台灣地震、颱風與山難頻繁。 行動網路一旦中斷，搜救人員無法與受困者聯繫 —— 彼此之間也失去聯繫。
Taiwan has many earthquakes, typhoons, and mountain accidents. When mobile networks go down, rescuers cannot talk to victims — or to each other.
在黃金 72 小時裡，失聯與資訊整合是最大的兩個問題。
Losing communication and putting information together are the biggest problems in the golden 72 hours.
新竹縣消防員訪談Interview · Hsinchu County firefighters
因此我們以 模組化平台設計一套無需網際網路即可運作、 同時蒐集受困者與環境資料的系統，讓搜救更快、更穩定。
So we used a modular platform to design a system that works with no internet, collects both victim and environment data, and makes search and rescue faster and more stable.
迭代過程、走過的彎路，以及為什麼最後長成現在這樣。
How the project actually evolved — the detours, the dead ends, and why we ended up here.
團隊中有兩位成員在新竹縣尖石鄉長大，並在當地就讀小學。從小生活在陡峭山勢、 深邃溪谷與豐富的泰雅文化之中，讓他們與這片土地建立了深厚的連結。然而，這片美麗的山林 同時也容易受到地震、颱風、土石流與通訊中斷的威脅。受到家鄉及當地真實防災需求的啟發， 我們以尖石鄉為原型設計搜救情境模型，期盼 LinkGuard 能守護這裡的人們，以及他們所珍愛的山林。
Two of our team members grew up in Jianshi Township, Hsinchu County, and attended elementary school there. Surrounded by steep mountains, deep valleys, and the rich Atayal culture, they developed a deep connection with the local environment from an early age. However, this beautiful landscape is also vulnerable to earthquakes, typhoons, landslides, and communication disruptions. Inspired by their hometown and its real disaster challenges, we designed our rescue scenario model based on Jianshi Township, hoping that LinkGuard can help protect both the people and the mountains they cherish.
尖石位於新竹縣東南方，海拔約 200–3,000 公尺。山勢、溪谷與分散聚落，使災時通訊與抵達現場都更困難。
Jianshi lies in southeastern Hsinchu County, rising from roughly 200 to 3,000 metres. Mountains, valleys and dispersed settlements make disaster communication and access difficult.
前山屬頭前溪流域，交通與人口較集中；後山屬大漢溪流域，山勢更高、森林更密，包含司馬庫斯、鎮西堡等部落。
The front mountains follow the Touqian River and have better access; the remote Dahan River side is higher and more forested, including Smangus and Cinsbu.
織布、狩獵、農耕、河川漁撈與祖靈信仰延續至今；司馬庫斯、鎮西堡、那羅與馬里光各自保存並發展部落文化。
Weaving, hunting, farming, river fishing and ancestral traditions continue today across communities including Smangus, Cinsbu, Naluo and Mrqwang.
尖石是頭前溪與大漢溪部分水系的源區。颱風豪雨可能引發坍方、土石流與通訊中斷，正是 LinkGuard 要處理的情境。
Headwaters of the Touqian and Dahan systems cross Jianshi. Typhoons can trigger landslides, debris flows and network outages—the conditions LinkGuard is designed for.
司馬庫斯、鎮西堡神木群、秀巒溫泉與青蛙石天空步道，呈現尖石從前山溪谷到後山高海拔森林的多樣地貌。
Smangus, the Cinsbu giant-tree forest, Xiuluan hot springs and Frog Rock show the terrain’s range from front-country valleys to remote high forests.
LinkGuard 以 LoRa、自組節點與本地端 AI，在基地台失效時維持生命徵象、環境資料與搜救指令的流動。
LinkGuard combines LoRa, self-forming nodes and on-device AI to keep vital signs, environmental data and rescue commands moving when cellular service fails.
災區的共同前提是「沒有基礎建設可用」。這一條就先排除了依賴基地台的行動網路， 以及需要架設 AP 的 Wi-Fi。剩下的候選裡，LoRa 的取捨最符合需求： 傳輸距離長、功耗低、免執照頻段、單顆模組成本低 —— 代價是頻寬極小，只能傳結構化的短封包，不能傳影像。 這也決定了整套系統的分工：影像交給載具，生命徵象交給 LoRa。
A disaster area shares one premise: no infrastructure to rely on. That alone rules out mobile networks, which need base stations, and Wi-Fi, which needs an access point. Among what is left, LoRa’s trade-offs fit best: long range, low power, licence-free band, low per-module cost — at the price of very little bandwidth, enough only for short structured packets, never video. That decided the division of labour for the whole system: video goes to the vehicles, vital signs go over LoRa.
| 方案 | 評估結果 |
|---|---|
| 衛星通訊器 如 Garmin inReach 類產品 |
裝置約 NT$12,000 起，另需約 NT$450–2,000 月租費；而且需要開闊的天空視野，在尖石鄉的山谷與林蔭下訊號可能不穩定。 |
| Wi-Fi／藍牙 Mesh | 實測或規格上的有效距離僅約 120 公尺，不足以覆蓋約 4 公里範圍的山區搜救任務。 |
| 星狀拓撲 單一中心節點 |
只要指揮中心節點故障，整個網路就會癱瘓，形成單一故障點，缺乏任務所需的容錯能力。 |
| LinkGuard 自組 LoRa Mesh |
沒有單一故障點；四次實驗測得最大通訊距離為 1.96 公里；不需月租費，也不依賴開闊的天空視野。 |
| Option | Evaluation |
|---|---|
| Satellite messenger e.g. Garmin inReach-type products |
Devices start at approximately NT$12,000, plus a monthly fee of about NT$450–2,000. They also need a clear view of the sky, so reception may be unreliable in Jianshi Township’s valleys and beneath dense tree cover. |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth mesh | Its tested or specified effective range is only about 120 metres, too short for a mountain rescue operation spanning roughly 4 kilometres. |
| Star topology single central node |
If the command-centre node fails, the entire network goes down. This single point of failure does not provide the fault tolerance required for rescue operations. |
| LinkGuard self-built LoRa mesh |
No single point of failure; a maximum communication distance of 1.96 kilometres measured across four tests; no subscription fee; and no need for a clear view of the sky. |
無線核心採用 LoRa ESP32-S3＋LoRa 模組。LoRa ESP32-S3 負責讀取感測資料、 封裝短封包、更新 OLED 與處理本機控制；LoRa 模組則提供低功耗、長距離的災區通訊。 模組化設計方便快速組裝、替換與維修，也讓團隊能把時間集中在多角色流程、 封包設計與現場操作可靠度。
We chose LoRa ESP32-S3 + a LoRa module. LoRa ESP32-S3 reads sensor data, packages short packets, updates the OLED and handles local controls, while the LoRa module provides low-power, long-range disaster-area communication. The modular design is quick to assemble, replace and repair, allowing the team to focus on role-based workflows, packet design and operational reliability.
心率資料優先採用支援標準 BLE Heart Rate Service 的穿戴裝置，而不是把自製感測器 當成唯一來源。這能減少額外接線與配戴負擔；若 Garmin 裝置未連線，Victim 韌體仍會 切換至測試心率模式，使通訊、介面與警示流程可以持續運作及展示。
Heart-rate input prioritises wearables that support the standard BLE Heart Rate Service instead of depending on a custom sensor as the only source. This reduces wiring and wearing complexity. If the Garmin device is unavailable, Victim firmware falls back to a test heart-rate mode so communication, UI and alert workflows remain operational.
消防人員訪談讓團隊重新檢視「功能越多越好」的原始想法。災害現場同時面臨通訊不穩、 高壓決策、人員疲勞與戴手套操作，因此介面改以大按鈕、單手操作、緊急功能固定位置 為原則，並依任務角色拆分 HQ 與 Field App，避免所有資訊擠在同一個畫面。
Firefighter interviews made us reconsider the original assumption that more features always make a better tool. Disaster scenes combine unstable communications, high-pressure decisions, fatigue and gloved operation. We therefore centred the interface on large controls, one-handed use and fixed emergency actions, while separating HQ and Field App views by operational role.
這份回饋也強化了 Offline First 與分層通訊的方向：即使網際網路或手機鏈路中斷， LoRa 節點仍能持續收發短封包，OLED、蜂鳴器與震動馬達則保留最直接的現場提醒。
The same feedback reinforced an offline-first, layered communication design. Even when internet or phone links fail, LoRa nodes continue exchanging short packets, while the OLED, buzzer and vibration motor preserve immediate on-device alerts.
多節點共用頻道時容易發生封包碰撞，因此我們導入 LoRa 頻道活動偵測、 Binary Exponential Backoff 與 18 個搜尋頻道分流；封包 ID 去重則避免相同訊息被重複套用。 在省電方面，系統以非阻塞排程、無線電休眠及 RSSI 動態功率調整兼顧回報速度與續航。
Multiple nodes sharing one channel caused packet collisions, so we implemented LoRa channel activity detection, binary exponential backoff and traffic distribution across 18 search channels. Packet-ID deduplication prevents repeated processing, while non-blocking scheduling, radio sleep and RSSI-based power control balance responsiveness and endurance.
LinkGuard 系統已完成整合與實機驗證。Victim、Rescue 與 HQ 三種節點韌體、 LoRa 多頻通訊、BLE Gateway、SOS／MAYDAY、隊伍命令、OLED 介面、封包去重、 頻道退避及省電模式皆已完成，並整合為可操作的災害搜救通訊系統。
LinkGuard is fully integrated and verified on hardware. The Victim, Rescue and HQ firmware roles, multi-frequency LoRa communication, BLE gateway, SOS / MAYDAY, team commands, OLED interface, packet deduplication, channel backoff and power modes are complete as one operational disaster-rescue communication system.
從覆蓋範圍、基礎建設需求、容錯能力與成本比較各類方案。
A comparison across coverage, infrastructure requirements, fault tolerance and cost.
| 比較項目Criterion | LinkGuard | 衛星通訊器Satellite messenger | 一般 LoRa Mesh 救災系統Generic LoRa mesh system |
|---|---|---|---|
| 覆蓋範圍Coverage | 節點對指揮中心的長距鏈路，加上空中／地面載具擴大搜索面；四次實驗測得最大通訊距離為 1.96 公里。 Long-range node-to-centre links, extended by air and ground vehicles; four tests measured a maximum range of 1.96 km. | 近乎全球，但需要開闊天空視野，樹冠層與室內／廢墟下容易失效 Near-global, but needs open sky; unreliable under tree canopy, indoors or under rubble | 依節點密度而定，需要佈夠多中繼點才能連成面 Depends on node density; needs enough relays to form continuous coverage |
| 離線能力Offline | ● 完全離線；AI 於指揮中心本地端運算，全程不需網際網路 Fully offline; the AI runs on the command center device, no internet at any point | ○ 需訂閱服務與衛星鏈路，多數機種仰賴雲端轉送訊息 Needs a subscription and a satellite link; most devices relay messages through the cloud | ● 通常可離線，但決策與資料整合多半仍需另接後端 Usually offline-capable, but decision-making and data fusion often still need a backend |
| 資料型態Data | 生命徵象（心率／血氧）＋ 環境資料（含水／坡度／水位）＋ 載具影像，結構化進同一個儀表板 Vital signs (HR / SpO₂) + environment data (soil / slope / water) + vehicle video, all structured into one dashboard | 以簡訊、座標與 SOS 為主，無生理與環境感測 Mostly text, coordinates and SOS; no physiological or environmental sensing | 多半只傳位置與文字訊息 Usually position and text messages only |
| 部署難度Deployment | 節點以 模組化零件組成，可快速複製與維修；載具需操作人員 Nodes are built from modular parts, quick to replicate and repair; the vehicles need operators | 開箱即用，個人裝置門檻最低 Works out of the box; the lowest barrier as a personal device | 需事先規劃節點佈點與中繼拓撲 Requires planning node placement and relay topology in advance |
| 成本Cost | SBN 單一節點物料成本約 NT$2,000，無月租費；其他模組依配置計價 SBN bill of materials ~NT$2,000 per node, no subscription; other modules vary by configuration | 裝置費約 NT$12,000 ＋ 月租約 NT$450–2,000 Device ~NT$12,000 plus ~NT$450–2,000 / month | 硬體成本低，但整體佈建成本隨節點數線性上升 Cheap hardware, but total build-out cost scales linearly with node count |
| 主要限制Limitation | 頻寬小，只能傳結構化短封包；影像須靠載具鏈路 Very little bandwidth — short structured packets only; video depends on the vehicle link | 無法感測受困者狀態，也無法整合現場資訊 Cannot sense a victim’s condition, and cannot integrate on-scene information | 缺乏統一的指揮與決策層 Lacks a unified command and decision layer |
註：本表中他方案的描述為通則性比較，未逐一對應特定商品型號。填入實際型號與報價後可信度更高。
Note: the other two columns describe categories in general terms, not specific products. Naming actual models and quoting real prices would make this table stronger.