Vibrating helmet guides firefighters through smoke

The prototype helmet, created by a team from the Sheffield Centre for Robotics (SCentRo), relies on ultrasound sensors and vibrational pads to let rescue workers know the location of nearby obstacles. By sending out pulses of ultrasound and analysing their echoes, the sensors are able to detect the presence and proximity of objects such as walls. In response, the pads facing in the direction of the object are activated, providing the user with a tactile directional alert. SCentRo's director, Professor Tony Prescott, said: "When a firefighter is responding to an emergency situation he will be using his eyes and ears to make sense of his environment, trying to make out objects in a smoke filled room, for example, or straining to hear sounds from people who might need rescuing. "We found that in these circumstances it was difficult to process additional information through these senses. Using the sense of touch, however, we were able to deliver additional information effectively." The team also found that the helmet was the ideal place to locate the vibrating pads because stimuli delivered to the wearer's forehead enabled them to respond more rapidly to the signals, and would also leave their hands free for other tasks. The researchers are now looking for commercial partners to develop the helmet further.