Ready for the Next Storm: AI-Enabled Situational Awareness in Disaster Response
Abstract
Situational awareness during disaster response is critical as it enables the response community to rapidly and efficiently assist those in urgent need during the time-sensitive, acute phase of a disaster. New technologies can drastically improve the effectiveness of response operations: satellite imagery to quickly map the destructive path of a hurricane, social media tracking to identify communities of increased need, and computer modeling to predict the route of a wildfire to inform evacuations. The US government has prioritized implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) systems throughout the federal agencies, including those technologies that may assist in disaster response. In this report, we contribute a technological road map for delivering to the response community near- and more distant-future AI-enabled technologies that could aid in SA during disasters. By exploring current and historical technology trends, successes, and difficulties, we envision the benefits and vulnerabilities that such new technologies could bring to disaster response. Given the complexities associated with both disasters and AI-enabled technologies, an integrated approach to development will be necessary to ensure that new technologies are both science driven and operationally feasible.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 26, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1143415
Entities
People
- Jeff Freeman
- Jen D. Lambert
- Jeremy Ratcliff
- Kaitlin Lovett
- Megan O'connor
- Michelle Rose
- Sophia Oluic
- Tara Kedia
Organizations
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory