Mesh Networking Communication: Essential Tool in Emergency Scenarios

1. Characteristics and Advantages of Mesh Networking Communication

Mesh networking communication demonstrates numerous unique and significant characteristics and advantages in emergency scenarios.

First, the self-organizing feature allows mesh networks to quickly and automatically construct communication networks without prior planning and centralized control. This means that even if infrastructure is damaged in emergency situations, mesh network devices can quickly set up networks automatically upon arrival at the scene, without complex configurations and waiting, enabling immediate communication.

The adaptive capability allows mesh networks to dynamically adjust network parameters such as signal strength and transmission rate based on environmental changes and communication needs. In emergency situations, where the environment is complex and variable, there may be signal interference and obstacles. Mesh networks can perceive and adapt to these changes in real time, ensuring stable and effective communication.

The self-healing function ensures that even if some nodes fail or are damaged, the network can automatically reroute and maintain communication through other nodes, preventing the entire network from collapsing due to individual node issues. This characteristic is crucial in emergencies, ensuring that rescue operations can continue without being affected by single-point failures.

High flexibility allows mesh networking communication to be configured and deployed flexibly according to different emergency scenarios and needs. Whether in mountainous areas, underground, or aquatic environments, or facing different scales of rescue teams and tasks, it can quickly adjust to meet communication requirements.

High reliability is reflected in the ability of mesh networks to provide stable and continuous communication services. Through multipath transmission and backup mechanisms, the risk of data loss is reduced, ensuring the accurate transmission of important information.

Strong resilience means that even in extreme situations such as natural disasters or man-made destruction, mesh networking communication can still maintain a certain level of communication capability. For example, in the aftermath of an earthquake that severely damages infrastructure, mesh networks can still provide communication support for rescue operations, helping rescuers coordinate actions better, improve rescue efficiency, and reduce casualties and property losses.

2. Limitations of Traditional Communication in Emergency Scenarios

(1) Infrastructure Damage

In natural disasters and major incidents, the infrastructure of traditional communication is often severely damaged. For example, earthquakes can cause communication poles to collapse and fiber optic cables to break; floods can destroy base station facilities; landslides can bury communication lines. Relevant data indicates that the damage rate of overhead communication fiber optic equipment during earthquakes is extremely high, and the damage rate of overhead communication lines due to freezing rain is equally alarming. The reasons for this situation are numerous, such as insufficient burial depth of some poles, low reinforcement levels, aging and substandard quality of some lines, and direct destruction due to uncontrollable factors. Additionally, if engineering projects lack effective supervision and evaluation during design, implementation, and acceptance phases, avoidable losses may also occur.

(2) Signal Congestion

In emergency scenarios, traditional communication often faces signal congestion issues. When a large amount of information simultaneously floods into the communication subnet, such as at the scene of a major accident or natural disaster, people rush to use communication devices, leading to a sharp increase in the number of packets, exceeding the network’s processing capacity, which results in degraded network performance or even deadlock phenomena. Causes of congestion include insufficient router buffer space, slow processing speeds, and inadequate bandwidth of communication lines. When congestion occurs, packets may be lost and need to be retransmitted, further burdening the network and reducing communication efficiency.

(3) Insufficient Coverage

The coverage of traditional communication in emergency scenarios often fails to meet demands. For example, in remote areas or complex underground and high-rise environments, traditional communication signals may struggle to reach. This is due to the limited layout of base stations in traditional communication technology, which cannot achieve all-around coverage. Moreover, in cases of major geological disasters, damage to infrastructure can further shrink the already limited coverage area, making it difficult to collect and report disaster information, thus impacting the command and decision-making of rescue operations.

3. Application Examples of Mesh Networking Communication in Emergencies

(1) Applications in Fire Rescue

In the rescue operations at the breach of the Dongting Lake levee in Huarong County, Hunan Province, the provincial fire rescue team quickly responded, dispatching multiple communication teams equipped with extensive communication gear to the scene. The emergency communication support team combined public and private networks to establish a visual dispatch system, ensuring smooth transmission of rescue commands. Additionally, measures such as setting up narrowband mesh network mountain base stations enhanced the on-site signal, achieving full coverage of voice mesh network signals, providing robust communication support for rescue operations.

Similarly, Liu Congcong, the leader of the emergency communication support team at the fire rescue command of the Lüliang detachment, rapidly set up satellite portable stations and fire mesh networks to ensure communication support for fire rescue operations, even in situations where public networks were down and power was interrupted.

(2) Applications in Geological Disaster Rescue

In some geological disaster rescues, the emergency command wireless mesh networking communication system from Wanlan Communication played a crucial role. For example, after an earthquake occurred in a certain area, the ANYMESH mesh network radio was quickly deployed at the disaster site, rapidly establishing a command communication network. Ground detection personnel’s smart terminals connected to the mesh network soldier-borne node devices via WiFi, while drone-mounted mesh network airborne node devices communicated with soldier-borne node devices. The mesh network vehicle-mounted node devices on the emergency communication command vehicle built a communication network with drones through wireless links, ultimately achieving information transmission with the command center. This enabled the command center to timely understand the disaster and loss situation, reasonably deploy disaster relief resources, and formulate rescue plans.

(3) Applications in Urban Complex Building Rescue

In urban complex building rescues, MESH wireless mesh network devices showcase significant advantages. For instance, in rescues within high-rise and underground complex buildings, effective signal coverage inside the building was achieved by strategically selecting base station deployment locations, such as rooftop edges, window sides, entrances, and corners. Additionally, utilizing the self-organizing, low-latency characteristics of mesh networks enabled efficient information sharing and collaborative rescue among rescuers, ensuring smooth rescue operations.

4. Enhancing Emergency Efficiency with Mesh Networking Communication

Mesh networking communication excels in enhancing emergency efficiency, possessing robust capabilities for rapidly establishing communication networks. Taking Wanlan Communication’s emergency command wireless mesh networking communication system as an example, its mesh network radio has excellent radio communication capabilities, allowing for quick deployment at disaster sites. In events such as earthquakes, the ANYMESH mesh network radio does not rely on public networks and can rapidly form a decentralized network through free networking.

In terms of real-time transmission of voice, images, and data, mesh networking communication shows clear advantages. For instance, ground detection personnel’s smart terminals connect to the mesh network soldier-borne node devices via WiFi, allowing real-time transmission of on-site information. At the same time, drone-mounted mesh network airborne node devices can interconnect with other devices, transmitting collected HD images and videos back to the command center in real time.

This real-time transmission capability provides rescuers with rich and accurate on-site information, aiding them in making precise decisions. Rescuers can formulate scientific and reasonable rescue plans based on real-time conditions such as fire intensity and personnel distribution, avoiding blind actions and improving rescue efficiency.

In terms of reducing casualties and property losses, mesh networking communication plays a key role. By rapidly establishing networks and enabling real-time information transmission, rescuers can quickly reach disaster areas, timely assist trapped individuals, and swiftly extinguish fires or address other emergencies, minimizing disaster-related losses.

5. Future Development and Prospects

(1) Technology Integration

In the future, mesh networking communication technology is expected to deeply integrate with cutting-edge technologies such as 5G, satellite communication, and artificial intelligence. The high speed and low latency characteristics of 5G can provide stronger support for data transmission in emergency scenarios. Satellite communication can compensate for the coverage deficiencies of mesh networks in remote areas, ensuring communication links can be established anywhere. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence technology can be used to optimize network resource allocation and predict network failures, enhancing the intelligence level of mesh networks.

(2) Device Miniaturization and Portability

With continuous advancements in chip technology, mesh networking communication devices will move towards miniaturization and portability. Smaller and lighter devices will facilitate easier transport for rescuers, enhancing the flexibility of emergency responses. For example, wearable mesh networking communication devices may become possible, allowing rescuers to maintain communication more freely during operations.

(3) Enhanced Security

In emergency scenarios, the security of communication data is crucial. Future applications of encryption technology will be strengthened to prevent data leakage and malicious attacks. At the same time, more comprehensive identity authentication mechanisms will be established to ensure that only authorized personnel can access the network, guaranteeing the security and reliability of emergency communications.

(4) Optimizing Network Protocols

Continuously optimizing mesh network protocols to improve the stability and reliability of the network. Adapting to the complex and variable emergency environment, reducing network latency and packet loss rates, enhancing the accuracy and integrity of data transmission.

(5) Improving Energy Efficiency

Developing more efficient energy management solutions to extend the battery life of devices. For instance, utilizing new battery technologies or energy recovery technologies to reduce the dependence of devices on external power sources, ensuring communication remains uninterrupted during prolonged emergency rescue operations.

In summary, mesh networking communication technology will better meet the increasingly complex demands of emergency scenarios through advancements in technology integration, device improvements, security enhancements, protocol optimization, and energy efficiency improvements, providing stronger and more reliable communication support for rescue operations.