NASA Tech Deployed To Earthquake Areas

After the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria, the countries have been trying to bind up their wounds. Rescue teams are still working to save people’s lives, although it has been for several weeks.

NASA’s disaster relief teams employed "FINDER" equipment to identify the body’s tiniest motions caused by essential life functions in Turkey, which was mainly affected by the earthquake.

The device uses microwave signals to penetrate collapsed buildings and identify trapped victims' breathing patterns and cardiac rhythms.

Engineers based at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California designed the system after flaws in rescue capabilities emerged in the wake of Haiti's 2010 disaster.

The development team spent years refining the sensors that identify human vital signs among background interference.

The technology distinguishes people from animals and filters mechanical vibrations from rescue equipment. Body movements as small as one millimeter from heartbeats register on the device's sensors.

"Your body moves a millimeter when your heart beats. Because the rubble itself isn't moving, we can separate those motions out. Then, we look to see if the motion shows both heartbeats and respiration," Jim Lux, who managed the prototype development, told Interesting Engineering.

The portable units conveniently fit inside standard protective cases that emergency personnel are already familiar with. Thanks to this design choice, rescue workers can quickly integrate the technology into their existing protocols without struggling through a learning curve.

Florida company SpecOps Group now produces commercial versions of the original NASA design. The transition from laboratory prototype to field equipment took several years.

The technology gives rescue teams precise location data that expedites victim recovery. Faster rescues mean more survivors can return home to their families.