By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• The Carmel Fire Department in Indiana is launching a pilot program to test augmented reality helmets designed to help firefighters work in smoke-filled environments.
• The AR helmets overlay heat signatures and navigation cues to help firefighters locate victims and hazards where visibility is limited.
• The system can livestream video to incident command, allowing commanders to monitor crews and send visual cues.
• Carmel officials said a three-year, $375,000 pilot is being funded in partnership with a local nonprofit.
CARMEL, IN — The Carmel Fire Department will participate in a pilot program this summer to test augmented reality (AR) helmets that help firefighters navigate smoke-filled buildings and relay visual information to commanders, officials said.
The department is deploying the C-THRU AR system developed by Qwake Technologies, which overlays thermal imaging and navigational cues onto a firefighter’s field of view to identify heat signatures, potential victims and hazards in low-visibility conditions.
During demonstrations inside a smoke-filled training structure, the AR helmets helped users move through rooms by combining thermal imaging with real-time visual guidance, department personnel said. The helmets can also livestream video to command staff and receive tactical cues from incident commanders.
Carmel plans to receive 16 AR helmets and four tablet command units by midsummer as part of the three-year pilot, which city officials said will cost about $375,000 and is supported through a partnership with the local Heroes Club.
Officials said the pilot will allow the department to evaluate the technology’s effectiveness in enhancing situational awareness and firefighter safety under hazardous conditions.