Drone rescuer

2019: Announcement

At the end of October, 2019 researchers from Australia and Iraq provided the drone which can distinguish living people from the dead.

Scientists worked long ago on cameras which could estimate signs of life at the people who were injured disaster. Using the new equipment for remote observation of vital signs, engineers from the University of South Australia and the Average technical university in Baghdad developed the system of computer vision which can distinguish the survived people from 4-8 meters which died at distance.

Researchers from Australia and Iraq provided the drone which can distinguish living people from the dead

If the upper body of the person is visible, such cameras are capable to catch the tiny movements of a thorax indicating heartbeat and breath. Unlike the previous models, a system does not react to change of skin color or body temperature. Researchers claim that their system is more exact sensor of signs of life, thermal imaging cameras are capable to detect signs of life only where the contrast between the body temperature and a background is noted that complicates registration in the warm environment or in the presence of the warmed clothes.

The chief researchers, professor Javaan Chahl and the doctor Ali Al-Naji, provided a drone rescuer prototype in 2017 when for the first time showed that the camera on the drone can measure heart rate and breath. At that time their technique was based on changes of a shade of skin of the person, and the camera had to be in limits of three meters from the victim. Besides, the drone worked with the only pose — the standing person whereas in a disaster zone victims usually lie.

The new technology can be used for search of survivors in disaster zones. A system still needs additional testing in adverse weather conditions.^[1]

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