Search and rescue using ultraviolet radiation
View Patent ↗A system includes an ultraviolet c-band radiation detector to enable detection of radiation during search and rescue operations, at least a portion of the radiation including ultraviolet c-band radiation, and a stimulus generator configured to generate a stimulus in response to detected ultraviolet c-band radiation. Further embodiments may include multiple synchronized ultraviolet c-band detectors to enhance system sensitivity and facilitate detection of relatively weak radiation sources, relatively distant sources, and/or radiation scattered about an environment.
1. A system, comprising:
an ultraviolet c-band radiation detector to enable detection of radiation during search and rescue operations, at least a portion of the radiation including ultraviolet c-band radiation, and
a stimulus generator configured to generate a stimulus in response to detected ultraviolet c-band radiation; wherein the ultraviolet c-band radiation detector comprises:
a first ultraviolet c-band radiation detector;
a second ultraviolet c-band and radiation detector; and
a circuit for synchronizing the first and second ultraviolet c-band radiation detectors.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ultraviolet c-band radiation detector is a photoelectric gas discharge detector.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the stimulus includes at least one of: a somatosensory stimulus, an audio stimulus, or a visual stimulus.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the somatosensory stimulus includes a vibration stimulus.
5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a body for housing the ultraviolet c-band radiation detector and the stimulus generator, wherein the stimulus generator is configured to vibrate the body in response to detected ultraviolet c-band radiation emitted by a search and rescue beacon, a magnitude of the vibration corresponding to a direction of the search and rescue beacon relative to a longitudinal axis of the body.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising
a rescue beacon comprising:
a radiation source to emit the radiation.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the radiation source is an omni-directional radiation source.
8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an elongated body for housing the ultraviolet c-band radiation detector and the stimulus generator, the ultraviolet c-band radiation detector disposed at an end of the elongated body.
9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a reflector disposed at the end of the elongated body in proximity to the ultraviolet c-band detector, the reflector for reflecting ultraviolet c-band radiation incident thereon in proximity to the ultraviolet c-band detector.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first and second ultraviolet chard detectors disposed along an axis at which the reflector focuses the ultraviolet c-band radiation.
11. A hand-held device, comprising:
an ultraviolet c-band radiation detector to enable detection of radiation during search and rescue operations, at least a portion of the radiation including ultraviolet c-band radiation;
a stimulus generator configured to generate a stimulus in response to detected ultraviolet c-band radiation; and
an elongated body for housing the ultraviolet c-band radiation detector and the stimulus generator,
wherein the stimulus generator is configured to vibrate the elongated body in response to detected ultraviolet c-band radiation;
wherein the ultraviolet c-band radiation detector comprises:
a first ultraviolet c-band radiation detector;
a second ultraviolet c-band radiation detector; and
a circuit coupled to the first and second ultraviolet c-band radiation detectors, wherein the circuit synchronizes the first ultraviolet c-band radiation detector and the second ultraviolet c-band radiation detector.
12. The hand-held device of claim 11 , wherein the stimulus generator is configured to vibrate the elongated body in correspondence to a direction of a source emitting the ultraviolet c-band radiation relative to a longitudinal axis of the elongated body.
13. A method of search and rescue, comprising:
detecting ultraviolet c-band radiation emitted by a search and rescue beacon; and
generating a stimulus in response to detected ultraviolet c-band radiation to notify a user;
wherein the ultraviolet c-band radiation is detected using a first ultraviolet c-band radiation detector and a second ultraviolet c-band radiation detector, further comprising:
synchronizing the first and second ultraviolet c-band radiation detectors.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the ultraviolet c-band radiation is detected using a photoelectric gas discharge detector.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein generating a stimulus comprises:
generating a vibration stimulus to vibrate a hand-held device.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein detecting ultraviolet c-band radiation further comprises:
enabling determination of a direction of the search and rescue beacon relative to a user position.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the stimulus generator renders the stimulus corresponding to an angle between an axis representative of the direction of the search and rescue beacon relative to the user position and a field-of-view of an ultraviolet c-band radiation detector.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the field-of-view of the ultraviolet c-band radiation detector is oriented along a longitudinal axis of an elongated body used to house the ultraviolet c-band radiation detector.