Using Body Sensor Networks for Increased Safety in Bomb Disposal Missions

Bomb disposal manned missions are inherently safetycritical. Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) technology potentially offers an opportunity to increase the safety of the operatives involved in such missions through detailed physiological parameters monitoring and fusion of “health” information. Wearing heavy armour during bomb disposal manned missions may have side effects that, due to reduction of the body’s ability to regulate core temperature in the enclosed environment of the suit, lead to uncompensable heat stress and thus impair the technician’s physical or mental ability. Experimental trials have shown no obvious relationship between temperature of any single skin site and the core temperature nor between single point temperature and subjective thermal sensation (usually associated with comfort). Also, core temperature alone may not yield indicators of danger sufficiently early. This paper proposes to integrate a body network of temperature sensors into the bomb disposal s...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2008
• Where: SUTC
• Authors: John Kemp, Elena I. Gaura, James Brusey, C. Douglas Thake
• Keywords: Bomb Disposal, Core Temperature, Disposal Manned Missions, Sensor Networks, SUTC 2008