Infrared holography lets rescuers see people through walls, fire, walls of fire (video)

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Firefighters already use infrared cameras to find people in burning buildings, but the technology can't distinguish between a person's heat and that of the surrounding fire. That's because a zoom lens is needed to concentrate the infrared rays in a way that enables the apparatus to form a human-readable image. Fortunately, a team of researchers from the Italian Institute of Optics has developed a system that ditches the lens in favor of digital holography that produces detailed 3D images in the darkness. The hardware isn't out of short trousers just yet, but the team is planning to develop a portable version for field work -- and chief Pietro Ferraro hopes that the idea will be co-opted by the aerospace and biomedical industries, too. Curious to see what all the fuss is about? Head on past the break for a video.

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Source: Optics Express

Australian firefighters test data-transmitting pills to monitor biometrics during work

Australian firefighters swallow datatransmitting pills to monitor the stress of fighting fires

A new swallowable pill has been trialled with 50 firefighters in Australia, aimed at monitoring body temperatures and other vital readings when working under extreme conditions. Using Equivital's EQ02 LifeMonitor capsule, the pill transmits metrics to a device housed on the chest. This then sends data on skin temperature, heart rate and respiration rate to an external computer. If a firefighter's core body temperature is increasing too quickly, they can then be moved from the frontline to a recovery area, hopefully reducing accidents and deaths caused by heat exhaustion.

Until now, the standard method involved measuring body temperatures through the ear, but this new method -- which was also used to monitor Felix Baumgartner's 23-mile drop to Earth -- offers a faster, more effective way of monitoring multiple vital signs. Research has so far focused on monitoring a firefighters' core temperature when they've been exposed to temperatures between from -3 to 124 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes, but according to News.com.au, testing will continue on the Equivital capsules, with temperatures likely to go as high as 600 degrees Celsius -- about 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit. We're just hoping that electrical firewands are next on the list.

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Via: PopSci

Source: News.au.com

MIT’s real-time indoor mapping system uses Kinect, lasers to aid rescue workers

MIT's realtime indoor mapping system uses Kinect, lasers to aid rescue workers

We've seen the Kinect put to use to help you find your groceries, but the sensor's image processing capabilities have some more safety-minded applications as well. The fine minds at MIT combined the Kinect with a laser range finder and a laptop to create a real-time mapping rig for firefighters and other rescue workers. The prototype, called SLAM (for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) received funding from the US Air Force and the Office of Naval Research, and it stands out among other indoor mapping systems for its focus on human (rather than robot) use and its ability to produce maps without the aid of any outside information, thanks to an on-board processor.

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MIT's real-time indoor mapping system uses Kinect, lasers to aid rescue workers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 13:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fire Fighter Super Soaker Backpack

firefighter super soaker 650x736 Fire Fighter Super Soaker Backpack
This looks like a lot of fun- the Super Soaking Fire Hose with Backpack Fire Fighter Super Soaker Backpack. It has a water gun that can shoot a stream of water up to 35 feet. Since the water is stored in the backpack, it’s easier for smaller kids to carry around- and a lot cooler. Kids can pretend to be firefighters and spray the hose- at their friends. It also comes in an Astronaut Space Pack Fire Fighter Super Soaker Backpack version”
astronaut water gun Fire Fighter Super Soaker Backpack
Get one of each and have a firefighter vs. astronaut water fight in your yard.

buy now Fire Fighter Super Soaker Backpack

Fire Fighter Super Soaker Backpack