Rapidly deployable satellite communications for emergency situations: the WISECOM trials

This paper presents a general overview of the WISECOM (Wireless Infrastructure over Satellite for Emergency Communications) system, focusing on the trials performed on a specifically developed demonstrator during a live simulation of a disaster event. The WISECOM system is intended to rapidly deploy a complete communications infrastructure in the early hours after a disaster occurs through the integration of several terrestrial networks, such as GSM, WiFi, WiMAX and TETRA, with satellite systems, such as Inmarsat BGAN and DVB-RCS. In order to test the fulfilment of the different capabilities that are required by the system, a demonstrator has been designed, implemented and finally used in a simulation scenario. The architecture of the developed demonstrator is described introducing two versions of the system intended to be used in the different phases after the disaster event. The work details the different capabilities tested on the WISECOM demonstrator, before and during the live simulation, taking into account the drawbacks of already existing solutions for communication in emergency scenarios and analysing the achieved improvements. The main aim of the system is to provide victims and members of rescue forces with voice and data services, such as transmission of images and Location Based Services, in order to improve the coordination of rescue operations and reduce the necessary time until victims receive a proper treatment

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

Sometidos a esclavitud: los africanos y sus descendientes en el Caribe Hispano

Con autorización de la editorial para este libro. La edición estuvo a cargo de Consuelo Naranjo Orovio.Sometidos a esclavitud: los africanos y sus descendientes en el Caribe hispano contribuye al estudio de la historia Atlántica en la que la esclavización de millones de africanos fue uno de principales factores que generaron e impulsaron el desarrollo del mundo moderno. La formación de redes comerciales, compañías mercantiles y negocios particulares contribuyeron a conectar mundos y a hacerlos interdependientes. Junto a las mercancías, individuos y productos, viajaron ideas y tradiciones que fueron tejiendo la historia atlántica. En ella, la esclavización, los esclavizados y los afrodescendientes fueron y son partes destacadas, como muestra su legado presente de las culturas americanas. Estos estudios de la obra se suman a investigaciones que, desde distintos países, proyectos, grupos de investigación y enfoques, se están realizando sobre un tema tan rico, diverso y complejo como es la esclavitud atlántica. El espacio temporal que recorren los capítulos se prolonga en el tiempo como lo hizo la trata y el sistema esclavista. Lo mismo ocurre con los territorios afectados por este fenómeno. Su cartografía es una larga sombra que se expande por el mundo atlántico desde el siglo XVI hasta las últimas décadas del siglo XIX. Distintos actores y puntos de África, Europa y América emergen como protagonistas del sometimiento, el comercio y la esclavización de más de doce millones y medio de africanos.Este libro se inserta en el proyecto europeo Connected Worlds: The Caribbean, Origin of Modern World. This project has received funding from the European Union´s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska Curie grant agreement Nº 823846. This project is directed by professor Consuelo Naranjo Orovio, Institute of History-CSIC.Peer reviewe

The Benefits of Alerting System Based on Standardised Libraries

The understanding of the alert content and trust by the recipients can be influenced by the alert message composition. This paper discusses advantages and disadvantages of an alert library based method to compose alert messages that aims at achieving harmonized alert messages all over Europe in terms of content and style. Additionally, it develops on further advantages by making use of the storage and processing capabilities of state-of-the-art receiving device, based on the alert library method to compose alert messages

TETRA Backhauling via Satellite: Improving Call Setup Times and Saving Bandwidth

In disaster management scenarios with seriously damaged, not existing, or saturated communication infrastructures satellite communications can be an ideal means to provide connectivity with unaffected remote terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA) core networks. However, the propagation delay imposed by the satellite link affects the signalling protocols. This paper discusses the suitability of using a satellite link for TETRA backhauling, introducing two different architectures. In order to cope with the signal delay of the satellite link, the paper proposes and analyzes a suitable solution based on the use of a performance enhancing proxy (PEP). Additionally, robust header compression (ROHC) is discussed as suitable technology to transmit TETRA voice via IP-based satellite networks

Design of an Enhanced Interface for Composition of Alert Messages: Methodology and Results

Alerting the population during crisis using available communication systems can significantly reduce the impact of emergency situations. However, the understanding of the alert and trust by recipients is influenced by the alert message content and style. It is therefore desirable that alert messages are formulated with sufficient information and in a style that eases understanding of the message and fosters trust, so that the recommended protective actions are actually undertaken. Within the EU Alert4All project, an alert message dispatcher is being currently implemented, which disseminates alert messages through multiple communication systems in a harmonized manner, fostering best practices in the formulation of alert messages in a user-friendly manner. The design of the dispatcher features and graphical user interface was supported by a field practitioner workshop with participants from different European countries. This paper describes the workshop methodology, its results and the impact on the message dispatcher design

Effectiveness Evaluation Model for Public Alert Systems

Effectiveness of alerting systems can be understood from different points of view, varying from the economic standpoint to the operational perspective. This paper presents a method for evaluating the effectiveness of public alert systems, assuming they are effective if the alert messages can be properly received and understood by the population at risk. Only under these conditions, the population at risk can be informed about the facts and the recommended protective action to be taken. The chosen approach for this analysis is a qualitative/quantitative method to evaluate the capability of different communication channels used to alert the population to fulfill a number of requirements and understand their complementarities if a multi-channel approach is adopted