To distill an accurate location from the jumble, WPI researchers
have adopted algorithms used in two other detection
technologies—synthetic aperture radar and computed tomography
(CT) scanners—both of which develop images from multiple
antennas or sensors. In the case of WPI’s application, an array
of receivers, each about the size of a briefcase, would first
have to be positioned around a structure when crews arrived at a
scene. The WPI location tool is, however, “not ready for prime
time,” developer James Duckworth says, noting that it must
produce reliable data before it’s handed to firefighters, as
even slightly inaccurate location data “can actually make a
situation worse.” A separate location tracking technology,
however, is already being deployed. Developed by TRX Systems, it
is called TRX Sentrix. This system also relies on a small unit
carried by the user, but it starts with a known GPS-based
location determined before entering a structure. Sensors inside
the unit—including a gyroscope, accelerometer