Autonomous Field Deployed Forestrlkpci/PDFs/pittcon.pdf · DIRS Autonomous Field Deployed Forest...
1
DIRS Autonomous Field Deployed Forest Fire Sensors Abstract Abstract An autonomous forest fire detector (AFD) is a miniature electronic package combining position location ability (using the global positioning system (GPS)), communication (packet or voice-synthesized radio), and environmental detection capability (thermal, gas, radiation, optical emissions) into a small, inexpensive, deployable package. AFDs can now be made with commercial-off-the-shelf components. The AFD package would be deployed at a wildland fire site by airdrop or by workers on the ground. The AFD could operate as a data logger or sentry. Using current low-power electronics technology, an AFD could be made to operate for a number of weeks using a simple dry battery pack, and could be made to have a transmitting range of a mile or more with current radio communication technology. A receiver to capture the data stream from the AFD could be made as light, inexpensive and portable as the AFD itself. Inexpensive portable repeaters could be used to extend the range of the AFD and to coordinate many probes into an autonomous 'talk-only' network. The extension of the use of this electronic package to other remote environmental or security applications is straightforward. Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Laboratory Center for Imaging Science Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester NY 14623 www.cis.rit.edu/~dirs/ Networked AFD System Networked AFD System AFDs can communicate among themselves and to base units and firefighters on the ground. Each AFD can operate independently to detect fire within its effective detection radius. This level of networking and interoperability represents an advanced AFD concept. The detection radius depends on the severity of the fire, the sense gas/system employed on the AFD and prevailing weather conditions. Concept Concept In use, the AFDs would be dropped from a spotter plane or placed manually by fire crews over an area where a fire had previously been detected. The mechanical package of the AFD can be designed to be canopy penetrating (to descend to the forest floor) or canopy snagging (hangs in the upper branches of the canopy). The devices would periodically report their position and fire status to each other, a central receiver, or to radio receiving equipment provided to firefighters. After the AFD is deployed at the fire area, the device will determine its location (via their internal GPS receiver) and report its position and fire alarm status periodically. Two-way communication is provided by a commercial FM radio transceiver, so that AFD-to-AFD as well as AFD-to-base unit communication is possible. One option for communication is a digital link with a network protocol. A diagram of the communication links between the various units of the system is shown in Figure 1. The AFDs will periodically report their status to other units and a central control transceiver unit. On detection of a fire, the reporting AFD or AFDs will transmit an alarm to other AFDs in the area and to the central transceiver. Crews in the area can be alerted either directly from the reporting AFD, or through alarm messages that are relayed from the control transceiver. Prototype AFD Electronics Prototype AFD Electronics A- GPS Unit; B- Voice Synthesizer; C - 64 kByte Data Memory; D- Microprocessor; E- Themistor signal conditioning; F - 2 channel A/D; G - Serial Interface Simple AFD System Simple AFD System There are many other simpler communication configurations for AFDs. In this configuration, AFDs are totally autonomous, and report their fire alarm condition via a synthesized voice to firefighters using their VHF/UHF FM portable radios (‘handi-talkies’) . AFDs report at different times in order to avoid data collisions. The transmission times can be kept synchronized because of the high accuracy of the GPS clock. AFD Functional Block Diagram AFD Functional Block Diagram In this research version of the AFD, eight channels of data acquisition are employed along with a high precision temperature measurement sub-system. Data can be stored locally and downloaded later (in a data logger mode), stored in local memory and forwarded by radio on command, or transmitted immediately via a digital or synthesized voice interface. The version of the fire sentry will be tested on a prescribed burn in Baker City, Oregon in May. Bob Kremens, Ph.D Senior Research Scientist [email protected] www.cis.rit.edu/~rlkpci 585.475.7286 The FIRE Sensor Team Bob Kremens Andy Gallagher Adolph Seema Tony Vodacek
Transcript of Autonomous Field Deployed Forestrlkpci/PDFs/pittcon.pdf · DIRS Autonomous Field Deployed Forest...
DIRSAutonomous Field Deployed Forest
Fire SensorsAbstractAbstractAn autonomous forest fire detector (AFD) is a miniature electronic package combining position location ability (using the global positioning system (GPS)),communication (packet or voice-synthesized radio), and environmental detection capability (thermal, gas, radiation, optical emissions) into a small,inexpensive, deployable package. AFDs can now be made with commercial-off-the-shelf components. The AFD package would be deployed at a wildlandfire site by airdrop or by workers on the ground. The AFD could operate as a data logger or sentry. Using current low-power electronics technology, anAFD could be made to operate for a number of weeks using a simple dry battery pack, and could be made to have a transmitting range of a mile or morewith current radio communication technology. A receiver to capture the data stream from the AFD could be made as light, inexpensive and portable as theAFD itself. Inexpensive portable repeaters could be used to extend the range of the AFD and to coordinate many probes into an autonomous 'talk-only'network. The extension of the use of this electronic package to other remote environmental or security applications is straightforward.
Digital Imaging and Remote SensingChester F. Carlson
Center for Imaging ScienceChester F. Carlson
Center for Imaging Science
Digital Imaging and Remote SensingLaboratory
Center for Imaging ScienceRochester Institute of Technology
Rochester NY 14623
www.cis.rit.edu/~dirs/
Networked AFD SystemNetworked AFD SystemAFDs can communicate among themselves and to base units andfirefighters on the ground. Each AFD can operate independently todetect fire within its effective detection radius. This level of networkingand interoperability represents an advanced AFD concept. Thedetection radius depends on the severity of the fire, the sensegas/system employed on the AFD and prevailing weather conditions.
ConceptConcept
In use, the AFDs would be dropped from a spotter plane or placed manually by fire crews over anarea where a fire had previously been detected. The mechanical package of the AFD can bedesigned to be canopy penetrating (to descend to the forest floor) or canopy snagging (hangs inthe upper branches of the canopy). The devices would periodically report their position and firestatus to each other, a central receiver, or to radio receiving equipment provided to firefighters.
After the AFD is deployed at the fire area, the device will determine its location (via their internalGPS receiver) and report its position and fire alarm status periodically. Two-way communicationis provided by a commercial FM radio transceiver, so that AFD-to-AFD as well as AFD-to-base unitcommunication is possible. One option for communication is a digital link with a networkprotocol. A diagram of the communication links between the various units of the system is shownin Figure 1. The AFDs will periodically report their status to other units and a central controltransceiver unit. On detection of a fire, the reporting AFD or AFDs will transmit an alarm to otherAFDs in the area and to the central transceiver. Crews in the area can be alerted either directlyfrom the reporting AFD, or through alarm messages that are relayed from the control transceiver.
Prototype AFD ElectronicsPrototype AFD ElectronicsA- GPS Unit; B- Voice Synthesizer; C - 64kByte Data Memory; D- Microprocessor; E-Themistor signal conditioning; F - 2 channelA/D; G - Serial Interface
Simple AFD SystemSimple AFD SystemThere are many other simpler communication configurationsfor AFDs. In this configuration, AFDs are totallyautonomous, and report their fire alarm condition via asynthesized voice to firefighters using their VHF/UHF FMportable radios (‘handi-talkies’) . AFDs report at differenttimes in order to avoid data collisions. The transmissiontimes can be kept synchronized because of the highaccuracy of the GPS clock.
AFD Functional Block DiagramAFD Functional Block DiagramIn this research version of the AFD, eight channels of data acquisitionare employed along with a high precision temperature measurementsub-system. Data can be stored locally and downloaded later (in adata logger mode), stored in local memory and forwarded by radio oncommand, or transmitted immediately via a digital or synthesizedvoice interface. The version of the fire sentry will be tested on aprescribed burn in Baker City, Oregon in May.
Bob Kremens, Ph.D
Senior Research Scientist
www.cis.rit.edu/~rlkpci
585.475.7286
The FIRE Sensor Team
Bob Kremens
Andy Gallagher
Adolph Seema
Tony Vodacek
