Proposal for a system of mutual support among passengers trapped inside a train

Abstract

The Japanese railway system has the greatest accuracy and safety in the world, with a low frequency of delays and a small number of accidents. However, even in such a railway system, a train must sometimes make an urgent stop in emergencies, as a result of an earthquake or other accidents. Most railroad companies have a safety measure in which a train must make an urgent stop in order to confirm safety during emergencies. In the worst cases, passengers have been trapped in a train for a period greater than 24 h. In such a situation, some passengers, such as the elderly or pregnant women, may suddenly become ill, as a result of chronic illnesses, poor conditions, or stress due to the tense situation. In case of emergencies, the limited number of crewmembers on a train are not able to deal with passengers efficiently. Therefore, we suggest an extempore community formation system for passengers who are trapped inside a train in order to promote mutual support during an emergency. Results of an evaluation experiment reveal the usability of the proposed system.