e112: A Context-Aware Mobile Emergency Communication Platform Leveraging Smartphone Sensing and Cloud Services

TL;DR

e112 is a smartphone-based emergency response platform that uses context-awareness, cloud services, and user-centered design to improve communication and safety during disasters.

Contribution

The paper introduces e112, a novel, user-friendly mobile emergency app integrating sensing, cloud, and community features for better disaster management.

Findings

High user satisfaction and usability in emergency scenarios.

Robust performance and accessibility demonstrated through evaluations.

Enhanced communication between citizens and authorities during disasters.

Abstract

This paper presents e112, a context-aware mobile emergency response application designed to strengthen communication between citizens and authorities during disasters. Building on the ubiquity of smartphones, the system provides SOS requests, incident reporting, customized alerts, evacuation guidance, and moderated community interaction, supported by a cloud-based back end and an operator dashboard for situational awareness. A user-centered design approach guided our development, ensuring clarity and usability under stressful conditions. Evaluation through usability studies and technical audits demonstrated high user satisfaction, robust performance, and accessibility. The results show that a simple, well-designed mobile application can significantly enhance emergency preparedness and response, reducing risks to human life during climate change--driven emergencies.