Transcript ashley
Rip Current Detection System a proposal to stop beach drownings Ashley Casper CS 410, Fall ‘2008 September 15, 2008 The Problem: Rip Currents in Natural Waters The annual number of deaths due to rip currents on U.S. beaches exceeds 100. Rip currents account for over 80% of rescues performed by surf beach lifeguards. Rip currents can attain speeds as high as 8 feet per second. Ocean City, MD, for example, reports between 2,000 and 4,000 rescues a season, largely due to rip currents. With increasing coastal populations, rip currents will continue to be a serious hazard at surf beaches. Baltimore Sun: http://www.baltimoresun.com/travel/beaches/bal-beach-safety,0,857903.htmlstory?coll=balbayandbeach-utility National Weather Service: http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/ The Problem: What Are Rip Currents? Rip currents are powerful, channeled currents of water flowing away from shore. They extend from the shoreline and past the line of breaking waves. National Weather Service: http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/ The Problem: Why So Dangerous? Rip currents can act quickly; knee-deep water one moment can turn into an unstoppable pull past comfortable waters. Too many swimmers panic despite knowing what to do if caught in a rip current. Lifeguards save lives, but cannot necessarily predict rip current locations or see potential warning signs. Swimmers who swim in the evening without a lifeguard present cannot know surf conditions while on the beach. Baltimore Sun: http://www.baltimoresun.com/travel/beaches/bal-beach-safety,0,857903.htmlstory?coll=balbayandbeach-utility Beaufort Gazette: http://dwb.beaufortgazette.com/local_news/story/6923632p-6188198c.html The Present System: Surf Zone Forecasting NWS forecasting spans large areas of coastline, and risks are defined as low, moderate, or high. “Research is also being conducted in order to develop and improve the ability to predict the occurrence and strength of rip currents.” - NWS Forecast is communicated to lifeguards, emergency management, media, and the National Weather Service Rip Current Forecast: http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/forecasts.shtml general public. The Future Solution: Real-Time Detection Hardware includes underwater sensors, PDAs, and electronic displays. Mapping software enables lifeguards and swimmers alike of the exact location, size, and intensity of rip currents. Live website updates and live alerts to cell phones would enhance coverage area. The Future Solution: Benefits and Problems Lifeguards will have a better idea of troublesome areas, focusing their watches where swimmers need it most. Evening swimmers would be able to identify troublesome areas themselves. Live alerts would inform parents or friends of forming rip currents, giving their loved ones time to get out of the water. The system itself does not save lives and requires competence with technology. The corrosion of underwater sensors is possible and may reduce their lifetime. Underwater Lifetime andsensor costnetworks: of such systems is undetermined at this time. acoustic research challenges: http://users.ece.gatech.edu/tommaso/papers/underwater.pdf The Market: Who Should Care? Visitors spent nearly $889.9 million in Virginia Beach in 2007. Over half of all tourist dollars are spent in the summer months. Overnight visitors to Virginia Beach in 2007 totaled 2.73 million. “Travel and tourism [remain] vital to… economic stability.” 2007 Virginia Beach Tourism Economic Impact Study: http://www.vbgov.com/file_source/dept/cvd/Documents/2007_VB_Tourism_Economic_Impact_Study.pdf VB.gov: http://www.vbgov.com/vgn.aspx?vgnextchannel=22d77e192ca49010VgnVCM100000870b640aRCRD The Market: Competition and Conclusion “Research is also being conducted in order to develop and improve the ability to predict the occurrence and strength of rip currents.” – NWS Proposed solutions are non-existent. Current “solutions” merely inform swimmers about dangers and how to survive a rip current. Beach drownings, however, remain a serious problem despite public education and forecasting. The market is ripe for technology to tackle this problem. National Weather Service Rip Current Forecast: http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/forecasts.shtml Questions? References 2007 Virginia Beach Tourism Economic Impact Study: http://www.vbgov.com/file_source/dept/cvd/Documents/2007_VB_Tourism_Economic_Impact_Study.pdf Baltimore Sun: http://www.baltimoresun.com/travel/beaches/bal-beachsafety,0,857903.htmlstory?coll=bal-bayandbeach-utility Beaufort Gazette: http://dwb.beaufortgazette.com/local_news/story/6923632p-6188198c.html National Weather Service: http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/ National Weather Service Rip Current Forecast: http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/forecasts.shtml Outer Banks Vacation Guide Beach Safety Tips: http://www.visitob.com/outer_banks/trip/rip_currents.htm/ Underwater acoustic sensor networks: research challenges: http://users.ece.gatech.edu/tommaso/papers/underwater.pdf VB.gov: http://www.vbgov.com/vgn.aspx?vgnextchannel=22d77e192ca49010VgnVCM100000870b640aRCRD