Carnegie Mellon To Deploy Self-Healing Wireless Mesh Network for Emergency Notifications

  • By Chris Riedel
  • 04/16/09

Metis Secure Solutions has launched a new location-based emergency notification system, developed in cooperation with Carnegie Mellon University and aimed at addressing the perceived shortcomings of other alert systems.

According to the announcement, development of the new ENS began in 2006 with the goal of being used in a variety of settings, including those that offer historically poor cell and WiFi network coverage. To achieve the goal, Metis developed a notification system that uses a "self-healing" wireless mesh network delivering coverage via wall-mounted units placed strategically throughout the campus. Notifications are delivered based on location to a range of portable devices.

"Student safety is the number one priority. Until now, there have been gaps in what existing systems can accomplish," says Madelyn Miller, CMU's director of environmental health and safety, in a prepared statement. "We were excited at the opportunity to work with Metis Secure to create a faster, more reliable system that addressed our needs."

Additional features include a call button located on each mounted device with text messaging capabilities; use of lights, sirens, text, and voice to provide information redundancy for a range of user needs; and centralized system management.

The new emergency notification system will be deployed throughout the Carnegie Mellon campus in summer 2009.

About the Author

Chris Riedel is a freelance writer based in Illinois. He can be reached here.

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