IoT, Drones And AI: How Technology Can Help In Disaster Situations

The spate of natural disasters which have hit the U.S. has demonstrated that there is much that needs to be done when it comes to rescuing efforts, preventive measures, and other associated issues. Many tech companies such as Google, Facebook and Microsoft have put in large-scale efforts in order to help people be safe during natural disasters, but the relevance of technology in such situations has been rapidly increasing. Technology can play a large role during natural disasters as has been demonstrated in Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Experts from IEEE, the world's biggest technical professional organizations have in an email to the International Business Times, provided their opinions on the use of technology in natural disasters. Dr. Massoud Amin, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Minnesota, provided IBT with his take on one of the most important aspects of technology during natural disasters, stating that,"It [technology] enables better proactive planning, prepositioning of the assets and assists with more real-time recovery and restoration. Everything starts with intelligence and situational awareness, and closing the loops on those opportunities and challenges."