Canine Pose Estimation: A Computing for Public Safety Solution

In this paper we discuss determining canine pose in the context of common poses observed in urban search and rescue dogs through the use a sensor network made up of accelerometers. We discuss the use of the canine pose estimation system in a disaster environment, and propose techniques for determining canine pose. In addition we discuss the challenges with this approach in such environments. This paper presents the experimental results obtained from the heavy urban search and rescue disaster simulation, where experiments were conducted using multiple canines, which show that angles can be derived from acceleration readings. Our experiments show that similar angles were measured for each of the poses, even when measured on multiple USAR canines of varying size. We also developed an algorithm to determine poses and display the current canine pose to the screen of a laptop. The algorithm was successful in determining some poses and had difficulty with others. These results are presented and discussed in this paper.