Device promises to locate missing people
Marie Donlon | June 25, 2024According to its developers, the device, dubbed Lifeseeker, promises to aid Search and Rescue (SAR) teams in locating missing people in a matter of minutes. The device is designed exclusively for use with SAR helicopters and it uses missing people’s cellphones to locate them, the company noted.
Source: CENTUM Research & Technology
To accomplish this, the Lifeseeker device serves as a miniature cellphone tower to communicate with missing people — as long as their cellphone is on — and it can even work in regions with limited or no cellphone service. The radio-based technology can be easily attached inside a helicopter in just minutes, the company added.
“As we detect the phone, basically a blotch shows up on the map, and as we fly around that area, that blotch gets smaller and smaller and smaller until we can see exactly where they are,” Dr. Tim Durkin, a SAR program coordinator for Colorado Highland Helicopters, explained.
Once missing persons are located using the device, SAR teams can send ground crews to the missing person’s location or land the helicopter depending upon conditions.
For more on the Lifeseeker device, watch the accompanying video, which appears courtesy of CENTUM Research & Technology.