DISASTER INFORMATION-GATHERING SYSTEM USING CELLULAR
PHONES WITH A GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM
Makoto OHYA, Junsaku ASADA, Naoaki HARADA
Ryo MATSUBAYASHI, Motoshi HARA, Ryuichi TAKATA
Matsue National College of Technology
Masahiko NAITO, Masamitsu WAGA,
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Toshitaka KATADA
Gunma University

ABSTRACT: The authors propose a means of gathering disaster information by using cellular phones
equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS). When a disaster occurs, adequate information is anecessity and we believe that this system will improve both information gathering capacity and ability toreact to the situation. Currently fax and telephones are the main tools used to collect and disseminate data but
it takes a long time to send a message. Also further operations are required to share the information among
administrations. We have developed two tools for the disaster information gathering system. One is an input
support system using Java Programming and the other is an information reception mail-server that
automatically generates a disaster information database. The electronic data recorded includes informant,position, time and comment on the disaster. The significant attributes of this system are that an electronic
database is automatically generated from a GPS locator equipped cellular phone and that the database candisplay by using Geographic Information System (GIS). We confirmed the feasibility of our system by test
demonstration. We are also developing a system to support immediate communication under disasterconditions.
KEYWORDS: disaster information, GPS, GIS
2005 (H.Hayashi et al., 2005), are fresh in our

1. INTRODUCTION

memory. There are some problems in the case of
In recent years, the importance of improving disasterheavy rain disasters. Especially, the timeliness of anprevention and mitigation capacity in local regions

administrative action is as important as action in

has increased because disasters have exceeded thetimes of disaster. It is important to grasp accurate

scale

management

information quickly and to share the information

authorities. A number of countries suffer many

among administrators. Also, adequate information

disasters such as floods and earthquakes. For

makes it possible to reduce damage in times ofinstance

Niigata-chuetsu

disaster or of impending disaster. Currently fax andearthquake in October 2004 (K.Konagai et al., 2004)

telephones are the main tools for collecting andand the catastrophic hurricane Rita in September

disseminating data but it takes a long time to send apredicted

thebyscenes,

theofdisasterthemessage. Also further operations are required togenerates a disaster information database. The

sharesignificant attributes of this system are that antheinformation

among

thevariousadministrative bodies.

electronic data base is automatically generated fromIn this study, the authors propose a new

the GPS locator equipped cellular phone and that theinformation gathering system using GPS-locator

database is able to display by using GIS. The system-equipped-cellular

is shown in Figure 1.

phonesandaninformation

reception mail-server (M.Ohya et al., 2005). We callthis system the JAM System (Joho Automatic

2.1 Cellular Phone Positioning Method

Mapping System). We have developed two tools for

There are three methods relevant to positioning inthis disaster information gathering system. We

the GPS locator equipped cellular phone. The firstbelieve that it will improve both information

methodisindependentpositioning.

However,gathering capacity and ability to react to the situation. atmospheric conditions must be good. The second
We are also developing a system to support

method of positioning combines GPS reception data

immediate communication under disaster conditions

with information from base stations. The third(J.Asada et al., 2005).

method is positioning using only base stations.
The JAM system uses the first method because thepositioning accuracy is better than that of the others.

2. JAM SYSTEM SCHEMA

However, the positioning is not possible outside theThe JAM System uses a cellular phone equipped

limits at the communication area, since thewith a GPS locator and communicates by E-mail.

calculation of the basic line analysis and so on, areThis system utilizes two tools; one is an input

done in the base station server of the GPS locator

support system using Java and the other is anequipped cellular phone.

information reception mail-server that automatically

Source of disaster information
GPS satellite network

Disaster information
Informant

Disaster information
Database is displayedin GISGPS locator – equipped
cellular phone

Automatically
The message
with disasterinformation

The electron database
DBreuse

The received mail is automaticallyconverted to the database.

Figure 1 JAM System Image

The internet

2.2 Method for Acquiring Position Informationitem from a pre- registered list of menus with

There are three general methods for getting position

options to cover a wide range of physical and otherinformation.

conditions.

(1) The mail message including the positional

the informant pushes the send-key in the application

information.

and the standard mailer of the cellular phone comes(2) The positional information by using URL

into operation. The disaster information selected byincluding CGI.

the application is written to the mail message and(3) The positional information and accompanying

includes position information. The informer sends

information by using Java programming or Brew

the message and attached photographic image to theprogramming.

disaster information server by E-mail (see Figure 1).

After inputting the disaster information,

The mail is automatically diverted to the disasterIn this exercise we adopted Java programming in

information database in the mail-server by theconsideration of the development of the input

program developed by the authors (M.Ohkubo,support application. The third method is adopted in1999). This program starts as soon as the mail-server

this system.

receives the mail. The disaster information is stored
in text form, and the decoded image file is stored as

2.3 Disaster Informationa JPEG file in the specified folder. Stored data is

In this system, position, photographic images andavailable as GIS data. By utilizing GIS, the disaster

reports on disaster conditions are treated as disastersituation can be easily assimilated on the map when

information. The input support application wasa disaster covers a wide area.

developed for cellular phones to enable input of
supplementary

information

correct

creates data which can be utilized on GIS and, that it

judgments may be difficult to make, based only on

can display the disaster situation with the image

image information. The input method adopted forphotograph and the position on the map. An example

comment on disaster conditions isof the GIS display is given in Figure 2.

The list of the disaster information(informant time, photo, comment etc.)

becauseFeatures of this system are that it automaticallyto choose an

Sources of disaster information
appear as buttons on the GIS
Display.

Figure 2 Example of the Disaster Information Display on GIS

input3. INPUT SUPPORT APPLICATION

disasterinformationbyselectinga

pre-registered item. The informants must download
River management authorities would utilize the input

this application to each individual cellular phone

support application. The authors also consider thatbeforehand.

the informants should be leaders of local disasterAs an example of the activity report, a patrol

prevent organizations or employees of local generalreport and a levee protection activity report areconstruction companies act as informants in theassumed as shown in Figure 3. In addition, theevent of a wide area disaster (J.Asada et al., 2003).

disaster information transmission flow by emulator

The input support application was developed using

is also shown. The GPS locator is automaticallyJava to allow easy input of disaster information. In

activated after the input of disaster information, andthis application, the method adopted is to choose tothe standard mailer gets started.

Abnormal Condition report
Select Activity Type
PatrolActivity Report

Levee Conditions

Crack

Water Flow Conditions

Slope Collapse

Facilities and Structures Conditions

RuptureHigh River Level Conditions

etc….

Infiltration Condition near River
Land-use near River

Flood Protection

Response Procedures

Select the disaster
information from eachdetail items

Flood Control Activity Technique

Activity Status

Input somedisaster information

GPS Locator

Figure 3 Input Support Application written by Java Programming

Thanks to the cooperation of the Izumo Office ofEducation and Drill on JAM System
for the disaster information collection

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, wewere able to select key words for disaster informationthat were extracted from actual patrol reports during
previous levee protection activities.

Prior preparation part

River Chugoku Regional Development Bureau,

4. JAM SYSTEM FLOW

Web-page accessInformer Registration
Java Application download

Occurrence or prevision of disasters
Start the disaster information gathering

The flow diagram of the proposed JAM System isshown in Figure 4. The system is composed of threeStart the application in the disaster fieldequipped cellular phone and mail-server.

Firstly, it is necessary to train likely informantsand have them practice using the system. The
informants must also register with the JAM System..
Thisensures

thereliabilityof

thedisaster

information on the database. Prior preparation iscompleted when the application is downloaded fromthe Web-server onto the cellular phone.
Thedisasterinformantstarts

providingOperation part of the GPS locator-equipped cellular phoneparts; prior preparation, operation of the GPS locator

information in response to a request from the disaster

Activity Report
Selection

FloodProtectionPatrol

End of the disaster item selection
The GPS locator startStandard mailer of phone start
Photo shoots and attaches to E-mailMail sendcountermeasure headquarters or by a procedure
discussed and agreed in advance of a disasterThe operating procedure for the cellular phone isbriefly explained as follows. Initially, the Javaapplication is activatedMail server partoccurring.

Mail Received

and the type of activity

Extract the disaster information fromthe E-mail automatically( only the registrant )Create the disaster information DB

report is selected, for example a patrol activity reportor flood protection activity report. The informant

Utilization of the disaster
information by GIS

then chooses the appropriate information items andpushes the send button. The standard mailer in theFigure 4 JAM System Flowcellular phone comes into operation after theposition is identified by the GPS locator. The

photograph from the body of the E-mail and creates

position and disaster information are written to thethe disaster information database. This server will

mail message. Finally, the informant sends theonly accept E-mail from cellular phones registered inE-mail with attached photograph to the mail server

the system.

attached to this system.
The mail server we established automaticallyextracts the disaster information and attached

Information

5. CONCLUSIONS

NetworkbytheLocal

GeneralConstructors, Journal of the Disaster Information,
In this paper, we have proposed a disaster

No.1, pp.70-77, 2003 (in Japanese)

information-gathering system that uses a cellularphone equipped with a GPS locator. The feasibility

J. Asada and M. Ohya et al. : An immediate actionof the present system was confirmed by testsupport system to operate in real time duaring

demonstration. The conclusions drawn from thisdisasters, The proceedings of the 60th JSCE Annual

research are as follows.

Meeting (CD-ROMS), CS9-006, 2005 (in Japanese)

1. The present system is able to create a disaster
information database automatically, and that theK. Konagai et al. : 2004. Mini Special Topics I, II,database is available in GIS over a network.

Publication Civil Engineering, JSCE, Vol.89, No.12,

2. Through test trials, we have confirmed thepp.3-46 (in Japanese)

potential of the proposed JAM System but thereis still room for improvements.

M. Ohkubo, 1999. E-Mail utilization method in the3. By using the information collected here, we
propose the development of a system which

generation of cellular phone, UNIX USER, Vol.8,
No.6, Soft Bank Publishing, pp.27-48 (in Japanese)

supports immediate communication during adisaster is carried out simultaneously.
4. A natural

disasterstrikes

whenM. Ohya and J. Asada et al. : Development of thepeoples’

Automatic Database System for the Disastermemories of the previous one have faded. So theInformation, The proceedings of the 60th JSCE

disaster information system must be a system

Annual Meeting (CD-ROMS), CS9-007, 2005 (inutilized not only in times of disaster but also beJapanese)

available on a regular basis.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to express sincere
appreciation to many people of Izumo Office of River
Chugoku Regional Development Bureau, Ministry ofLand, Infrastructure and Transport and the Japan

Society of Civil Engineering.
REFERENCES
H. Hayashi et al. : 2005. Mini Special Topics,
Publication Civil Engineering, JSCE, Vol.90, No.11,
pp.33-56 (in Japanese)
J. Asada, M. Ohya, R. Takata and T. Katada : An
Examination on the Efficiency of the Disaster