Fire Information Rescue Equipment
Moteiv
Aptly named FIRE, this rescue system melds wirelessly networked sensors and electronic maps to deliver critical information to firefighters during an emergency. After 9/11, the city of Chicago started requiring owners of commercial buildings to register digital floor plans. Now the Chicago Fire Department is working with Moteiv and UC Berkeley engineers to layer live data atop those plans. FIRE monitors occupancy, smoke, light, and even the tracks of emergency crews inside a building, then displays the details on the inside of each firefighter's mask. As rescuers work, they all have access to the same information – an enormous improvement over chalkboard scribbles and muffled radio instructions. The wireless sensors may also help prevent or contain blazes by alerting fire officials to marked changes in a structure's temperature, pinpointing trouble before it gets out of control.
Lightspeed
Office Of Naval Research
LightSpeed keeps the lines of communication open and secure among US Navy ships in the Persian Gulf. The device fits onto ordinary binocs so soldiers within sight of each other – up to 2 nautical miles – can exchange audio and video signals via infrared. Plug-in mikes and headphones keep convos more discreet than radios.
Goldeneye
Aurora Flight Sciences
Though it bears no relation to the James Bond vehicle, Aurora's GoldenEye would turn Q green with envy. Small enough to fit in the trunk of a Hummer, it's an unmanned aircraft designed for covert surveillance: It's quick and quiet, with an acoustic suppression system to ensure aurally undetectable flight.
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