An ontology-based framework for real-time collection and visualization of mobile field triage data in mass gatherings

Managing mass gathering events is a complex process. A key factor in successful management of mass gatherings is the availability of real-time data about the situation. This data is very useful in making important decisions that can potentially be life saving. In this paper, we propose an ontology-based framework for real-time collection and visualization of on field mobile triage data. The proposed framework uses a mobile device-assisted triage decision making system (iTriage). The system leverages a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) to efficiently share and visualize triage data aiding mass gathering administrators in determining the exact state of the situation. Our framework is driven by a domain ontology for mass gathering ensuring consistency in the shared data. We demonstrate a prototype implementation of the iTriage system on android-based mobile devices. Our experimental evaluations validate the iTriage system's ability to accurately compute patient priorities based on the triage sieve algorithm. Further, we demonstrate the capability of the proposed framework to visualize triage data on a map in real time.