Research on advanced communication environment for shelters in large-scale disasters

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This research sheds light on communication needs of evacuees in shelters during post-disaster period and advocates that it is essential to develop a completely new communication service for those in shelters to maintain communication channels with those outside shelters as well as with those in other shelters. We then present assumptions and requirements in developing such service and show a service and system concept, termed"Shelter Communication System(SCS)". SCS is composed of a computer(termed Shelter Server) connected to the Internet and a set of personal computers(termed shelter PCs), one in each shelter, also connected to the Internet via an appropriate Internet access connection such as High Speed Packet Access(HSPA). Shelter Server and Shelter PCs cooperatively provide a message communication service for those in shelters and those outside shelters. A multi-hop wireless network was built and SCS service was provided for a shelter using a developed SCS prototype in Higashi-Matsushima City on the occasion of disaster recovery after March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake.