When people are trapped, time is the deciding factor between life and death. Buried victims should be located within 72 hours if possible. The EU project CURSOR project has set itself the goal of optimizing search operations over the next two years using state-of-the-art technology and is also being supported by the Austrian Armed Forces.
A total of 15 European and one Japanese partner are working within the framework of CURSOR to carry out rescue operations faster and more efficiently. New technologies such as special miniature robots, drones and innovative sensors are being used. Among other things, radar drones with integrated bioradar make it possible to distinguish between strong body movement and breathing, as well as to determine the position of the buried person and thus optimize the planning of further operational steps.
To this end, task forces from various European countries contribute the necessary practical expertise and work hand in hand with the research institutes. The project partner ISCC (International Security Competence Centre GmbH) based in Baden near Vienna, for example, has the task of assembling the drone fleet and adapting it to the requirements of the emergency services. To this end, extensive drone field tests were carried out in Felixdorf over two days at the end of August. The Austrian Armed Forces, specifically the Office of Armaments and Defense Technology (ARWT), supported ISCC in carrying out the field tests by making its firing range in Felixdorf available as a training ground. Debris cones made of concrete, bricks and wood were erected over a concrete tube. The concrete tube contained a “breathing dummy” made of plastic, whose chest movements were controlled electrically.
A key objective of the project is to develop an innovative CURSOR SaR kit that is mobile, quick to deploy and easy to use. In addition, CURSOR focuses on reducing the time required for SaR personnel and equipment deployment, for situation assessment during urban SaR operations and for on-site disaster relief. As part of the project, the measurement sensitivity of the radar drone for certain materials and layer thicknesses is also being determined.
“Providing rapid assistance in an emergency is something our soldiers are no strangers to. The Austrian Armed Forces have been supporting the work of ISCC since May and are one of three certified drone testing centers in Europe. With its research and technical expertise, the Armaments and Defense Technology Agency is also an indispensable part of the Austrian Armed Forces. I am therefore all the more pleased that the Austrian Armed Forces are so committed to supporting companies that work on such important and innovative projects,” said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner.
The waste wood required for the test set-up was provided by FCC Austria Abfall Service AG. “As a supplier of raw materials to industry, we are delighted not only to be making an important contribution to the economy and the environment, but also to be able to help save valuable human lives in the future by supporting this specific project,” says Freddy Pinteritsch, Head of Material Management at FCC Austria Abfall Service AG in Austria.
The H2020 project is funded by the European Commission with seven million euros and by the Japan Science and Technology Agency with 0.5 million euros (Grant Agreement No. 832790). Fifteen European partners and one Japanese partner are participating in the project, which runs until the end of August 2022.
