IT-Supported Management of Mass Casualty Incidents: The e-Triage Project

Voice, analogue mobile radio, and paper have been successfully used for decades for coordination of emergencies and disasters, but although being simple and robust this approach cannot keep pace with today’s requirements any more. Emerging and established digital communication standards open the door to new applications and services, but the expected benefit needs to be carefully evaluated against robustness, interoperability, and user-friendliness. This paper describes a framework for IT-supported management of mass casualty incidents, which is currently under implementation and study. The four pillars of the concept are handheld devices for use both in daily rescue operations and in disasters, autonomous satellite-based communication infrastructure, a distributed database concept for maximal availability, and psychological acceptance research

Overcoming barriers and increasing independence: service robots for elderly and disabled people

This paper discusses the potential for service robots to overcome barriers and increase independence of elderly and disabled people. It includes a brief overview of the existing uses of service robots by disabled and elderly people and advances in technology which will make new uses possible and provides suggestions for some of these new applications. The paper also considers the design and other conditions to be met for user acceptance. It also discusses the complementarity of assistive service robots and personal assistance and considers the types of applications and users for which service robots are and are not suitable

Implementación de tecnologías RFID e IoT inalámbricas en el Modelado de información de construcción (BIM)

ABSTRACT: The integration and installation of innovative Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies in combination with wireless Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in Building Information Modelling (BIM), assigned building elements, can create connectivity between the physical- and the virtual world. Beyond the identification of physical objects, further information can be connected, which can be made available to different user groups during the entire life cycle of the building structure. This provides a high level of transparency, in that by scanning the tagged building elements, complete associated information can be accessed and presented to users via applications, in visual and audio form. One use of an RFID and BIM-supported electronic guidance system, namely for the visually impaired, has already been investigated in my bachelor thesis at the University of Applied Sciences (Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen, THM). This Master’s Thesis focuses on the implementation of passive RFID technology into BIM models in combining them with open-source software applications. BIM represents the digital twin of building models in the digital world and can be linked to physical structures (buildings, roads, sewer systems and such others) and building materials (e.g. textiles, mineral and plastic floor coverings, concrete components) by integrating RFID tags. Connecting the parametric BIM models with the physical building elements by using RFID and wireless IoT technologies in a multi-platform application enables the BIM building models to be actively used throughout the life cycle of a building, not only by the facility management, but also by the public for various use cases. During the literature review, suitable software and hardware components were selected, and a prototype multi-platform application for a navigation and positioning system was developed as proof of concept for the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) file. (See Demo Version at https://opennavibim.herokuapp.com/ ). The challenge was to read the RFID tags in different installation scenarios. Depending on the installation situations (under, over or in the material), various requirements were specified for RFID tags and readers (RFID, handhold personal digital assistant “PDA”). In this field, further hardware developments are necessary.RESUMEN: Mediante la integración e instalación de la innovadora tecnología de identificación por radiofrecuencia (RFID, Radio Frequency Identification) en el modelado digital de información de construcción (BIM, Building Information Modelling), con la interconexión inalámbrica del internet de las cosas (IoT, Internet of Things), es posible crear una conectividad entre el mundo físico y el virtual. Más allá de la mera identificación de objetos existentes, esta conectividad permite incorporar información adicional, que puede ponerse en disposición de los diferentes grupos de usuarios que intervienen durante el ciclo completo de vida de la estructura de la edificación. Se consigue un alto de nivel de transparencia en ese traspaso de información, accesible por medio del escaneado de los elementos etiquetados en la edificación, al tener una completa información asociada que es presentada a los usuarios vía aplicaciones en formato visual o de audio. Una investigación en la aplicación de tecnología RFID basada en BIM para un sistema de navegación electrónica, destinada a personas con discapacidad visual, ha sido desarrollada en mi trabajo fin de grado en la Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas de Mittelhessen (THM). El presente Trabajo Fin de Master se centra en la implementación de tecnología RFID pasiva en modelos BIM combinados con aplicaciones de software libre. El modelo BIM representa el gemelo digital de los elementos de construcción en el mundo virtual, permitiendo establecer una relación del modelo con estructuras físicas (edificios, carreteras o sistemas de alcantarillado, entre otros) y materiales de construcción (por ejemplo, textiles, cubiertas de suelo minerales o plásticas, componentes de hormigón, …) por medio de la integración de etiquetas RFID. La conexión de los modelos paramétricos BIM con los elementos físicos del edificio, mediante el uso de tecnologías RFID e IoT inalámbricas en una aplicación multiplataforma, permite que los modelos de construcción BIM se utilicen activamente a lo largo del ciclo de vida de un edificio, no solo por la gestión de las instalaciones, sino también por el público para diversos casos de uso. Durante la revisión bibliográfica, se seleccionaron los componentes de software y hardware adecuados, y se desarrolló un prototipo de aplicación multiplataforma para un sistema de navegación y posicionamiento como prueba de viabilidad del concepto del modelo Industry Foundation Classes (IFC). (Véase la versión de demostración en https://opennavibim.herokuapp.com/ ). La lectura de las etiquetas RFID en diferentes en diferentes situaciones de instalación presenta un desafío, dependiendo de la instalación (debajo, encima o en el material) los requisitos impuestos a las etiquetas y lectores RFID son diferentes. Por lo tanto, es necesario seguir desarrollando el hardware en este ámbito.Máster en Ingeniería de Caminos, Canales y Puertos (Plan 2020

Exploratory study to explore the role of ICT in the process of knowledge management in an Indian business environment

In the 21st century and the emergence of a digital economy, knowledge and the knowledge base economy are rapidly growing. To effectively be able to understand the processes involved in the creating, managing and sharing of knowledge management in the business environment is critical to the success of an organization. This study builds on the previous research of the authors on the enablers of knowledge management by identifying the relationship between the enablers of knowledge management and the role played by information communication technologies (ICT) and ICT infrastructure in a business setting. This paper provides the findings of a survey collected from the four major Indian cities (Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Villupuram) regarding their views and opinions about the enablers of knowledge management in business setting. A total of 80 organizations participated in the study with 100 participants in each city. The results show that ICT and ICT infrastructure can play a critical role in the creating, managing and sharing of knowledge in an Indian business environment

Possibilities of Applying ICT to Improve Safe Movement of Blind and Visually Impaired Persons

Today’s level of the development of information and communication technologies enables the implementation of assistive technologies that can contribute to improved mobility of the persons with impaired vision (users that move along the traffic network). The user in this research has the role of a pedestrian moving along the traffic network, using information and communication technology (ICT) solutions and services for the purpose of information about the surrounding and navigation. In order to achieve greater information and safe movement of the user in the environment, one has to identify and define the relevant parameters necessary to define the user’s requirements, as the basic precondition for the design of new information and communication services. The analysis of the most used application solutions for mobile terminal devices showed the failure in providing precise information to the user, designing of functionality, structure of information and education of the users about the new solutions and services. The downsides of the current applications have served as the basis in defining the recommendations for the development of future applications, with the aim of increasing the user safety. Proper structure of information allows the user a faster and easier search of relevant information and information methods while moving along the traffic network elements. Therefore, the recommendations in designing future solutions and services based on possible technologies of short coverage area (RFID, NFC, Bluetooth, WiFi, RTLS) have been defined. These technologies allow communication connectivity of the users, other traffic entities and the entire traffic surrounding into a unique whole by using the principle of Internet of Things (IoT)