Eliane Bodanese from the EECS Networks Group is leading "Using Wireless Networks to Support First Responders and Resilience in Upland Areas" one of two pilot projects selected for funding by IT as a Utility Network+
IT as a Utility Network+, one of four challenge areas under the Research Councils UK Digital Economy theme, has selected two projects for funding from their first pilot project call. Eliane Bodanese’s project “Using Wireless Networks to Support First Responders and Resilience in Upland Areas”, joint with Cambridge University, will support rescue operations in the Lake District.
This project addresses the challenges of achieving rapid and resilient communications between civilian mobile devices and outside agencies such as first responders in remote regions. The challenge is in creating real self-forming and self-configuring networks using off the shelf smart phones when no infrastructure is available for example in upland areas that contain many “dead” zones that are blind to radio and cellular radio communications. Furthermore, there is also a need for the integration of information in real time regarding emergency (e.g. flooding) status that is usable for community response. The project will collaborate with the existing rescue teams and infrastructure already in place in the Lake District to develop a proof of concept which will have the potential for further development.