What is the project about?
Every year, thousands of lives are lost due to unexpected incidents and emergencies. In 2021, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported that 3,800 civilian deaths were caused by fire in the USA alone. More recently, the Maui wildfire, which started in August 2023, has been reported as one of the deadliest in US history, claiming over 100 lives and leaving over 1,000 people missing. According to NFPA, the majority of fire deaths are caused by smoke or smoke inhalation and not fire burns. Due to poor visibility, individuals become trapped and unable to escape. When cell towers are involved, phone services are interrupted. And with limited or no visual cues, victims may only be able to shout for help. Unfortunately, emergency responders face a significant challenge in detecting victims due to the obscurity and exposure to hazardous gases. These challenges collectively limit the overall effectiveness of the rescue operation.
In this project, our goal is to harness the advancements in deep learning, computer vision, imaging, and sensor technology to develop an intelligent drone system with integrated capabilities to detect individuals in smoky environments, while providing crucial situational awareness, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency of the emergency responders. We hope that the outcome of this project can help responders in finding people in situations such as the Maui fire.
How can the drone see through smoke?
The drone is equipped with a thermal camera that detects heat signatures of the human body, allowing it to see through smoke. Additionally, the computer vision module employs image preprocessing techniques to enhance image quality and minimize interferences in detection. Flying at an appropriate altitude allows for a broad view and within allowable temperatures. To enhance this capability, we plan to boost the drone’s heat resistance by employing protective shielding enhancements.
Invitation To Emergency Responders and Experts
We have had the privilege of engaging with the Baton Rouge Fire Department and ExxonMobil personnel. Their support has been instrumental, emphasizing the significance of partners and experts in driving our project forward.
We invite institutions and experts from the emergency response community and industry to engage with our project. Your valuable insights and advisory role will play a pivotal part in helping us achieve our goal.
If you have firsthand experience, technical knowledge, or insights into the challenges and are passionate about improving emergency response, your support is highly valued. We are eager to connect with you. If you are interested in joining our efforts or providing guidance, please reach out to us via the emails provided below.
Why are donations necessary?
By donating to this crowdfunding campaign, you can help transform an innovative idea into a system with the potential to save lives. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), under their University Student Research Competition (USRC), has selected this project for a grant award. Your support not only provides crucial funding but, in essence, aligns you with our collective goal of bringing the project to fruition. Every donation would contribute towards the successful development of the intelligent drone system. Additionally, the campaign would enhance our learning experience, engage the community in research, and strengthen the connection between NASA Aeronautics and the community.
Personal Message
We are a team of dedicated graduate students from the Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School at Louisiana State University. We are passionate about this project as we believe it has the potential to utilize technology to safeguard lives. Team members: Jones Essuman (jessum1@lsu.edu), Tonmoy Sarker (tsarke1@lsu.edu), and Samer Tahboub (stahbo1@lsu.edu). With the guidance of our mentor, Dr. Xiangyu Meng, we will work towards developing our intelligent drone system capable of detecting people in smoky environments. For more information, please contact us via email.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your generosity in contributing to preserving lives. We also extend our appreciation to NASA for providing us with the invaluable opportunity and the grant award, which will greatly contribute to the realization of our project. Additionally, we would like to thank the LSU Office of Sponsored Programs, the LSU Foundation, and the Baton Rouge Fire Department for their support.