Underground Radio, originally developed by LANL for the Department of Energy, is being commercialized by Vital Alert Technologies for use by emergency crews in urban centers and by the mining industry.

Vital Alert is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vital Alert Communication Inc. Vital Alert develops pre- and post-emergency, safety and rescue technology for the urban and mining communications sectors.

"The new technology is a breakthrough in digital and wireless communications," says Joe Miller, president and CEO of Vital Alert, in a news release. "As a pre- and post-emergency warning, evacuation and rescue communication system, it solves radio frequency failure problems and eliminates systems’ downtime complications in difficult environments such as subways, tunnels, skyscrapers and mines. The new technology will also greatly enhance the ability of mining companies to protect their workers."

Underground Radio uses very low frequency (VLF) electromagnetic radiation and digital audio compression technologies to carry voice and text data. The VLF signals also can transmit tracking and location data for radio users in case they are unable to respond.

"This is a technical solution to the problem of voice communication in underground areas," said David Reagor, the principal investigator of the Los Alamos team that originally developed the technology. "It’s also inexpensive to build."

Underground Radio can be used to alert individuals of underground conditions during blasts, fires or collapses, or to locate trapped miners. The technology was designed to provide convenient, portable underground communication and a data link to robotic machines.

For more, visit www.vitalalert.com.