A Class 10 student from Birbhum has designed a disaster rescue device intended to locate people trapped under rubble and transmit their position to rescue teams, following images of devastation from Nepal that made him question how survivors could be found faster.
Faizul Sheikh, a student at a private school and resident of Masterpara in Kirnahar, has developed a concept called the “decentralised wireless disaster management and relief supply network”, according to a report by Sangbad Pratidin. The proposed system is intended for use after natural disasters, when collapsed structures and disrupted communications can make it difficult for families and emergency teams to locate missing people.
The system is planned around three separate components. The first is a central control device. The second is a signal-collecting unit attached to an unmanned vehicle, while the third is a signal-transmitting device carried by a person caught in a disaster. The reported prototype uses electronic components including circuits, microcontrollers, wires, sound alerts, light signals and other equipment.
According to the report, the device is intended not only to identify the location of a trapped person but also to support information exchange during rescue operations. It could potentially communicate when a rescue team has reached a location, how far the operation has progressed and whether medical supplies have been delivered to people in danger. The report does not provide details of field trials, operating range, battery life, accuracy or whether the system has been tested in a live emergency.
Faizul told Sangbad Pratidin that the idea emerged after he saw images of the devastation caused by a disaster in Nepal. “Finding people during a disaster, knowing their location and helping them reach a safe place is my objective,” he said, adding that he was exploring ways to connect the technology with smartwatches, mobile phones and helmets.
The proposed use of an unmanned vehicle as a signal collector reflects one of the practical problems faced in rubble zones: rescuers may not be able to enter unstable or confined spaces immediately. A remotely operated platform could, in principle, help collect signals while limiting the initial exposure of rescue personnel, although the supplied report does not establish whether Faizul’s device has achieved that capability.
Faizul is the son of Firoz Sheikh, who serves in the Indian Army, and Abira Khatun. The report says he has experimented with technology from a young age instead of limiting his work to the formal school curriculum.
The project highlights the role that low-cost electronics and wireless communication could play in disaster-response systems, particularly when conventional networks or access routes are disrupted. Its next stage will depend on technical testing, safety assessment and integration with established emergency-response procedures. Faizul is also considering whether the system can be incorporated into wearable devices such as watches, phones and helmets.
