Disasters

'Hyperspectral Remote Sensor' senses disasters from space

By Darren Quick

23:59 October 25, 2009 PDT

Combining sophisticated sensors in orbit with sensors on the ground and in the air has led researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) to create a “Hyperspectral Remote Sensor” (HRS) that can give advance warnings about water contamination after a forest fire, alert authorities of a pollution spill long before a red flag is raised on Earth, or inform the population where a monsoon will strike. Read More

High-tech rescue vehicle will carry more patients

By Darren Quick

22:23 August 6, 2009 PDT

Sadly, emergency rescue vehicles get too much use. Disasters, natural or man-made, place a great deal of pressure on rescue services trying to take care of a high number of victims in a short period. To this end, a high-tech rescue vehicle capable of carrying up to four patients has been designed under the pan-European research and development EUREKA network. Read More

Microsoft wants us to hear it on the Vine

By Darren Quick

04:00 April 30, 2009 PDT

With the Facebook and Twitter social networking juggernaut rolling ever onwards, Microsoft is looking to jump on the bandwagon with its new social web app called Vine. While sites such as Facebook and Twitter use the global span of the internet to let users connect with people from all corners of the globe, Vine makes its focus local, concentrating on keeping users in touch with family, friends, activities and major events in their community, including disasters and emergencies. Read More

New technology for portable wastewater treatment unveiled

By Emily Clark

15:22 November 16, 2008 PST

In disasters such as hurricane Katrina, dealing with wastewater can be one of the greatest difficulties facing military and relief operations. Nicknamed “DAAB” (Deployable Aqueous Aerobic Bioreactor), this new self-sustaining, portable, and “smart” wastewater treatment system offers a solution to this critical problem. Read More

The pedestrian-powered Human Water Pump concept

By Emily Clark

19:10 October 28, 2008 PDT

According to research from the Pacific Institute, more than five million people die each year from water-related disease, primarily due to inadequate access to clean water which, if it is available, often requires trekking over long distances to reach it. Gunwook Nam from South Korea has proposed a solution that harnesses people power - literally. The Human Pump concept uses a boardwalk structure fitted with springs that captures and stores kinetic energy from foot-traffic and uses it to pump underground water to the surface. Read More

Communications “Gizmo” to aid emergency response

By Jude Garvey

17:46 December 18, 2007 PST

December 19, 2007 It may look like just another remote-controlled toy truck, but this "Gizmo" has the potential to save lives in disaster response situations. Javier Rodriguez Molina, a 24 year old electrical engineering graduate student and programmer analyst at the UC San Diego's California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2), is designing an advanced mobile, wireless communications machine that can venture into environments too dangerous for humans and collect and transmit critical information to emergency personnel. It is hoped that the design platform - which is will not be limited to its current toy-truck guise - can provide real-time assistance in emergency situations such as terrorist attacks, building collapses or hurricanes. Read More

Your office has a disaster plan, what about your home?

By Loz Blain

June 13, 2007 Not everybody's a first-aider or emergency specialist - and every time a natural disaster like Katrina or serious fires comes along, it becomes clear how poorly prepared the average household is to deal with these extraordinary situations. Informed's latest pocket emergency guide is a comprehensive and easy to use reference for families in the case of natural disaster, terrorist attack, chemical or biological contaminations. Read More