Analog Devices, Inc. and Dell EMC last week unveiled a proof of concept (POC) for an Internet of Things (IoT) solution that tracks the health and location of first responders.
The POC IoT solution tracks vital signs of first responders at all times in or outside of buildings. A smart, wearable sensor-equipped vest is worn by personnel to monitor useful health metrics including breathing rate, breathing volume, and heart rate. A connected boot tracks location and movement.
By identifying potential worker health issues immediately and tracking worker location via these metrics, emergency teams can be healthier, safer, and more efficient. All the relevant vest and boot data are collected by an edge gateway device and relayed via a mobile network to a private, secure cloud. The results from multiple personnel are then displayed on a portal via a dashboard for access by control teams who may be at the emergency site or in a central control location.
The data is analyzed to monitor worker health and enable a fast response to ensure their safety. Historical analysis of vital signs over multiple responses safeguards continued welfare of safety personnel.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than 60,000 fire fighter injuries in North America alone are reported annually, of which 25 percent are as a result of overexertion or strain.
The POC IoT solution uses INFINITE, an Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) approved testbed. The INFINITE testbed was developed by Dell Technologies in collaboration with Vodafone and Cork Institute of Technology to enable innovation, insights, and business opportunities for Industrial IoT across a wide range of industries.
“INFINITE encompasses all the significant technologies, domains and platforms to support major advancements in cloud, networks, mobile, wireless, edge gateways, sensors and analytics that are defining IoT globally,” said Donagh Buckley, head of Dell EMC Research Europe. “I am delighted that the testbed has enabled close collaboration between Dell Technologies and Analog Devices to build new IoT solutions quickly, reliably and securely.”
The POC IoT solution’s platform also allows for future integration of a broader range of sensing technologies to adapt to different mission profiles, including incorporation of precision inertial measurement units for dead-reckoning navigation in GPS-denied environments.
Analog Devices’ products, such as the ADIS16448 IMU, can augment the existing first responder platform with a fully integrated and calibrated sensor-suite (gyroscopes, accelerometers, magnetometers, and pressure sensor), capable of supporting infrastructure-less navigation in complex extreme environments.
Read more: Sensor Fusion Approach to Precision Location and Tracking for First Responders.