Helen Wollan
Incorporating Heuristically Generated Search Patterns in Search and Rescue

Wollan, H. (2004) Incorporating Heuristically Generated Search Patterns in Search and Rescue, Master of Science Dissertation, School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, September, 2004.

Search and Rescue operations rely heavily on generic search patterns when using aircraft in a search effort. These search patterns need to be manually modified to accomodate the area to be searched. This dissertation proposes to use heuristic methods to generate search patterns tot the area instead of modifying a generic pattern. With this aim in mind, this dissertation describes an implementation of one such heuristic method in a Search Management tool. This Search Management tool incorporates the ability to view and maintain the status of a search effort along with the search pattern generation. These functionalities provide a tool to use throughout a search effort to dne the search area, generate the search patterns as necessary, and view the current status of the search effort. Additionally this Search Management tool includes the capability for XML messaging, allowing users in theeld to send updated information to the search manager through the Search Management tool.

• M.Sc. Thesis - Zip of Text and Diagrams
• M.Sc. Thesis - PDF Format
• Zip of SAR Patterns Map Tool Enhancements for I-X version 4.0
• Code Read Me
• Extracts from Paper chosen by Minden Soaring Club, Nevada, in support of the Steve Fosset search, 6-Sep-2007 [HTML, PDF] [Local: PDF]
• Article on determining a search area by Leo Montejo of the Minden Soaring Club, Nevada based on the dissertation, 7-Sep-2007, [HTML, PDF] [Local: PDF, Map JPG]
• Amazon Turk and Google Earth Web Site Search for Steve Fossett

• Austin Tate, AIAI
• Clauirton Siebra, AIAI