Addressable Radios for Emergency Alert AREA: Early Warning: Challenges, Options

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Addressable Radios for Emergency Alert
(AREA)Early Warning Challenges, Options
Solutions

• S.Rangarajan and Mala Rao
• WorldSpace Satellite Radio
• srangarajan_at_worldspace.com, mrao_at_worldspace.com

Making Communities Disaster Resilient 11 December
2007 GK3 CONFERENCE
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Global System RequirementsEarly Warning Delivery

• To be addressed by country, group, tier and also
  the current location of the receiver
• To be delivered with a latency of less than 10
  seconds once the message is sent out
• To automatically trigger a siren/alarm even if
  the receiver is not under use
• The receiver should display text and also
  automatically switch to audio information in a
  local language
• Should cater to diverse requirements/infrastructur
  e ranging all the way from a sophisticated
  weather office, down to a fisherman out at sea
• Should go beyond conventional modes of
  communication and supplement/complement other
  technologies
• Should survive even under most hazardous
  conditions power failures
• Should be re-used for the daily requirements of
  the community (entertainment, agriculture,
  health, training etc)
• Should be economical even when there is a
  scattered population
• Should adopt the Common Alert Protocol (CAP)-
  International standards for all hazards, all media

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WorldSpace Satellite Coverage
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Applications of WorldSpace Satellite System
Data Multicasting

• File Broadcast Services
• Provides for the distribution of files to all
  recipients of a CUG

• Audio
• Direct delivery of multiple channels of Pre
  recorded/ Live Audio to compact receivers

Data stream transmission Provides the
distribution of data streams to all recipients of
a CUG. E.g. Stock Markets or News Streams
Combined Live Audio Slide Show
(CLASS) Synchronous, live instructor lead
classroom
Distribution of Emergency Alert
Messages Selectively addressable, secure,
reliable and instantaneous
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All Hazard Warning via WorldSpace Satellite
Event Sensors
Radio or Land lines
WorldSpace Satellite Uplink CAP format
To AREA Receivers
Warning Centers


Satellite Coverage Area
CAP formatting, Audio in Multiple Languages
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WorldSpace AREA Solution

• Existing Space Ground segment.
• Extensive coverage
• Small, portable, affordable receive equipment.
• Works even when the terrestrial broadcast
  infrastructure may get knocked off by the Hazard.
• Alert in time and in local languages.
• Reach beyond conventional modes of communication.

Ideal for Real Disaster Management on a large
scale
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AREA Solution Features

• Alert signal generated by Authorized agency, as
  per CAP (Common Alert Protocol) format
• Signal uploaded by a secure web interface to
  WorldSpace uplink server
• Inserted as a message into WS channel, addressed
  by group or country or location
• XML output for delivery to other media.
• Interface for audio-capture (local language).
• Insertion of audio on WorldSpace channel.
• Command to remotely switch the audio channel.
• Specially designed WS radio (AREA) all the time
  looking for an alert message
• AREA connects to an external box via USB to
  provide
• More extensive display
• Operate a relay to trigger a siren when the
  alert arrives
• Interface with a GPS receiver for
  geo-referencing of the alert.

Normal Radio transforms to Disaster Radio as
needed. AREA is activated whether the radio is
being used or not.
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States of AREA receiver
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Portfolio of Services

• Text only Trigger the alarm and display the CAP
  parameters as text on the AREA receiver
• Text plus Switch to one of WS channels Trigger
  the alarm and display the CAP parameters as text
  on the AREA receiver Switch to an existing BCID
  like CNN or a data channel like RANET
• Text plus shared Disaster Audio channel Trigger
  the alarm and display the CAP parameters as text
  on the AREA receiver Switch AREA to play the
  Disaster Audio channel in which the Alert
  provider can insert audio announcements relating
  to the Disaster (including in local languages)
• Text plus Dedicated Audio channel The alert
  provider leases from WS a dedicated 16 kbps audio
  channel the content of which is maintained by the
  alert provider 24X7, with a CUG encryption for
  this audio. At the onset of alert the designated
  AREA receivers trigger the alarm, display the CAP
  parameters as text and switch to playing the
  dedicated audio channel.

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Addressable Radio for Emergency Alert
AREA-B
AREA-A
AREA-M
AREA-C
Alert Generation
Different configurations to suit different needs
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AREA-A

• AREA-A is a configuration that connects
• to the USB port of a computer.
• Supports all audio and data services
• of WorldSpace.
• Onset of alert is indicated by a
• computer- generated siren.
• Displays all the alert parameters (mandatory
• optional).
• Can support audio/data download even during
• the alert state.
• Can support text-to-speech for the alert
• description.

Ideal for Airports, Harbors, NGOs First
Responders
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AREA-C

• AREA-C is ideal for community deployment.
• Immunity to loss of mains power
• at the time of the alert.
• 7 AH battery can be recharged
• by mains or Solar.
• External siren controlled by a relay
• that is closed by the WorldSpace signal.
• Can be connected to Public Address system.
• Additional box displays all the alert parameters.
• Radio plays the remotely selected audio channel
• that carries authentic information.

Ideal for remote locations, beaches, Community
Centers Worship places
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AREA-M

• AREA-M is meant for mobile users.
• Through the external box
• a GPS receiver is connected.
• The box displays the current location of the
  receiver
• before the onset of alert.
• The alert is triggered only if the current
  location
• of the receiver is within the alert zone
  defined by the sender.
• Can be powered by the vehicle power supply
• and it does not use the external battery and
  siren.
• Ideal for the travelers on land and sea.

Ideal for trucks, ships, boats vessels
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Global Acceptance

• Indonesia has 3 nodal agencies (BMG, KomInfo
  Ristek) and all 3 have agreed to work jointly to
  include AREA in Banten pilot (Dec 26, 2007) to
  comply with Federal Disaster Law (passed in May
  07)
• Asia Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), an
  Inter-governmental agency with 22 member
  countries has requested partnership with us to
  promote AREA in the member countries
• Sarvodaya, a leading NGO, has drafted an MOU with
  the government of Sri Lanka (DMC) that includes
  sharing Sarvodayas AREA solution to the
  government for Early Warning
• NDWC, Thailand has accepted the technical
  capabilities of AREA and included it in a
  competitive tender
• World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is
  testing AREA solution in parts of Africa

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Key Successful Demonstrations

• NDWC, Thailand
• IMD, India
• DMC, Sri Lanka
• Pacific Corp, Thailand
• Ristek, Indonesia
• KomInfo, Indonesia
• Meteorological Dept, Malaysia
• Demos and presentations given to
• 50 government representatives
• 20 Non govt entities (UN, ADPC, etc)
• 100 Private companies
• Request for pilots/bids received from India
  (local Govts), ITU on behalf of Pacific Island
  Countries, Thailand, Indonesia ( Local Govts),
  Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, multiple agents
  and Private Companies.

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Advantage AREA

• Scalability
• Coverage already exists and so easy to roll out
  services.
• Being a broadcast service, cost per site
  decreases as the network grows.
• Possibility of expanding to other geographical
  areas.
• Possibility of expanding to multiple sectors,
  like education or health.
• Sustainability
• Does not require technical expertise to install,
  operate or maintain.
• Can be configured even in places with poor or no
  Electric mains supply.
• Would survive adverse environmental conditions.
• Independent of terrestrial, telecom and Internet
  availability.
• Affordability
• Lower initial cost than any other satellite-based
  system.
• Lower recurrent costs.
• Cost can be spread across multiple projects as
  the system can be reused.

A single system for multiple Alert providing
Agencies like Police, Local governments,
Healthcare etc.
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In Summary

• The challenge of Emergency Alert is unique
• Distribution over vast geographical areas
• Multiplicity of Disaster events, Multiple sources
• Need for coordination among multiple departments
  agencies
• WorldSpace AREA offers
• Selective Addressability Controllability
• Immediate wake-up by siren buzz
• Text and Audio messages
• A common system for multiple alert providers
• Field-tested Ready-to-go

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The added advantage .

• The audio capability AREA Receiver
• Can be effectively used by the community during
  non-alert times for broadcasting information on
  health, education, agricultural practices etc.
• Provide training sessions in handling emergencies
• Provide access to entertainment

Thus effectively integrating the device as a part
of the communitys daily lives
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THANK YOU