Systems, Methods and Devices for the Rapid Assessment and Deployment of Appropriate Modular Aid Solutions in Response to Disasters.

Abstract

The invention relates generally to systems, devices and methods for global disaster response, more particularly to the rapid detection, qualified assessment and monitoring of disasters and electronic triage of victims, communication, alert and evacuation systems, provision of suitable modular sensing or medical aid solutions, and their rapid deployment via delivery platforms such as disaster messaging formats and resources on client mobile phone applications or physically via remote operated vehicles (unmanned aerial sea or land systems) or targeted air delivery.

1 . A disaster response system (DRS) comprising a communication and monitoring environment (CME) in optional combination with modular aid solutions (MAS) or a deployment system (DS); where said communication and monitoring environment comprises communication infrastructure capable of data exchange such as via pre-caching, real-time or delayed transmission, from and between central command or distributed information resources and a plurality of client devices in the field comprising at least some of sensor devices, wearable monitoring units, mobile phone or computing devices. 
     
     
         2 . A disaster response system according to  claim 1  where said data exchange makes use of a compact short message service format, where said format is further codified by means of a disaster messaging standard (DMS) being a means of key codes that can be expanded by reference to previously cached or stored local data resources. 
     
     
         3 . A disaster response system according to  claims 1  and  2  where said code expansion is by means of a Disaster Markup Language (DML) which enables a mark up or visualization of key features and resources. 
     
     
         4 . A disaster response system according to  claims 1  and  2  where said data resources may include selectively include information maps, disaster resource ontologies, evacuation routes, emergency resources, medical advice, body maps for electronic triage assessment, damage assessment and reporting resources. 
     
     
         5 . A disaster response system according to  claims 1  and  2  where said disaster messaging standard (DMS) may be used via a software application on said client device for capturing field data or a user driven data entry, which may selectively include dynamic monitoring of an environmental variable or vital sign, categorizing and facilitating coding and prioritization of a disaster need, coding according to a disaster resource ontology, electronic medical triage of a victim needs, coding and compressing disaster site assessment data such as photographs audio or text reports, coding of medical data or medical resource usage. 
     
     
         6 . A disaster response system according to  claims 1  and  2  where said disaster messaging standard (DMS) may be used by an incident command resource to selectively broadcast a set of locally specific instructions to said client devices in the field, or to authenticate and authorize information access from a previously cached or local data resource, or to prioritize information allowed to be sent or received across a limited or damaged communication infrastructure. 
     
     
         7 . A disaster response system according to  claims 1  and  2  where said previously stored local data may selectively be information previously stored on the client device, geo-local information locally cached on the client device on entering a zone or building, data available in an external local disaster data resource point, data relating to a building or transport system, data relating to hazardous material, data relating to a specific disaster category, data relating to a deployed modular aid solution. 
     
     
         8 . A disaster response system according to  claims 1  and  2  in combination with a modular aid solution (MAS) being a wearable electronic bracelet suitable for providing services in support of medical triage, where said services may selectively include some of tagging, tracking, recording of electronic data, accessing medical details, recording of treatment status, medical prioritization, monitoring of vital signs and other biological or environmental tests. 
     
     
         9 . A disaster response system according to  claims 1  and  2  in combination with a modular aid solution (MAS) being a first aid diagnostic kit and selectively comprising basic first aid materials, medical diagnostic tools, medical information resources, means to monitor material usage, means to codify and report by means of the disaster messaging standard (DMS). 
     
     
         10 . A disaster response system according to  claims 1  and  2  in combination with a modular aid solution (MAS) being an intelligent medical kit comprising a plurality of modules for different medical resource and diagnostic needs together with a local communication and computing resource for accessing and facilitating medical treatments. 
     
     
         11 . A disaster response system according to  claims 1  and  2  where said modular aid solutions (MAS) can be rapidly directed and delivered to an incident site by means of a deployment system (DS); where said deployment system for data based modular aid solutions may be by means of the communication and monitoring environment; and where said deployment systems for physical modular aid solutions maybe selectively by means of pre-deployment in the field such as via vending machines, resource points in buildings, retail outlets or emergency locations, or by means of dynamic deployment systems such as a localized air drop, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) or robotic deployment means. 
     
     
         12 . A first aid diagnostic kit according to  claim 9  where said diagnostic tools selectively comprise tools for EKG/ECG (electro-cardiography), Oximetry, pulse and blood pressure monitor, USB ultrasound, and where said diagnostic kit is formed in modular manner suitable for easy portability, pre-deployment such as in a vending machine, or physical deployment into a disaster site by means of an air-drop or UAV. 
     
     
         13 . A intelligent medical kit according to  claim 10  formed from a series of modules and a back-bone capable of rapid configuration for a disaster site or type or for re-configuration based on gathered triage data received via the disaster messaging standard to prioritize volumes or specific medical resources needed based on casualty assessment, and said diagnostic kit may be suitable for easy portability or physical deployment into a disaster site by means of an air-drop or UAV. 
     
     
         14 . An intelligent medical kit according to  claim 10  comprising a computing and power back-bone and series of modular aid solutions and selectively comprises a computing device, docking point for PDA with medical tools (such as diagnostic device, medical calculator, pulse timers, prescription dosage assessment), slave low energy display screen preferably formed from a low energy e-ink or OLED material, wireless radio communication means, extendable processing capability such as a reconfigurable FPGA or XMOS processor, battery power back, renewable power solutions such as photovoltaic material, mechanical generator or fuel cell, voltage converters and USB hub for data/power connectivity, lighting solutions such as portable LED or OLED light panels, basic telemedicine support, RFID link with patients RFID or short range communication bracelets, RFID tag on devices and RFID reader and built-in inventory management software, tagged tools such as EKG, blood pressure and USB based diagnostic devices, AED (automated external defibrillator) and disposables (bandages, drugs, fluids, tourniquets, splinters). 
     
     
         15 . A deployment system according to  claim 11  where field data is gathered from a network of deployed sensors or modular aid solutions deployed to a disaster site, and reported by means of a communication platform deployed to a disaster site, or carried on a UAV. 
     
     
         16 . A monitoring environment via a deployment system according to  claim 11  where field data is gathered from client devices being mobile phones carried by end-users which capture and record an environmental property being selectively temperature, vibration, chemical property or vital sign, and where said overall data exchange can be used by an incident command to understand the geographic nature of a disaster. 
     
     
         17 . A monitoring environment via a deployment system according to  claims 11  and  16  where said data tracks vibrations, and via software means can detect and report correlated vibration signatures implying an earthquake or shock event, and preferably location damage such as impact or collapse status of the immediate building or location to enable an incident command to understand the geo-specific and likely building collapse status within an earthquake disaster site 
     
     
         18 . A disaster response system according to  claims 1  and  2  in combination with an incident control and backend management system comprising software, algorithmic analysis and visualization means.