NEWS & REPORT

Pilot Projects Originated from BOSAI-TECH

From Concept to Reality: Demonstrating BOSAI Solutions in Sendai

2023.07.10
  • Sound Corporation
  • Prime Value
Following demonstration experiments at BOSAI-TECH, Sendai City has introduced a disaster prevention DX service connecting municipalities with supporters, as well as voice processing technology for disaster prevention radio systems.

Disaster Prevention DX Service Connecting Municipalities and Supporters [Prime Value Co., Ltd.]

Through participation in the 2020 Sendai BOSAI-TECH program, the company identified on-site challenges in material requests as a catalyst for business ideas and began developing a prototype material request service connecting municipalities and supporters.
Subsequently, via Sendai BOSAI-TECH, the user interface and functions were validated, leading to the release of a beta service.
The supply request service is designed for simultaneous use by both those requesting supplies and those providing support during disasters. Therefore, implementation by only one party renders it ineffective when needed most. To overcome this limitation, the core functions required during disasters are provided free of charge to both local governments and contracted companies/organizations.
Beyond utilizing the Sendai BOSAI-TECH program, the company actively conducts proof-of-concept trials with other local governments.

Reference Link
https://sendai-bosai-tech.jp/en/members/detail/---id-23.html

Voice Processing Technology for Disaster Prevention Broadcasts [Sound Inc.]

Sound Inc. is a university-spinoff venture founded in 2020 that provides services using its proprietary voice processing technology to create audio that is easier for elderly people with hearing loss to understand.
In fiscal year 2021, the company joined Sendai BOSAI-TECH. Responding to Sendai City's disaster prevention challenge of “effectively conveying disaster information using technology,” Sound proposed implementing its voice processing technology on outdoor speakers and conducted a proof-of-concept experiment for Sendai City officials. The following year, a resident-participation proof-of-concept experiment was conducted. Based on these results, the technology was implemented in Sendai City's disaster prevention radio system by the end of that fiscal year.
Disaster prevention radio is crucial for protecting lives in coastal areas during tsunami events. The key to rapid implementation was the ability to utilize existing outdoor speakers—without replacement or modification—by applying digital audio processing technology alone.

Reference Link
https://sendai-bosai-tech.jp/en/members/detail/---id-62.html

Tsunami Evacuation Publicity Drone System utilizing a private LTE network and fully automated drone operation and management system

Sendai City commenced full-scale operation of the Tsunami Evacuation Publicity Drone System (hereinafter referred to as this system) in October 2022.

In light of the loss of city employees and volunteer firefighters during tsunami evacuation announcements following the Great East Japan Earthquake, and recognizing the need to diversify and supplement existing evacuation notification methods, Sendai City developed tsunami evacuation announcement drones as a new means to call for evacuation from tsunamis.

Upon the issuance of a tsunami warning, two fully automated drones take off and fly, broadcasting evacuation announcements via speakers and sirens to visitors in coastal areas. This enables automatic evacuation announcements without human intervention.

These drones represent the world's first implementation in two key areas: “using autonomous drones for tsunami evacuation announcements” and “controlling drones via a dedicated LTE communication network.” Their deployment is expected to establish an effective tsunami evacuation announcement system for visitors to the eastern coastal areas.

Reference Link
https://www.city.sendai.jp/okyutaisaku/kikitaisaku/documents/tunamihinannkouhoudoro-n.html

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