Research Forum

Every year, many people suffer accidents in German waters. Critical situations often remain unnoticed, and valuable minutes are lost. Rescue teams are faced with the challenge of locating a person as quickly as possible under difficult conditions. The aim of the funded project “Intelligent personal positioning and real-time rescue system in water” is to technologically optimize rescue operations in bodies of water. The project is being funded with 143,000 euros over a period of more than a year.

Today’s rescue operations in water usually involve the deployment of boats or divers once the endangered person has been sighted; drones are also sometimes used. However, their options are limited if a person is already submerged. Currently, the greatest obstacles in the entire rescue process are the early detection of an acute emergency and the rapid location of a missing person.

The new funded project takes as its point of departure a comprehensive requirements analysis: Various bodies of water in Germany are being examined in terms of their characteristics – depth of visibility, flow conditions, bank structures, and typical usage scenarios. At the same time, existing rescue maneuvers are being analyzed in order to systematically identify weak points. By this means, specific requirements are being derived for the development of a new support system.

On this basis, the scientists are setting out to develop innovative sensor system concepts that appropriately supplement tried-and-tested classic methods. With an intelligent combination of sonar and camera data, persons can be detected both on and below the water surface. The use of modern sensor technologies with data-based evaluation will shorten search times, relieve the burden on emergency personnel, and increase the success rate of rescue operations. Modular prototypes are to be developed that can be flexibly adapted to differing locations and requirements. The aim is to devise a practicable, cost-effective solution with a wide range of potential applications in order to protect lives more quickly and reliably. Leben schneller und zuverlässiger schützen zu können.