Innovative Communication System for Disaster Relief

Communication can be a crucial component that supports relief programme during the time of a disaster. Yet, when the terrestrial networks are damaged severely, communication becomes difficult. As a solution to this problem, researchers from six different institutes have worked together and invented a wireless communication infrastructure which depends on human mobility for communication. The low-cost system is named as project DiSARM or Post Disaster Situation Analysis and Disaster Management. Researchers from six Indian institutes which include, IIT Kharagpur and IIM Calcutta have worked for over three years on this project which is funded by Information Technology Research Academy.

The system works on peer-to-peer networking principle where humans act as data carriers. When the terrestrial communication systems are down, smartphones can connect with one another through an app with WI-FI. The victim can transfer data from the smartphone to volunteer’s phone and from there the data can move from one person to another. The researchers believe that this can help greatly in managing resources and planning relief programme during the time of disaster.

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