Abstract
Despite the increasingly positive role of portable communication technologies for socioeconomic development and their growing use in global health and other emergency contexts, several challenges still hinder exploring the full potential of mobile phones as effective mitigation tools in natural disasters, public health emergencies and in the aftermath of extreme disruptive events. Mobile devices are designed and advertised to withstand predominantly the demands of normal daily situations, being fraught with fragilities that limit their utility for effective communication and coordination of help in emergency situations. We discuss ways to overcome some of these limitations in the future by the incorporation of features to increase their resilience and effectiveness as aid tools at relatively low cost. Improvements in autonomous energy generation and use, based on existing and rapidly emerging technologies, as well as further improvements in physical durability and off-line operability are encouraged. We also identify the possibility to combine capabilities from other devices, such as space-based telecommunication systems and traditional two-way radios, to enhance the utility of mobile devices for these applications. The solutions we propose can help millions of citizens around the world to manage the risks and impacts of natural and health-related hazards. They should also promote further resilience to avoiding and recovering from such events, especially in vulnerable regions with limited infrastructure.
Highlights
Despite the increasingly positive role of portable communication technologies for socioeconomic development and their growing use in global health and other emergency contexts, several challenges still hinder exploring the full potential of mobile phones as effective mitigation tools in natural disasters, public health emergencies and in the aftermath of extreme disruptive events
Several challenges still constrain the greater potential that mobile phones offer as effective mitigation tools in the aftermath of disasters and in other emergencies
During earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, pandemics and other severe disease outbreaks, economic, societal and personal infrastructures are severely affected and governmental capabilities become quickly saturated due to the sheer demand for assistance. In such cases timely communication, information gathering and coordination are crucial to assist those in need, the availability, proper functioning and supporting infrastructure of mobile technologies is still fraught with fragilities and limitations that prevent them from being fully effective (Patricelli et al 2009; Townsend & Moss 2005; West & Valentini 2013; Guo & Su 2012; Effros et al 2010; The Telegraph 2011; Napolitano 2009; Xia 2011; Palen & Liu 2007; Yang et al 2009; Zook et al 2010)
Summary
Despite the increasingly positive role of portable communication technologies for socioeconomic development and their growing use in global health and other emergency contexts, several challenges still hinder exploring the full potential of mobile phones as effective mitigation tools in natural disasters, public health emergencies and in the aftermath of extreme disruptive events. In such cases timely communication, information gathering and coordination are crucial to assist those in need, the availability, proper functioning and supporting infrastructure of mobile technologies is still fraught with fragilities and limitations that prevent them from being fully effective (Patricelli et al 2009; Townsend & Moss 2005; West & Valentini 2013; Guo & Su 2012; Effros et al 2010; The Telegraph 2011; Napolitano 2009; Xia 2011; Palen & Liu 2007; Yang et al 2009; Zook et al 2010).
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