Regarding searching for missing people (Kim family) - an idea

[Duer 157099]

After reading about this story, I had an idea and wondered whether it's feasible or practical, maybe some of you will have opinions.

I was looking at Google maps (the satellite views) at the area in Oregon where they were lost, just to get a feel for the terrain.

Then it occurred to me: when the search helicopters are flying over an area, they should have digital video feeds to a website where the public can help scour over the images. It's basically distributed computing, but it seems that the thousands of people who are concerned and available (in front of their computers) could do zooming and image enhancements to look for any clues.

I wonder why this isn't done. Or -- is it and I just don't know about it???

[BobRossi]

1. Great idea!

Or how about Predetor drones? Oh wait, they are still looking for Osama with those!

[Duer 157099]

2. Well exactly. Why *aren't* we doing this with the Osama search?

I mean, seriously. Technologically it's certainly possible, and having millions of eyes on the job might just yield results.

Oh yeah, I forgot, that's not the goal (wrt Osama)

[jeanarrett]

3. The Mom and kids are found--

Dad is missing. . .

Edited to add link:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/12/05/missing.family.ap/index.html

[Duer 157099]

4. They should use this idea to find he dad. ASAP. n/t

[Howardx]

5. i have another question

why burn the tires on the car? why not burn wood?

[uncle ray]

6. it may have been hard to find good wood to burn

tires burn easily. there may have been no good DRY wood to burn, she probably would have had to stomp through deep snow to get to it.

as a bonus, burning tires produce thick black smoke which would be much more visible to rescuers.

[Duer 157099]

7. Right -- the black smoke was the motive I think

And I guess since they had already used up all the gas, the car wasn't goin nowhere no matter what

[Howardx]

8. good point about the smoke

i didnt think of that also not everyone may be camping savvy

[dysfunctional press]

11. the motive was to keep warm...

they didn't burn the tires until they had run out of gas.

[Lisa]

9. I like that!

A new twist on the concept of getting together a search party on foot.

[jeanarrett]

10. They followed Dad's footprints until dark

and are continuing the search from there. I hope to God they find him alive!

[dysfunctional press]

12. what kind of "clues" would you expect to see?

and at what kinds of actual resolutions?

i'm sure that the rescue agency would just LOVE to get hundreds of calls from would-be computer searchers who don't know what they're looking for, and think that every shadow, or bit of light on a rock is so definitely a part of the guy's foot...or his hat...

these kinds of thins are best left to the best trained.

[Duer 157099]

13. Well there could be one person who reviews

the hits before it's sent back to the on-the-grounders.

Dunno what I'd look for, probably the same thing the searchers in the air are looking for. Perhaps an umbrella with reflective tape on it, for example?

[dysfunctional press]

14. the searchers in the air are experienced...

what kind of actual resolution would you expect to get? updated how often? how would you know what an umbrella with reflective tape looks like from an altitude? would you be able to diferentiate it from a spot of sunlight on a rock or a piece of ice? multiply this times several hundred people all joining in, and you've got all the makings of one gigantic clusterfuck.

[Duer 157099]

15. Well I still disagree

the worst that can happen is that it doesn't help. The best is that those extra eyes see something that otherwise was missed.

Not sure of the technical details, but take a look at the satellite images at maps.google.com and zoom in as close as you can go. That sort of resolution, at least. A copter could no doubt do much better. Live feed, streaming then archived for review.

Look, I obviously haven't worked out the details because it's just an idea, but I'm confident it's workable. There are plenty of other areas where such distributed computing is being put to use. This one just seems very much more important.

[dysfunctional press]

16. the worst that can happen is that it ties up legitimate searchers...

because 300 websearchers were each POSITIVE that their particular splotch of sunlight is the would-be rescued person.

like i said- one gigantic clusterfuck.

but if you think it's such a good idea, invest your time & money and run with it.

[Duer 157099]

17. First of all, I imagine it'd be much more than 300 websearchers

Secondly, as with most distributed computing projects, there is redundancy of some sort -- meaning, hits would have to be made by more than one "websearcher" before it was reviewed by a more experienced person to determine if the target is worth checking out.

Why such a naysayer?

[dysfunctional press]

18. the more websearchers, the bigger the clusterfuck.

like i said- if you believe in it so strongly, go for it.