Cell Phone Early Warning System
November 9, 2009
A happy quack to my colleague in the Near East for pointing me to “Cellphone Alert System Expected in 2 Yrs.” The point of the story is that Israel’s home front command “will be able to calculate the precise location of an impact zone, and alert residents in an affected neighborhood via their cellphones.” I also noted this passage:
Soffer [Israeli official] said that 90 percent of the civilian casualties sustained by Israel during the Second Lebanon War and Operation Cast Lead in Gaza involved people who were struck by projectiles while they were in open areas away from buildings. Civilians who seek cover in designated safe zones during rocket attacks are not likely to be wounded or killed…
Interesting use of “push, real-time mobile technology in my opinion.
Stephen Arnold, November 9, 2009
I was at the Jewish Community Center last night but I had to pay to get in. I don’t think that counts as payment for this write up. To be safe, I will alert the Jefferson Country Animal Control Office.
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3 Responses to “Cell Phone Early Warning System”
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Will this system be able to distinguish between residents who live in the affected neighborhood but who are elsewhere and people visiting? Can the system note people on the move, who by the time of strike, will be out of range? Can such a system be used to monitor, for instance, public bus or train positions?
Sperky –
My understanding of this technology is that it relies on the proximity of the phone to a transmission mast / cell centre. Phones indicating their position as being within the cell will be warned but those that aren’t, won’t. It’s similar to the mobile push ads which can tell which phones are close to (say) a specific retail outlet and send them offers etc.
The system would not be able to predict when phones are moving in or out of an area, but would be able to monitor vehicle positions if they are equipped properly. (In many countries buses’ positions are monitored so that passengers can be told how long they have to wait for a bus to arrive)
Martin Griffies: Thank you for your explanations!