title: A novel image-based tool to reunite children with their families after disasters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Reuniting children with their families after a disaster poses unique challenges. The objective was to pilot test the ability of a novel image-based tool to assist a parent in identifying a picture of his or her children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A previously developed image-based indexing and retrieval tool that employs two advanced vision search algorithms was used. One algorithm, Feature-Attribute-Matching, extracts facial features (skin color, eye color, and age) of a photograph and then matches according to parental input. The other algorithm, User-Feedback, allows parents to choose children on the screen that appear similar to theirs and then reprioritizes the images in the database. This was piloted in a convenience sample of parent-child pairs in a pediatric tertiary care hospital. A photograph of each participating child was added to a preexisting image database. A double-blind randomized crossover trial was performed to measure the percentage of database reviewed and time using the Feature-Attribute-Matching-plus-User-Feedback strategy or User-Feedback strategy only. Search results were compared to a theoretical random search. Afterward, parents completed a survey evaluating satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one parent-child pairs completed the study. The Feature-Attribute-Matching-plus-User-Feedback strategy was superior to the User-Feedback strategy in decreasing the percentage of database reviewed (mean ± SD = 24.1 ± 20.1% vs. 35.6 ± 27.2%; mean difference = -11.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -21.5% to -1.4%; p = 0.03). Both were superior to the random search (p < 0.001). Time for both searches was similar despite fewer images reviewed in the Feature-Attribute-Matching-plus-User-Feedback strategy. Sixty-eight percent of parents were satisfied with the search and 87% felt that this tool would be very or extremely helpful in a disaster.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This novel image-based reunification system reduced the number of images reviewed before parents identified their children. This technology could be further developed to assist future family reunifications in a disaster.
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. sarita.chung@childrens.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Sarita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mario Christoudias
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Darrell
authors.forename: Sonja I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Ziniel
authors.forename: Leslie A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Kalish
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004190:Disasters; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D060731:Emergency Responders; D005190:Family; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D010355:Patient Identification Systems / Q000379:methods*; D010781:Photography; D010865:Pilot Projects