New "underground radio" tech provides emergency communication

by Paul Miller, posted Aug 4th 2006 at 4:20PM

Just don't call it radio. Vital Alert's new wireless tech uses Very Low Frequency (VLF) to penetrate earth, skyscrapers, subways and ocean with two-way digital text and voice communication. Their Emergency Broadcast Network (EBN -- dang we're good) has now been licensed by Los Alamos National Laboratory for use by emergency personnel in urban centers and underground mining. Beyond communicating with victims and rescue teams, the tech allows for location tracking, and obviously avoids the signal pitfalls of normal GPS and radio systems. Apparently the "fail-safe" tech is also relatively cheap to implement, and should be coming soon to an emergency near you.

Filed under: Wireless

Tags: emergency, emergency broadcast network, EmergencyBroadcastNetwork, very low frequency, VeryLowFrequency, vital alert, VitalAlert, vlf

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Alex @ Aug 4th 2006 4:24PM

Soooo how does it work?

Very low frequency radio waves (like those which are used for space communication)? But "don't call it radio" so..... is it really low frequency vibrations? IT'S A GIANT WOOFER!!!

Cool though, hope it saves lives and whatnot. Collapsed mines are bad news.

Neutral

ebob9 @ Aug 4th 2006 5:18PM

If I remember right, the US Navy has been using VLF to communicate with Submarines for quite a while now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_low_frequency

Neutral

Fred Thompson @ Aug 4th 2006 6:32PM

You are correct, ebob9. This has been in use since the mid-60s. There's nothing new here, just a new marketing of an old tech. The messages do travel VERRRRY slowly and cannot be jammed if they're formatted properly. However, what happens when there's a ton of broadcasters? It would also be interesting to see what happens when someone tries to use too much power. These aren't cheap, either. The antenna must be buried and they aren't small.

Neutral

furtim @ Aug 4th 2006 6:43PM

Tesla would be proud! His World System used low-frequency signals sent through the ground in addition to radio signals bounced off the ionosphere. The man was a century ahead of his time.

Neutral

poops @ Aug 7th 2006 3:29AM

Who rides a motorbike in a mineshaft?

Neutral

tobject @ Aug 8th 2006 7:21AM

Is it safe for whales?

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