Session S1G 0-7803-6424-4/00/$10.00 © 2000 IEEE October 18 - 21, 2000 Kansas City, MO 30 th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference S1G-13 DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUTOMATED CRASH NOTIFICATION SYSTEM: AN UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE Hampton C. Gabler 1 , Robert R. Krchnavek 2 , and John L. Schmalzel 3 1 Hampton C. Gabler, Rowan University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Glassboro, NJ 08028, gabler@rowan.edu 2 Robert R. Krchnavek, Rowan University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Glassboro, NJ 08028, krchnavek@rowan.edu 3 John L. Schmalzel, Rowan University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Glassboro, NJ 08028, schmalzel@rowan.edu. Abstract – This paper reports on a multidisciplinary undergraduate research project to design, develop, and test a low cost Automated Crash Notification system. The completed in-vehicle system combines wireless communications and Global Positioning Systems with a network of silicon accelerometers to detect a serious automotive collision and automatically summon Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to the crash site. The paper discusses the results of the development effort, the multidisciplinary nature of the project and the undergraduate team, and the challenge of balancing contractual commitments and ensuring a rewarding undergraduate research experience. INTRODUCTION With the advent of trauma centers, the fatality rate of persons reaching a hospital after a car crash has dropped dramatically over the last twenty years. However, nearly 20,000 crash victims die every year before ever reaching the hospital [1]. Undoubtedly, some fraction of these deaths result from catastrophic crashes. However, many of these deaths can be attributed to the failure of EMS personnel to reach the victim during the so-called “Golden Hour” after the accident when emergency medical treatment is most effective. National statistics clearly show that despite a growing wireless communications network and the availability of medivac transport, the time to notify emergency personnel of a crash and respond the crash victims can be quite lengthy. For fatal crashes in the U.S., the average pre-hospital time is approximately 30 minutes in urban areas and 1 hour in rural areas [2]. Currently, emergency personnel must rely on passing motorists, highway patrols, and traffic reporters to report crashes. Often the individual reporting the emergency may not know where he or she is, let alone be able to direct help to his or her location. These delays can be especially lengthy in rural, relatively unpopulated, areas where a crash site may go undetected for hours – and occasionally days. Crucial to getting help to a crash victim is prompt notification that (a) a crash has occurred, (b) the location of the crash, and (c) some measure of the severity or injury- causing potential of the collision. Automated Crash Notification Systems capable of performing many of these tasks have been installed as expensive options on a limited number of high-end luxury cars. The OnStar System, for example, costs $700 for installation, carries a $200-400 annual fee, and is currently offered only for select General Motors models [3]. FIGURE 1 T HE OBJECTIVE OF AUTOMATED CRASH NOTIFICATION IS TO IMPROVE EMERGENCY RESPONSE T IMES The idea behind Automated Crash Notification is to equip cars with a crash sensor which can detect that an accident has taken place, and automatically notify the emergency medical personnel of the severity and precise location of the accident. Once activated, an Automated Crash Notification system would automatically transmits a signal to a 9-1-1 dispatch center, where an electronic map pinpoints the signal location. Precise location of the traveler in trouble enables rapid emergency response. More advanced sensors can also estimate the injury-producing capability of the crash. The first estimates of the number of potential lives saved by ACN technology are 3000 lives per year [2]. Under the sponsorship of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, Rowan University has undertaken a research effort to design, build, and test a low cost Automated Crash Notification system that combines wireless communications