Reza Nourjou proposes creating an algorithm and mobile GIS system to optimize the formation of urban search and rescue teams. The system would use distributed, autonomous software agents on volunteers' mobile devices to communicate their availability, location, and skills to match them with tasks based on an incident commander's guidance. It would need to account for the critical timing of responses, volunteers' locations, need for collaboration from different places, and varying individual capabilities. A scenario is described of the system coordinating a search for a missing teenager across Brooklyn to minimize the total operation time. Future work involves implementing the coalition formation algorithm and a collaborative map interface on mobile devices.

1. CyberGIS All Hands Meeting 2015, Washington DC. September 2015
Mobile GIS to Form Urban Search and Rescue Teams
Reza Nourjou, Ph.D.
Director of Geo Content
BeamSmart Inc., Washington DC, USA
reza.nourjou@beamsmart.com
Objective
We want to create an algorithm for a system that will optimize search
volunteers’ availability, location, and ability for the task, that takes into
account the commander’s guidance.
Approach
We propose a System of Distributed, Autonomous GIS, whereby
autonomous software agents owned by potential team members
communicate with each other, and employ problem-solving algorithms.
DAGIS is used on mobile devices such as smart phones, with a geo-data
server that stores the data for data sharing.
Team Formation Problem is Complex Because
Timing is Critical
•Team members need to be available when called
•Team members need to be able to participate throughout the duration of
the crisis
•Some might get injured or need to be replaced
Location
•People will be in different locations at the time of the call
•Each will need to find the crisis site individually
•Need to work together from different locations
Collaboration
•Commander will be in charge of the team
•Team members will collaborate on the task
Individual Capability
•Differs among team members
Use-Case Scenario
A teenager has gone missing in the middle of
the night in Brooklyn, New York, and 6 Field
Units are sent to find her in locations of the city
suspected to be where she has been taken.
The Incident Commander and each of 6 Field
Unit helpers run our distributed, autonomous
GIS application. The application will minimize
the total operation time via our heuristics-based
coalition formation algorithm.
Field Units communicate what they find during
the task to the Incident Commander. The
Commander learns that the area south of
Atlantic Ave is clear, and messages Field Units 3
and 4 to join Field Units 6 and 2 respectively, to
search in pairs.
ur GIS application can be run by the Incident
Commander offsite if wireless connectivity is
lacking, although the Field Units will not be able
to participate.
Future Work
We will implement the coalition formation
algorithm and develop this mobile application,
with a collaborative-map interface, using as a
model the interface from the beamSmart
Company.
Judith Gelernter, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Information Technology Laboratory (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD, USA
gelern@nist.gov
Figure: beamCitizen (Next Generation Public Safety
Communications) application powered by beamSmart.
Screen shows a map at right with urban crisis area, and
photo at left at the scene of the crisis.