Scoop: CSFD an early tester of new AR firefighter helmets
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
The Colorado Springs Fire Department is among the first in the nation to test augmented reality helmets designed to help firefighters see and communicate in low-visibility conditions, Axios has learned.
The big picture: Colorado Springs is just one of 10 cities testing the technology that could help inform a nationwide deployment as first responders increasingly turn to AR and AI in life-or-death situations.
Driving the news: Department spokesperson Ashley Franco confirmed to Axios that CSFD is piloting Qwake Technologies C-THRU helmets as part of the company's initial rollout.
- The helmets, developed over more than a decade through a $10 million contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, are designed to give firefighters real-time information about a scene while reducing operational risk.
"It is still very new to us, and we are still working to train our staff on it before it goes out to the operational line," Franco tells Axios.
How it works: A screen that flips down from the helmet's brim allows firefighters to see people, walls, doorways and other objects through thick smoke and darkness, like Predator vision.
- Firefighters can use it to record and investigate a scene hands-free.
- Communication is enhanced by the ability to send visual distress calls directly on the display, while an on-screen arrow provides turn-by-turn directions to exits.
- Outside the structure, incident commanders can watch a live feed from each helmet and issue commands.
What's next: Qwake cofounder and CEO Sam Cossman said the company continues to add capabilities, including AI tools that could help predict potential structural collapses.
Yes, but: The helmet is a bit bulky, one of the several issues Cossman said the company is working through with departments like Colorado Springs.
- "This is just the beginning," he said. "This is like the first iPhone for the fire service."