WATCH: This AI firefighter helmet makes firefighters see through smoke

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have developed a smart helmet for firefighters.

The helmet is mounted with test phase radar and cameras that use artificial intelligence to detect victims in smoke filled environments.

The equipment is intended to reach and rescue victims faster.

The helmet allows rescue teams to navigate around hazardous environments more easily by scanning the area.

Thermal cameras, inertial sensors and radar mounted on the helmet send feed to helmet wearers.

The real-time information is then used by the crew to detect victims and provide accurate understanding of the location.

Video from Euronews

Scottish fire and rescue service Glen Macaffer said heat and dark smoke was a challenge but the helmet added an advantage that allowed those injured to be found in minutes.

“Our equipment can at times be restrictive in terms of what we have to do for searching. Add in any heat, dark smoke – having a thermal image capacity helps us massively in terms of location of someone.

“We can scan a room a lot better. We can take five to ten seconds compared to probably a couple of minutes when we wouldn’t have that technology. So for us to have that would be a massive game changer,” Macaffer.

Lecturer in Cyber-Physical systems at the University of Edinburgh Chris Xiaoxuan Lu said it was important to provide firefighters – who were already going above and beyond – with an added edge.

“Not only are they hero’s we wanted them to have this superhero ability.”

“See-through smoke, see through darkness.”

The helmet weighs roughly 1kg with mounted apparatus allowing firefighters the ability to detect victims in seconds without much weight.

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