Conducting a Large-scale Field Test of a Smartphone-based Communication Network for Emergency Response

TL;DR

This paper reports on a large-scale field test of a smartphone-based emergency communication network, providing real-world data on user behavior and mobility during a simulated disaster to improve future emergency response systems.

Contribution

It presents the first large-scale real-world dataset combining user interaction, mobility, and sensor data for emergency response scenarios, moving beyond simulation-based assessments.

Findings

Collected data from 125 participants during a disaster simulation

Provided detailed analysis of user mobility and interaction patterns

Facilitated future research with comprehensive real-world emergency response data

Abstract

Smartphone-based communication networks form a basis for services in emergency response scenarios, where communication infrastructure is impaired or overloaded. Still, their design and evaluation are largely based on simulations that rely on generic mobility models and weak assumptions regarding user behavior. For a realistic assessment, scenario-specific models are essential. To this end, we conducted a large-scale field test of a set of emergency services that relied solely on ad hoc communication. Over the course of one day, we gathered data from smartphones distributed to 125 participants in a scripted disaster event. In this paper, we present the scenario, measurement methodology, and a first analysis of the data. Our work provides the first trace combining user interaction, mobility, and additional sensor readings of a large-scale emergency response scenario, facilitating future research.