Multi-agent base evacuation support system using MANET

Abstract

In this paper, we propose an evacuation support system that provides evacuation routes in the case of a disaster, and verify the usefulness of the system. In recent years, with the development of communication and portable device technologies, people can collect and disperse information using the Internet regardless of time and place. Current popular wireless communication infrastructure is supported by a series of base stations and one communication equipment in such a base station handles a lot of communication. Therefore, when problems occur at an equipment in such a communication base station, it may be difficult, even if possible, for the smartphones to use the Internet. In fact, in the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake in Japan, we have observed a large-scale communication failure due to corruption of the communication equipment and traffic congestion. Paralyzed communication infrastructure made it difficult for people to collect information about the conditions of transportation and safety information about family and friends using smartphones. Our proposed system address this problem by using multiple kinds of mobile agents as well as static agents on smartphones that use a mobile ad hoc network (MANET). The proposed system collects information by mobile agents as well as diffuses information by mobile agents so that the system provides an optimal evacuation route for each user in a dynamically changing disaster environment.