Internet of Things-based intelligent evacuation protocol in libraries

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical framework of applying the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to the intelligent evacuation protocol in libraries at emergency situations. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted field investigations on eight libraries in Wuhan, China, analyzed the characteristics of crowd gathering in libraries and the problems of the libraries’ existing evacuation plans. Therefore, an IoT-based intelligent evacuation protocol in libraries was proposed. Its basic structure consisted of five components: the information base, the protocol base, the IoT sensors, the information fusion system and the intelligent evacuation protocol generation system. In the information fusion system, Dempster–Shafer (D-S) evidence theory was employed as the information fusion algorithm to fuse the multi-sensor information at multiple time points, so as to reduce the uncertainty of disaster prediction. The authors also conducted a case study on the Library L in Wuhan, China. A specific evacuation route was generated for a fire and the crowd evacuation was simulated by the software Patherfind. Findings The proposed IoT-based evacuation protocol has four distinguishing features: scenario corresponding, precise evacuation, dynamic correction and intelligent decision-making. The case study shows that the proposed protocol is feasible in practice, indicating that the IoT technologies have great potential to be successfully applied to the safety management in libraries. Research limitations/implications The software and hardware requirements as well as the Internet network requirements of IoT technologies need to be further discussed. Practical implications The proposed IoT-based intelligent evacuation protocol can be widely used in libraries, which is one of the inspirations for the use of IoT technologies in modern constructers. Originality/value The application of IoT technologies in libraries is a brand-new topic that has drawn much attention in academia recently. The crowd safety management in libraries is of great significance, and there is little professional literature on it. This paper proposes an IoT-based intelligent evacuation protocol, aiming at improving the safety management in libraries at emergency situations.

A XXI. század könyvtára – a smart library

“…11 A tárgyak internete segítségével a könyvtáraknak lehetőségük van IoT alapú biztonsági rendszer 12 és IoT alapú evakuációs protokoll kidolgozására is. 13 A szolgáltatásokat tekintve az iBeacon alapjaira épülő Bluubeam jeladókat érdemes megemlítenem. A kihelyezett jeladókon keresztül ugyanis a könyvtárosok üzeneteket (szöveget, képeket, videókat, értesítést az aktuális eseményekről) küldhetnek a könyvtárhasználóknak.…”

Development in building fire detection and evacuation system-a comprehensive review

“…End-user such people inside the building should know the status of fire accidents on their mobile phones. It is possible through a mobile-based Android app [32]. It is also necessary to inform the authorized fire department regarding fire accident with live status and location.…”

Editorial

“…The paper aims to discuss this issue. In the article entitled “Internet of Things Based Intelligent Evacuation Protocol in Libraries,” Xie et al (2020) propose a theoretical framework of applying the IoT technologies to the intelligent evacuation protocol in libraries under emergency situations. The IoT has attracted a lot of attention in both industrial and academic fields for recent years.…”