Search for victims in disasters

British scientists have invented a sensing device that can detect breath and body sweat, help detect survivors buried under rubble after earthquakes and bomb explosions.

According to Paul Thomas of Loughborough University in central England, this is the first scientific study of the sensory system that can help to find people who are buried.

Sensors work on the principle of detecting the metabolites of the body, or odors from the breath, sweat or urine.

In particular, the device can operate independently without the aid of laboratories, which can quickly detect signs of life for extended periods of time.

The use of this device avoids restrictions as compared to conventional dog training.

The function of the machine has been tested in practice by putting in twice the hard conditions compared to the actual disaster.

The experiment was conducted with the participation of eight volunteers in 5-6 hours a day, in a simulation when they were buried under ruined glass piles and solid concrete buildings.

Compounds from the body secreted by the volunteers, mixed with the material in the rubble mound, with continuous weather changes such as wet, hot, strong winds and change of direction. , to create a multitude of difficulties in the detection process.

But the sensor soon discovered carbon dioxide and ammonium compounds that the human body secreted from the air emitted from the holes of the rubble.

The device also quickly absorbed odors easily evaporated from other organic compounds emanating from the victims, such as acetone or isoprene, to increase the ability to detect high survivors.