Abstract of the new projects - Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

This collaborative research aims to develop a simple method for landslide susceptibility mapping to reduce landslide disasters in Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. To achieve the goal, we propose the following three tasks:　Task 1) Geomorphologic mapping. Detailed geomorphologic maps will be created using advanced remote sensing data to understand landslide characteristics at the study sites. Additionally, the map will show the landslide prone areas from geomorphologic analysis. Task 2) Monitoring landslide movement. Inclinometers and other sensors, such as geophones, pore pressure sensors, and rain gauges, will be developed in our project to observe landslide movements. The data obtained from these sensors can monitor real-time earth motion. Task 3) Develop a simple method for landslide susceptibility mapping.

Through collaborative and complementary research among the three countries, this research is expected to develop a useful hazard map providing basic information for the early warning system to residents in each country.

In this collaborative research, an information collection system for disaster management with the use of a heterogeneous group of robotic systems represented by Unmanned Ground / Underwater / Aerial / Surface Vehicles (UGV/UUV/UAV/USV) will be developed. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed system and implement it to the society needs for mitigation of disasters, experiments will be carried out in cooperation with local governments of each country.

Specifically, the Japanese research team will design control strategies of heterogeneous UGV/UUV/UAVs and develop a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and a Geological Information System (GIS) that can handle and collect huge information flexibly. The Russian research team will develop a robot simulator in Gazebo environment and a special simultaneous localization of mapping (SLAM) technology. The Thailand research team will develop UGV/UAV/USVs and a teleoperation system for control of the heterogeneous robots.

Through collaborative and complementary research between the three countries, each of which suffers from frequent disasters brought by heavy rain, flood and landslide in various aspects, this research will identify new emergent information technologies that would be established as a worldwide standard in disaster mitigation and management.