When natural catastrophes occur, many people get separated from their loved ones. Since the infrastructure is destroyed it is hard to know if your relatives and friends are safe. Many times it takes days or weeks before mobile telephone service and internet access is restored, making communication with separated friends and family impossible.
Refugee finder is a mobile application that addresses this very challenge. At the aid station (hospitals, Red Cross center etc.) the disaster victim are registered with Refugee finder by an aid worker using a mobile camera-phone. A photograph and basic biographical information, along with time and place of registration, are stored in the system. The information is then shared between the aid stations and displayed for the public either at the aid stations, the internet or on television broadcasts.

Refugee Finder from Pedro Andrade on Vimeo.

The device

First scenario
After a natural disaster two persons in the location try to find information about each other.

Refugee Finder - No telecommunication from Pedro Andrade on Vimeo.

Second scenario
When the telecommunications are reestablish and the Refugee Finder website is released.



A father overseas try to find information about his son witch is at the catastrophe area.

Refugee Finder - Telecommunications reestablished from Pedro Andrade on Vimeo.

Team
Elena Gianni
Jesper Svenning
Pedro Nakazato Andrade
CIID 2010

Project developed as part of the Graphical User interface class with Brian Hinch and Matt Cottam (Tellart), Jack Schulze (BERG London), Timo Arnall, Gianluca Bagnoli and Fabio Sergio (Creative Director at Frog Design).

Music
"Everloving" by Moby

device picture by Matt Cottam