Satnav Enhances Medical and Emergency Response Efforts

Satnav Enhances Medical and Emergency Response Efforts
by Erica Marchand
Paris, France (SPX) Jul 18, 2024

Satellite navigation has evolved far beyond providing travel directions. Its applications now include search and rescue operations, agriculture, autonomous vehicles, sports, and even healthcare. ESA's Navigation Innovation and Support Programme (NAVISP) is pivotal in helping European companies develop satnav-powered solutions for emergency response and healthcare.

While commonly associated with navigation and directions, satellite navigation is increasingly recognized as a critical tool in various fields, including the health sector. NAVISP provides funding, technical support, and a community of experts to assist in creating innovative solutions using satellite navigation technologies.

Positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) technologies are essential for locating individuals in need, optimizing routes for first responders, tracking pandemics, delivering medical supplies, and monitoring patients remotely. The potential for these technologies to improve medical treatments and reduce response times in emergencies is immense. NAVISP plays a crucial role in supporting the development of these innovative solutions.

For instance, with NAVISP's support, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft (DE) is exploring the integration of biosensors and satellite navigation through their project BIO.PNT. This initiative aims to identify use cases for combining these technologies, such as the 'lab-on-a-chip' concept, a portable microchip performing lab functions. Challenges include miniaturizing components and devices for wearability or implantation and extending battery life.

Hertz Systems (PL) is developing GEO-CARDIO, a product designed to enhance emergency services by providing the location and basic medical information of individuals with implanted cardiovascular devices like pacemakers and defibrillators.

Help me in Distress (HiD), an application developed by ITTI (PL), enables timely and coordinated crisis reporting, monitoring, and response to save lives. It collects data such as blood type, gender, age, and conditions, along with the person's coordinates, and sends this information with the emergency call to other users.

Ensuring the accuracy and reliability of global satellite navigation systems is critical for emergency response. These systems can be compromised in challenging environments like urban canyons, underground areas, or indoors, reducing their precision. To address this, ESA is working to enhance the robustness of Galileo. Several NAVISP projects are also focused on developing solutions to ensure resilience, constant availability, and real-time updates.

Pathfinder, developed by Sistematica (IT) and partners, is an independent communication system for operating a fleet of aerial, terrestrial, and underwater semi-autonomous vehicles during emergencies. This system uses cooperative positioning with a master drone acting as a communication hub between civil protection authorities and the fleet. Data from Pathfinder enhances situational awareness for rescue teams, personnel, and assets, aiding response planning.

GMV NSL (UK) created a proof-of-concept platform combining satellite navigation with low radio frequency technologies, enabling continuous navigation in and out of hard-to-reach areas where satnav alone is insufficient.

For more information, visit the NAVISP webpage