Finding Victims Trapped in Rubble with NASA Radar Device

Quickly detecting living victims buried in rubble or other debris greatly increases their chances of rescue and survival. This is especially true in situations where there are multiple rubble piles or large extents of debris.

In partnership with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the DHS Science and Technology Directorate's (S&T) is developing Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response (FINDER). FINDER uses low-power microwave radar to detect the small movements from breathing and the heartbeat of a buried victim, even when the signal must pass through several feet of building debris and rubble.

FINDER supplements existing search and rescue techniques: it is a unique tool because it doesn't require a responsive or conscious victim and it isn't confused by animals or deceased human remains. This tool will be key to finding lost individuals in natural disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes.

For more information and to register, click here.

SPEAKER:

Jim Lux
Task Manager
Jet Propulsion Laboratory