Geohealth monitoring – Real-time monitoring for action forces during disaster operations

Abstract

This paper presents a new type of monitoring environment for action forces during any indoor or outdoor mission to increase efficiency and manageability. The major benefit of the system is to improve short time planning of staff commitment so that staff can be retrieved or exchanged as required by the circumstances. The system itself consists of two main components: i) Data collection via an embedded device and a web server involving and standardized data transmission (SensorML, Observations) to a web server ii) Data visualization on a central or mobile device (computer or mobile phone). This paper illustrates the system by describing how two essential vital signs – pulse rate and oxygen saturation – are used to monitor action force members under adverse conditions and how this data is graphically displayed for the control unit staff so that they can immediately intervene as necessary. The components of the system and their interaction are explained in detail as well as the implementation and the results of a first test phase. The innovative approach of this specific system lies in the combination of the user-friendly data display based on the collected data in near real-time and the geographical location information. An additional advantage is the flexibility and scalability of the system as it runs on a variety of devices both mobile and fixed.