Looking at the devastation in New Orleans, Louisiana and Mississippi, it looks bad. Although I only briefly got to 'know' someone from New Orleans by reading her blog, still there is the worry if she made it and everybody she knew as well.
And being so far away, and not being able to really offer help, makes one feel worse. Therefore, I offer this old idea. It is free.
There are satellites that can see temperature diffferences in the ocean. A human body has a temperature of 37 degrees celcius. That means that at night, when things have cooled down, towards the morning, on an infrared and/or thermographic photo, this difference in temperature would show.
It shows something we humans can't see. It would make it much easier to find people. Still it would be best to check every house, just in case, and if possible to note down where someone was found.
Although satellites with the necessary equipement might not be in the right orbit, or can only show a partial view, there is another source: UAVs.
Surley if a UAV can be sent up to track enemies or supicious people, then they can also watch New Orleans and Biloxi as well as other places. They should look especially for a temperature signature of 30-37 degrees. As human beings have a temperature of 37 degrees, looking in that range would show where there are still people located, and can greatly ameliorate search and rescue operations.
I don't really know who to contact to get a satellite or UAV up in the air. My hope is that one of you does. Because every hour counts.
In the future a 3-D simulation could be made, for example, by SGI, of every American city that is an area where natural disaster could occur. It could be used to simulate such events, and help in taking preventive actions. It could also help after a disaster had happened.
The person I 'know' is safe, but shocked, which is understandable, but others aren't safe yet. They need all the help they can get. If this helps them, the so be it. Don't mention my name, I dont't want fame because of other people's problems. I don't care about skin color, they're human, that is what counts.
Ed/Pub:LM
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Article comments
1 - Todd Jager
Nice idea, but this simply will not work. Airborne infrared systems are completely passive. Unlike radar, they emit nothing. They simply detect the infrared emissions from the outer surface of an object â€" in this case, the roof of a building. Passive infrared systems are completely incapable if detecting infrared emissions of human through a roof’s surface or walls. Even a group of 10 people in the attic of a home, would not sufficiently heat up the outer surface of a roof enough to be detected as an infrared heat anomaly. You may be able to detect some infrared emissions from that particular roof, but not enough to associate those emissions with live humans â€" particularly in summer time in the south.
We most certainly need to help these people, but detecting live humans in the attic of a building with airborne infrared is not the answer.
Todd Jager
San Diego Police Air Support Unit
2 - Floris Vermeir
so I was wrong, thanks for pointing that out. It makes me wonder if we can't make them so that in the future they will be of use.
Thanks for pointing that out.
3 - Jeff
But UAVs could be used to do video looks and they do have IR to ID people with a grid coordinate that could be called into rescue teams.
This provides more eyes than just manned helos.
4 - Floris Vermeir
Thanks. You're right, they do provide more eyes, and seeing the current situation, that seems to be what is needed. People can only do so much, and these things don't get tired.
You have then, so you should use them.
If you know somebody that could provide help, or get them be used,it would help those people. It would give an overview. Perhaps it would also be useful to appoint a council of elders that for the time being would be responsiblle for a group of people, and be held responisble for what those people do. Older people are often wiser, have more life experience, and people might listen to them.
It would only be temporarlily till things get settled.
It is sad that such a disaster has to happen before people start to think about ways of dealing wiht it, and/or preventing it.
5 - Floris Vermeir
what infrared could be used for also, is to use tools normally used in astronomy, that would look at a particular water vapour signature. When we breath, when we sweat, there is more then just water damp that evaporates.
If we can find out what that water vapour isgnature for huamns is, we might be able by zooming in using a lrge infrared telescope, to figure out where human beings are in attics. We might not be able to see there body heat, but infrared is used in detecting water vapour. And if a certian water vapour signature would be coupled to human beings, then it would make it easier, to find them.