A smart helmet which could help firefighters quickly map their surroundings is being developed by researchers at the National Robotarium.

The helmet could allow fire and rescue crews to navigate hazardous environments more easily and efficiently locate fire-scene victims.

The research breakthrough announcement comes after the £22.4 million National Robotarium facility officially opened its doors earlier this week.

Combining feeds from thermal cameras, radar and inertial sensors mounted on a standard-issue firefighting helmet, the tech uses artificial intelligence to provide wearers with real-time information that can help detect victims, recognise teammates, and provide an accurate understanding of their own location.

Developmental field trials of the National Robotarium smart helmet have been conducted in partnership with Scottish Fire and Rescue Service personnel at its £10.5 million training facility in Newbridge, Edinburgh.

Stewart Miller, CEO of the National Robotarium, said: “The development of a smart firefighting helmet that has the potential to support firefighters and help save lives is an excellent example of the pedigree of research coming from the National Robotarium’s two partner universities, each amongst the most prestigious in Scotland.

“As we open the doors of our dedicated, state-of-the-art facility today, we are able to showcase Scotland and the UK’s role at the forefront of global developments in AI and robotics, and the role of the National Robotarium in championing and developing solutions to some of society and industry’s biggest challenges.”

Dr Chris Lu, Lecturer in Cyber-Physical Systems in the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh and project lead, added: “Firefighters often operate in environments with very low or no visibility due to the vast amount of smoke released from a fire. This can make detecting the location of potential victims and whereabouts of firefighters very challenging in situations that are often extremely time sensitive.

“This new technology has the potential to support on-the-ground firefighters and scene commanders to make crucial in-the-moment decisions that can enhance search rescue efficiency, ensure safer collaboration between teammates and, most importantly, improve outcomes for potential victims of fire scenes.”

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Lu continued: “Our entire sensor rig weighs less than a kilogram and is composed of affordable, off-the-shelf components that can be easily retrofitted to existing standard-issue firefighting helmets. This means it has the potential to be an incredibly efficient and accessible resource to fire and rescue teams in Scotland, the UK and beyond once fully developed.

“We are continuing to expand the capabilities of the technology with the support of the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, to whom we are enormously grateful.

“Our next ambition is to give the helmet the ability to generate 3D maps and an embedded display, which will provide the wearer with even more spatial awareness. We are actively looking to engage with industry partners to help make this next step a reality.”

It’s hoped that the first-of-its-kind technology could support firefighters and scene commanders to navigate adverse or low-visibility conditions such as smoke-filled fire scenes more safely and reduce the time it takes to rescue victims.

The project has received funding from the Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance (SICSA) and the Scottish Funding Council’s SFC Saltire scheme, as well as funding from the University of Edinburgh.

Bryan Todd, Group Commander in Training, Safety & Assurance at Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We are proud that our staff at our Newbridge Training Centre have been able to support with the trialling of this technology.

“Safety, Teamwork and Innovation are three of our core values as a service and we always welcome opportunities to work in partnership with higher education organisations and the fantastic work they do in exploring ideas to improve community and firefighter safety.”

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