Disaster Response 2040: How Smart Systems Save Lives
A video co-created using the design fiction method, depicting a future scenario of smart public communications in disaster response, designed to facilitate research and public discussions.
In this video, we explore a future where smart public communication systems shape how people respond during disasters. Set within a fictional scenario, the story shows how real time data and automated messaging could guide decisions in moments of crisis. From warnings to instructions, these systems aim to support fast and coordinated responses.
The video invites you to think about how information is shared when time is critical. It raises questions about trust, clarity, and who is responsible for the messages people receive. While these technologies could improve safety and response times, they also bring challenges around accuracy, access, and control.
Created using a design fiction approach, this video is part of a wider series designed to support research and public discussion. It offers a starting point for exploring how we want these systems to work in the future, and how they might shape the way we respond to emergencies.
About the series
Specifically on the theme of disaster response, this video is the third of a suite of four video resources.
These four videos are a series of fictional scenarios depicting possible futures where smart technologies are used for public communications. They are created as a set of resources to facilitate reflections and discussions in participatory research (including for focus groups, interviews, citizen juries, etc.) as well as engagement activities in smart communications.
The videos are the result of a co-creation process involving relevant stakeholders, including legal and technical experts, policymakers, regulators and civil society organisations, using the design fiction methodology and covering a range of themes explored in a research workshop.
Credits
- Script: Dr Sheli Smith (Research Associate at the University of Sheffield)
- Script: Dr Jiahong Chen (Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Sheffield)
- Animation: Matt Exton (25 Frames Design)
- Special thanks: Mariano delli Santi (Open Rights Group), Dr Maria Tzanou (University of Sheffield), DI Dan Giannasi (North West Cyber Resilience Centre), Dr Cigdem Sengul (Brunel University of London), Dr Sana Belguith (University of Bristol) and Dr Arthi Manohar (Brunel University of London).
- All videos have been published with a CC BY licence as part of the research project “The Internet of Tactical Engagement (IoTE): Acceptability of Data-driven Public Communications in Smart Homes”, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council [ES/Y000020X/1].