Rico Herald from Westsachisische Hochshule Zwickau presents a demonstrator for an augmented reality head-mounted display system designed for firefighters. The technology is integrated directly into a standard firefighter’s mask and aims to improve situational awareness and team tracking in low-visibility environments, such as smoke-filled buildings. The primary function is to allow firefighters to locate their colleagues. Each team member with a display can see the position and direction of others who are equipped with a small, portable transmitter.
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The system’s key advantage is its self-contained architecture, which does not rely on any pre-installed infrastructure like Wi-Fi hotspots or other in-building installations. This allows for rapid deployment in any emergency situation. The communication between the display unit and the transmitters is handled by a UWB (Ultra-Wideband) radio signal, enabling precise location tracking between units. The system is scalable, capable of supporting multiple firefighters, with a practical recommendation of around five users for optimal user interface clarity.
Beyond team tracking, the system can also be used for navigation to safety. A transmitter can be placed at a known exit, such as a window, providing other firefighters with a clear AR overlay showing the direction and distance to that egress point. The display itself is an OLED microdisplay, with the image projected into the user’s line of sight using a simple optical combiner cube. This design prioritizes reliability and functionality in harsh conditions.
The system has undergone testing in real fire simulations with partners to validate its performance and durability. The modular design is also cost-effective, with an estimated cost for a 10-firefighter system being approximately 5,000 euros. The ultimate goal of the technology is to enhance operational safety and save lives by providing critical location data when vision is completely obscured.
