e112: A Context-Aware Mobile Emergency Communication Platform Leveraging Smartphone Sensing and Cloud Services

2026-04-22

AI Summary

This study addresses the challenges of inefficient communication and insufficient situational awareness between the public and emergency responders during disasters. To this end, the authors propose a context-aware mobile emergency communication platform leveraging smartphone sensing capabilities and cloud services. Integrating user-centered design with context-aware technologies, the platform supports SOS distress signaling, incident reporting, customizable alerts, evacuation guidance, and community interaction, complemented by a cloud-based backend and a command dashboard. By harnessing mobile sensors, real-time communication, cloud computing, and data visualization, the system delivers a streamlined, highly accessible, and effective user experience even under high-stress conditions. Empirical evaluations demonstrate that the platform exhibits robust performance and high user satisfaction, significantly enhancing emergency preparedness and response capabilities in climate-related disasters.

Technology Category

• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems
• Application Domains: Internet of Things, Sensor Networks & Smart Cities
• Multiagent Systems: Agent Communication

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Location- and context-aware Web and WoT applications and services
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Personalized, context-aware and across-device search
• Responsible Web: Mitigating misinformation and disinformation

Abstract

This paper presents e112, a context-aware mobile emergency response application designed to strengthen communication between citizens and authorities during disasters. Building on the ubiquity of smartphones, the system provides SOS requests, incident reporting, customized alerts, evacuation guidance, and moderated community interaction, supported by a cloud-based back end and an operator dashboard for situational awareness. A user-centered design approach guided our development, ensuring clarity and usability under stressful conditions. Evaluation through usability studies and technical audits demonstrated high user satisfaction, robust performance, and accessibility. The results show that a simple, well-designed mobile application can significantly enhance emergency preparedness and response, reducing risks to human life during climate change--driven emergencies.

Problem

• emergency communication
• context-aware
• disaster response
• mobile application
• climate change emergencies

Innovation

• context-aware
• mobile emergency communication
• smartphone sensing
• cloud services
• user-centered design