. This provides needed background informa tion to the firefighter before entering the building. With a standard cell phone the fire-fighters can call the owner to obtain additional information before arriving on-site. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is used for external location determination, and while in the building, the floor plan and current location are displayed in the visor for reference, using sonar ultrasonic transceivers to sense the environment and show the exact location of the fire fighter. Additionally, for the fire fighters safety and protection, the wearable computer also has a health monitor with temperature, heart rate/pulse and fall sensors. The data for these sensors are collected and sent via Bluetooth wireless and wired connections to the wearable computer. New application software was developed to receive and interpret the sensor data. Alerts and alarms were incorporated to sense falls, abnormal or no pulse and high temperature. These alerts are sent via wireless connections to a monitoring station on the fire engine, where a colleague will monitor the status of each fire fighter.
Presented By:
Team 4
Steven Alt
Rita Hubert
Christian Martinez
Bob Zandoli
I. Introduction
Statement of Problem
Police, Fire and Medical Safety officers require additional knowledge to do their jobs better and to provide for their safety on the job. Firefighters have voice communication devices on their lapels; however, this is not reliable or sufficient to provide these emergency workers with the information need to do their job better and to protect their safety and health. The problem is the need for information about a building they must enter and once they enter the building to know the floor plan of the building and their location in the building. This paper proposes the development of the prototype wearable computer system for fire fighters. While enroute to the fire, the fire fighters will use the miniature computer to select the building pictures, floor plans, hazardous materials listing, occupancy data from a database containing all information about each building in the fire patrol area. A standard cellular phone will be used to contact the owner (contact information in the database) and obtain additional information. While at the fire location a GPS unit will track their location. While in the building the floor plan will be displayed on their visor and a sonar ultrasonic sensor will display their exact location on the floor plan. A fall monitor, temperature measurement and heart/plus monitor will track their health status and send alerts via Bluetooth wireless connection to the wearable computer. Since a colleague outside the building, will need to be notified in the event of a fall, abnormal or no pulse or excessive heat, an application program will be developed to read the monitor information collected and send alerts and alarms to the base station, if necessary, via wireless communications.
Relevance of the Work
Emergency works, especially Firefighters, need more information about a building before entering the structure to enhance their ability to do their job and avoid injury or death. This system will provide them with the all the information available about the building, provide floor plans, GPS and sonar location information and monitor their falls, temperature and pulse rate with alerts based on the monitoring information sent to a base system on the fire engine, where the system information can be monitored by a colleague. This prototype will provide needed information, enhance the safely, and reduce the injury and fatality rate for fire fighters
for more
http://hci.iastate.edu/~nelsonkj/documents/fire2.pdf
This proposal offers an exciting new technology tool for the development of a wearable computer system prototype for firefighters. This tool is worn by firefighters under their jacket with the computer mounted on the external Oxygen tank. The database is accessed from a miniature computer/PDA to display the floor plan, pictures, hazardous materials, building occupancy numbers and owner contact information while traveling to the scene of the fire. This provides needed background informa tion to the firefighter before entering the building. With a standard cell phone the fire-fighters can call the owner to obtain additional information before arriving on-site. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is used for external location determination, and while in the building, the floor plan and current location are displayed in the visor for reference, using sonar ultrasonic transceivers to sense the environment and show the exact location of the fire fighter. Additionally, for the fire fighters safety and protection, the wearable computer also has a health monitor with temperature, heart rate/pulse and fall sensors. The data for these sensors are collected and sent via Bluetooth wireless and wired connections to the wearable computer. New application software was developed to receive and interpret the sensor data. Alerts and alarms were incorporated to sense falls, abnormal or no pulse and high temperature. These alerts are sent via wireless connections to a monitoring station on the fire engine, where a colleague will monitor the status of each fire fighter.
Presented By:
Team 4
Steven Alt
Rita Hubert
Christian Martinez
Bob Zandoli
I. Introduction
Statement of Problem
Police, Fire and Medical Safety officers require additional knowledge to do their jobs better and to provide for their safety on the job. Firefighters have voice communication devices on their lapels; however, this is not reliable or sufficient to provide these emergency workers with the information need to do their job better and to protect their safety and health. The problem is the need for information about a building they must enter and once they enter the building to know the floor plan of the building and their location in the building. This paper proposes the development of the prototype wearable computer system for fire fighters. While enroute to the fire, the fire fighters will use the miniature computer to select the building pictures, floor plans, hazardous materials listing, occupancy data from a database containing all information about each building in the fire patrol area. A standard cellular phone will be used to contact the owner (contact information in the database) and obtain additional information. While at the fire location a GPS unit will track their location. While in the building the floor plan will be displayed on their visor and a sonar ultrasonic sensor will display their exact location on the floor plan. A fall monitor, temperature measurement and heart/plus monitor will track their health status and send alerts via Bluetooth wireless connection to the wearable computer. Since a colleague outside the building, will need to be notified in the event of a fall, abnormal or no pulse or excessive heat, an application program will be developed to read the monitor information collected and send alerts and alarms to the base station, if necessary, via wireless communications.
Relevance of the Work
Emergency works, especially Firefighters, need more information about a building before entering the structure to enhance their ability to do their job and avoid injury or death. This system will provide them with the all the information available about the building, provide floor plans, GPS and sonar location information and monitor their falls, temperature and pulse rate with alerts based on the monitoring information sent to a base system on the fire engine, where the system information can be monitored by a colleague. This prototype will provide needed information, enhance the safely, and reduce the injury and fatality rate for fire fighters
for more
http://hci.iastate.edu/~nelsonkj/documents/fire2.pdf
