IIT Madras' new tech to map indoor environments to aid disaster relief operations

The breakthrough technology, called 'UbiqMap', is especially vital for first responders during disaster relief operations as traditional infrastructure often becomes inaccessible or unreliable during public safety emergencies.

Its affordable, portable design makes it accessible to a wide range of users. The system can also work alongside existing tools like cameras, providing a more complete solution for indoor mapping and localisation.

"Public safety incidents, particularly search and rescue operations, are often hindered by lack of accurate and up-to-date indoor building plans. Even when maps are available, they typically fail to capture real-time dynamics essential for effective mission planning during disasters," said Dr. Ayon Chakraborty, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Madras.

"Our technology offers first responders a robust and portable tool to image indoor environments without dependence on visual line of sight or extensive computational resources, making it an invaluable asset in complex, time-critical scenarios," he added.

UbiqMap leverages radio frequency-based imaging to create detailed maps of indoor environments via a technique called 'Radio Tomographic Imaging' (RTI).

The RTI systems traditionally rely on a network of wireless transceivers deployed at fixed, known locations. As these transceivers communicate, the wireless signal strength weakens when obstructed by structures. This reduction in signal power is analysed to reconstruct the structural layout or floor map of the area.

The tech then introduces a dynamic and portable approach by removing the dependency on pre-installed infrastructure.

Instead, it employs wearable transceivers that can be easily body-worn by rescue personnel.

As team members move through the environment, these devices automatically determine their positions and continuously update the floor map, providing an accurate and real-time layout of the area.

In the long term, UbiqMap holds the potential to become a foundational technology for smart cities and autonomous systems, enabling advanced mapping operations in complex indoor environments, said the researcher, in the paper published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing.

"Public safety incidents, particularly search and rescue operations, are often hindered by lack of accurate and up-to-date indoor building plans. Even when maps are available, they typically fail to capture real-time dynamics essential for effective mission planning during disasters. Our technology offers first responders a robust and portable tool to image indoor environments without dependence on visual line of sight or extensive computational resources, making it an invaluable asset in complex, time-critical scenarios," Chakraborty said.