Using body sensor networks for increased safety in bomb disposal missions

Bomb disposal manned missions are inherently safety-critical. Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) technology potentially offers an opportunity to increase the safety of the operatives involved in such missions through detailed physiological parameters monitoring and fusion of "health" information. Wearing heavy armour during bomb disposal manned missions may have side effects that, due to reduction of the body's ability to regulate core temperature in the enclosed environment of the suit, lead to uncompensable heat stress and thus impair the technician's physical or mental ability. Experimental trials have shown no obvious relationship between temperature of any single skin site and the core temperature nor between single point temperature and subjective thermal sensation (usually associated with comfort). Also, core temperature alone may not yield indicators of danger sufficiently early. This paper proposes to integrate a body network of temperature sensors into the bomb disposal suit. The paper describes an in-network sensor data fusion and modelling approach that estimates the overall thermal sensation for the suit wearer, in real time, based on the multi-point temperature data. The case is made for performing the modelling in-network on the basis of reducing communications with the remote mission control point and to better support actuation of an in-suit cooling system. It is also argued that thermal sensation indicators are more useful to present at an on-line remote monitoring station than individual temperatures. The appropriateness of the developed Body Sensor Network (BSN) application is supported by experimental validation.