Scientists from MIT (USA) developed a method of ocean search in the special “zones-traps”. This is a local territory with a high probability of waves and wind will bring floating objects in the water in a certain area. Method is called TRAPS (Attracting TRansient Profiles) and experimental evidence of its efficacy.
Themselves ocean “traps” are not fixed, it’s just the area where you are more likely to bring a floating object than carry out. They are entirely dependent on the weather conditions, the nature of the sea and a number of other conditions, but the discovery of the scientists is that these factors can be put in a few formulas. And based on them to calculate where and when the next trap is formed.
In their experiments, the researchers launched a floating beacons of different shapes, including mannequins of people in life jackets. They collected and analyzed images of the unrest of the sea in the area from the point of emission indicators in the water to figure out where the traps are formed nearby. Then the routes of drift of the objects were tracked using GPS-trackers, and in the end almost all of the goals achieved is calculated trap where it was caught.
The new algorithm will go into service of coast guard and emergency services to simplify their search and rescue of men overboard. Instead of having to scour the seas, they will be able to immediately calculate the location of the meeting and to pick up victims in a mathematically calculated point.
Source — MIT