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Public safety

Public safety communications research

Publications

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PSCR is dedicated to thorough innovative research and our teams here at NIST study the many aspects that make up public safety communications research. Our efforts have amalgamated an impressive body of research listed below.

Voices of First Responders: Discipline-specific NIST Special Publications (2023)

Voices of First Responders: How to Facilitate Adoption and Usage of Communication Technology - An Integrated Analysis of Qualitative and Quantitative Findings (2022)

Voices of First Responders -- Nationwide Public Safety Communications Survey Findings: Statistical Analysis Results Phase 4, Volume 2 (2022)

Augmented Reality (AR) Usability Evaluation Framework: The Case of Public Safety Communications Research (2022)

Voices of First Responders – Nationwide Public Safety Communication Survey Findings: Day-to-Day Technology, Phase 2, Volume 3 (2021)

PSCR Usability Results Tool: Voices of First Responders (2021)

Voices of First Responders – Applying Human Factors & Ergonomics Knowledge to Improve the Usability of Public Safety Communications Technology, Findings from User-Centered Interviews, Phase 1, Volume 5 (2021)

Voices of First Responders – Nationwide Public Safety Communication Survey Findings: Mobile Devices, Applications, and Futuristic Technology, Phase 2, Volume 2 (2020)

Voices of First Responders—Nationwide Public Safety Communication Survey Methodology: Development, Dissemination, and Demographics Phase 2, Volume 1 (2020)

Voices of First Responders – Examining Public Safety Communication from the Perspective of 9-1-1 Call Takers and Dispatchers Findings from User-Centered Interviews Phase 1, Volume 4 (2020)

Voices of First Responders – Examining Public Safety Communication from the Rural Perspective: Findings from User-Centered Interviews Phase 1, Volume 3 (2019)

Voices of First Responders – Examining Public Safety Communication Problems and Requested Functionality: Findings from User-Centered Interviews Phase 1, Volume 2 (2019)

Voice of First Responders - Identifying Public Safety Communications Problems: Findings from User-Centered Interviews Phase 1, Volume 1 (2018)

Public Safety User Interface R&D Summit Report (2018)

Incident Scenarios Collection for Public Safety Communications Research (2017)

Usability Handbook for Public Safety Communications (2017)

Public Safety User Interface R&D Roadmap (2017)

Cooperative Localization Using Received Signal Strength and Least Squares Estimation Methods (2023)

On the Feasibility of COVID-19 Proximity Detection Using Bluetooth Low Energy Signals (2022)

Response to “Evaluation of indoor localization systems: comments on the ISO/IEC 18305 standard (2021)

On the Use of Lookahead to Improve Wi-Fi Fingerprinting Indoor Localization Accuracy (2021)

A Performance Comparison of Wi-Fi RTT and UWB for RF Ranging (2019)

Indoor Localization Accuracy of Major Smartphone Location Apps (2019)

PerfLoc (Part 2): Performance Evaluation of the Smartphone Indoor Localization Apps (2018)

Test & Evaluation of the Safety App from 911Cellular, LLC at NIST (2017)

PerfLoc (Part 1): An extensive data repository for development of smartphone indoor localization apps (2016)

Geolocation Techniques: Principles and Applications (2013)

RFID-based localization and tracking technologies (2011)

Emerging opportunities for localization and tracking (2011)

A comprehensive spatial-temporal channel propagation model for the ultra-wideband spectrum 2-8 GHz (2010)

A comprehensive spatial-temporal channel propagation model for the ultra-wideband spectrum 2-8 GHz (2009)

An ultra-wideband radar system for through-the-wall imaging using a mobile robot (2009)

A robust model-based approach to indoor positioning using signal strength (2008)

A comprehensive evaluation of joint range and angle estimation in ultra-wideband location systems for indoors (2008)

A novel model-based indoor positioning using signal strength (2007)

Indoor localization: Technology that can save first-responder lives (2007)

Distributed sensor location through linear programming with triangle inequality constraints (2007)

Robust indoor positioning based on received signal strength (2007)

Emitter localization and visualization (ELVIS): A backward ray tracing algorithm for locating emitters (2007)

Sensor location through linear programming with arrival angle constraints (2007)

A comprehensive evaluation of indoor ranging using ultra-wideband technology (2007)

Application of beamforming in wireless location estimation (2006)

An evaluation of ultra-wideband technology for indoor ranging (2006)

RFID-assisted indoor localization and communication for first responders (2006)

Distributed sensor location through linear programming with triangle inequality constraints (2006)

Source-assisted direction estimation inside buildings (2006)

Indoor positioning using spatial power spectrum (2005)

Sensor location through linear programming with triangle inequality constraints (2005)

Robust location using system dynamics and motion constraints (2004)

Mission Critical Voice Quality of Experience Probability of Successful Delivery Measurement Methods (2023)

5G New Radio Sidelink Link-Level Simulator and Performance Analysis (2022)

Modeling Public Safety Communication Scenarios: School Shooting Incident (2021)

Optimal Transmit Volume Conditions for Mission Critical Voice Quality of Experience Measurement Systems (2021)

Modeling MCPTT and User Behavior in ns-3 (2021)

Mission Critical Voice Start-of-Word Correction for Access Delay Measurement System (2021)

3GPP NR V2X Mode 2: Overview, Models and System-level Evaluation (2021)

Study of 5G New Radio (NR) Support for Direct Mode Communications (2021)

UE-to-Network Relay Model B Discovery in ProSe-Enabled LTE Networks (2021)

Evaluation of Timers Related to ProSe-based UE-to-Network Relays (2021)

Study of Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network Area in Multicast Communications (2020)

Bridging Analog Land Mobile Radio to LTE Mission Critical Push-to-Talk Communications (2020)

UE-to-Network Relay Discovery in ProSe-enabled LTE Networks (2020)

On Selecting Channel Parameters for Public Safety Network Applications in LTE Direct (2020)

Distributed Resource Allocation Schemes for Out-of-Coverage D2D Communications (2019)

Mission Critical Voice QoE Access Time Measurement Methods (2019)

Throughput Analysis between Unicast and MBSFN from Link Level to System Level (2019)

System Level Evaluation of UE-to-Network Relays in D2D-enabled LTE Networks (2019)

Guidelines for Generating Public Safety Benchmark Scenario Set (2019)

Access Time Analysis of MCPTT Off-Network Mode over LTE (2019)

Test Scenarios for Mission Critical Push-To-Talk (MCPTT) Off-Network Mode Protocols Implementation (2018)

Performance Evaluation of LTE Device-to-Device Out-of-Coverage Communications with Frequency Hopping Resource Scheduling (2018)

Mission Critical Voice QoE Mouth-to-Ear Latency Measurement Methods (2018)

Increasing Public Safety Broadband Network Resiliency through Traffic Control (Elsevier Special Issue on “Resilient Networks : Modeling, Design, and Applications”) (2018)

Enhanced Transmission Algorithm for Dynamic Device-to-Device Direct Discovery (CCNC 2018) (2018)

Process Document for the NIST List of Certified Devices (2017)

Adaptive Synchronization Reference Selection for Out-Of-Coverage Proximity Services (PIMRC 2017) (2017)

A Novel Adaptive Transmission Algorithm for Device-to-Device Direct Discovery (IWCMC 2017) (2017)

Implementation and Validation of an LTE D2D Model for ns-3 (WNS3 2017) (2017)

Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH) in Mode 2: Performance Analysis (ICC 2017) (2017)

Group Discovery Time in D2D ProSe Networks (INFOCOM 2017) (2017)

Impact of timing on the ProSe synchronization function (CCNC 2017) (2017)

Optimizing the UE Transmission Probability for D2D Direct Discovery (GLOBECOM 2016) (2016)

BLER Performance Evaluation of LTE Device-to-Device Communications (NISTIR 8157) (2016)

A Clustering-Based Device-to-Device Communication to Support Diverse Applications (RACS 2016) (2016)

An LTE Device-to-Device module for ns-3 (WNS3 2016) (2016)

Outdoor-to-Indoor Channel Dispersion and Power-Delay Profile Models for the 700 MHz and 4.9 GHz Bands (2015)

Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network Deployment: Network Parameter Sensitivity Analysis (2015)

Measuring the Resiliency of Cellular Base Station Deployments (2015)

LTE Uplink Performance with Interference from In-Band Device-to-Device (D2D) Communications (2015)

Peer-to-Peer Urban Channel Characteristics for Two Public-Safety Frequency Bands (2014)

Optimizing the Location Deployment of Dynamic Mobile Base Stations (2014)

LTE Physical Layer Performance Analysis (2014)

Public Safety Broadband Push-to-Talk over Long Term Evolution Requirements (2013)

Nationwide Safety: Modeling a Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (2013)

Security Guidance for First Responder Mobile and Wearable Devices (2022)

Mobile Application Single Sign-On (2021)

Background on Identity Federation Technologies for the Public Safety Community (2021)

Identity as a Service for Public Safety Organizations (2021)

Using Mobile Device Biometrics for Authenticating First Responders (2021)

Security Analysis of First Responder Mobile and Wearable Devices (2020)

Security Analysis of First Responder 3 Mobile and Wearable Devices (2019)

Usability and Security Considerations for Public Safety Mobile Authentication (2016)

Identifying and Categorizing Data Types for Public Safety Mobile Applications Workshop Report (2016)

Considerations for Identity Management in Public Safety Networks (2015)

Public Safety Mobile Application Security Requirements Workshop Summary (2015)

Autonomous Aerial Drones Connecting Public Safety: Opportunities and Challenges for the Future (2024)

Cybersecurity and AI Risk Management for Uncrewed Systems: Challenges and Opportunities Using the NIST Frameworks (2024)

Public Safety Communications Research, Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Program Challenge Overview (2024)

Aerial LTE Demonstration Report (2021)

Survey of Drone Usage in Public Safety Agencies (2020)

Highly Mobile Deployable Networks R&D Summit Report (2018)

Created June 17, 2025, Updated September 8, 2025

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