VAST 2008 Challenge
Mini Challenge 4: Evacuation Traces
Authors and Affiliations:
Jason Dalton, SPADAC, jason.dalton@spadac.com
Frank
Prats, SPADAC
Tim Tisler, SPADAC
Student team: NO
Tool(s): SPADAC visualization experts used a C++
integrated development environment with OpenSceneGraph (OSG) to synthesize the
building schematic and occupant data into an animation and select static
graphics. Information about OSG can be found at the project website: http://www.openscenegraph.org/projects/osg
Two-Page Summary: NO
ANSWERS:
Traces-1 – Where was the device
set off?
Grid cell number of where the device went off:
66 x 32
Short Answer:
The IED was probably
detonated around time index (t = 373), based on the simultaneous movement of
nearly all of the building occupants afterwards, as if they were reacting to a
salient event (e.g., an explosion).
Gale Welsh and Lottie
Staley quickly cease movement after the detonation, implying they were close to
the blast point. Although they survive slightly
longer, Sparks, Jimenez and Valdez were also casualties since they failed to
evacuate.
Figure 1: IED Emplacement by Ramon Katalanow
If the detonation was
near those casualties, Ramon Katalanow may be the culprit, since he traverses
that area, then moves to a safe position before detonation. If he emplaced the IED somewhere along his
path that was close to Welsh and Staley, his reported position within their
office at (x = 66, y = 32.25) for 37 time steps (243 to 280) seems a reasonable
guess. We rounded to (66 x 32) to
provide the closest grid cell.
Traces-2 – Identify potential suspects and/or
witnesses.
List of RFID tag numbers:
21; 29; 13; 1; 44; 59; 2;
27; 81; 16
Short Answer:
If the detonation time
and location are accurate, Ramon Katalanow [21] is a prime suspect. Katalanow was in close proximity to the blast
point, then moves to a safe position prior to detonation, which could mean that
he emplaced and triggered the device. Katalanow began evacuating towards the
southeastern exit, but appears to adjust his path to follow a potential witness
(Lindsey Bowles [1]) who uses the eastern exit.
As Maxwell Lopez [29]
moves to the southeastern corner of the building, he almost runs into Karissa
Graham [44], and adjusts his path as if to avoid her. His behavior could indicate that he
distracted some building occupants (2; 44; 27; 81; 16) so that Ramon Katalanow
could detonate the IED without interference.
Marcelle Vigil [13] and
Olive Palmer [59] were following similar paths. Vigil is a witness (and a
suspect) with regard to why Palmer suddenly stopped moving.
Traces-3 – Identify any suspects and/or witnesses
who managed to escape the building.
List of RFID tag numbers:
21; 29; 13; 1; 44; 2; 27;
81; 16
Short Answer:
Ramon Katalanow [21] and
Lindsey Bowles [1] use the eastern exit.
Based on the assumption that Lindsey Bowles is an innocent witness,
police arriving on the scene should quickly ascertain whether Lindsey is safe,
since she could be alone with Katalanow, the main suspect.
Maxwell Lopez [29] is a
possible suspect. He evacuated using the
southeastern exit.
Tommy Allen [2], Karissa
Graham [44], Anton Knapp [27], Robert Johnson [81] and Deshawn Norman [16] may
be witnesses to Maxwell Lopez's actions from just before the detonation and
through the evacuation process. They
also used the southeastern exit, although they don’t congregate with Lopez
after they evacuate.
Marcelle Vigil [13]
exited the southwestern exit and should be questioned, particularly with regard
to the circumstances surrounding the whereabouts and condition of Olive Palmer
[59].
Traces-4 – Identify any casualties.
List of RFID tag numbers:
39; 78; 47; 69; 60; 65;
36; 19; 18; 50; 56; 76; 59
Short Answer:
We assume that the three
large open areas at the northeastern, eastern, and southern areas of the
schematic are either exterior to the building, or are suitable evacuation areas
for the building occupants.
Figure 2: Last reported badge positions of
DOH building occupants.
The following occupants are
potential casualties because their last known badge positions are determined to
be within the building:
1. Phil Marin [39]
2. Cleveland Hutchison [78]
3. Rosario Oakley [47]
4. Morton Kilgore [69]
5. Lavon Lockhart [60]
6. Dian Crum [65]
7. Francisco Salter [36]
8. Max Valdez [19]
9. Gale Welsh [18]
10. Lottie Staley [50]
11. Cleveland Jimenez [56]
12.
Fawn
Sparks [76]
13.
Olive
Palmer [59]
Traces-5 – Describe the evacuation.
Detailed Answer:
The evacuation of the Miami Department
of Health (DOH) building began at time step 374 after the concussion and sound
of the blast alerted the occupants of danger.
According to the RFID locator system, the building had 82 total
occupants prior to its evacuation.
Of those that evacuated, 48
individuals evacuated through the southwestern exit, 8 evacuated through the
southeastern exit, 2 evacuated through the eastern exit, and 11 evacuated
through the northern exit. The remaining
13 occupants are presumed casualties (or their RFID was dropped or removed)
since their last reported badge position was within the building.
The evacuation was fairly orderly and
most occupants seemed to evacuate along preplanned routes which are typical for
companies that have regular safety drills.
Figure 3 shows the average velocity of the building occupants from just
before the approximate detonation through the last reported time index.
Figure 3:
Average occupant velocity per unit time.
Prior to detonation the average
ambulatory occupant’s velocity was about 0.25 units per unit time and is fairly
consistent. At the time of detonation
(time index 373) there is a sudden spike in velocity but within approximately
60 time units it has settled back down to pre-detonation levels.
Figure 4 displays the movement paths
of the employees during the evacuation.
The blue points represent where employees stepped and the darker the
blue color indicates the higher the level of traffic through that grid cell.
Figure 4:
Employee movement density per grid cell.
The majority of the employees exit
through the northeast and southwest corners which correspond to the nearest
exits for most of the offices. There is
minimal traffic between the exits which indicates the employees moved to the
nearest exit in a fairly orderly manner.
To fully understand and
appreciate the subtleties of the movements of those involved in the DOH
building evacuation, we used our OSG 3D viewer and animated the RFID traces of
the individuals. The tool developed just for this challenge allowed us to play
back, pause, rewind, tilt, zoom, and pan through the data as it was unfolding.
We also built in the ability to color code persons of interest. Embedded below
is a video of the tool animating the RFID traces with suspects, witnesses, and
others indicated.
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the Flash Player to see this player.