Prototype development and test of a server-independent smart exit sign system: An algorithm, a hardware configuration, and its communication reliability

Abstract

Abstract This study introduces the first working prototype of a server-independent smart exit sign system (SISES) and validates its communication reliability. A smart exit sign system (SES) is a new type of evacuation guidance system that changes the directions of exit signs toward safe paths. Thus far, only a handful of SESs have been proposed on a conceptual level and assumed that each sign node was controlled by a central server. They are, however, complex and expensive to install and vulnerable during a fire. To overcome these limitations, an SISES, which communicates over a wireless sensor network without a central server, was proposed. This study tests the communication reliability and speed of the SISES—the most critical factors for stable operation. The results show that the SISES can communicate reliably in various conditions and that it takes less than 4 s to update the entire system installed at a 3392 m2 building.