Scientists from VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava are developing a monitoring device for greater safety of firefighters and paramedics

Monitoring system for measurement, archiving and online evaluation of temperatures affecting firefighters is still missing on the market.

"The SAM system – “Safety Ambient Monitor" is primarily intended for firefighters, mining rescue workers and possibly special army forces," says Professor Petr Novák from the Department of Robotics and adds: "We have designed a monitoring device that can measure the outside temperature impacting protective clothing, relative humidity and temperature under the protective clothing and other parameters to which rescuers are exposed. Such device is not on the market yet.”

Functional samples of this device are currently being tested in several variants. All variants have the size of a smaller mobile phone and are placed in the inner breast pocket of the rescue suit. It measures external (-20 - + 600 ° C) and internal, i.e. under the clothes, (50 ° C) heat impact on the suit and body of the individual as well as relative humidity.

The device immediately evaluates the measured values and informs via tones and vibrations about the achievement of pre-set parameters and their combinations. Measured values are also stored for possible computer analysis.

Basic, minimum and most affordable variant of the device is intended as a personal monitoring system and informs merely the person using it.

A more sophisticated type is equipped with means for wireless communication that enable to communicate e.g. with a sensor measuring an individual’s heart rate. It also enables to communicate with the rescue leader and inform him about the current situation of each member of the rescue team – including warning about reaching limit values of thermal exposure of a particular firefighter.

The rescue chief can then – based on the gained values – decide on the withdrawal of the rescuer. The chief is also informed about the detection of free fall, or physical inactivity (lying or hurt firefighter) and can immediately make steps leading to their rescue.

The device is also provided with specialized software for setting off-line records about the detected events (thermal overload, free fall, physical inactivity etc.) and for on-line monitoring of measured data.

Charging the device is possible via a standard micro USB connector, i.e. one can use any current cell phone charger. Operating time is approximately 48 hours.

“The fact that the SAM device doesn’t require any action by firefighters, i.e. there’s no button to control it and thus the activation and deactivation is done automatically, is also worth mentioning”, says Professor Novak.

More information about the SAM unit, including a promotional video can be found on the website http://robot.vsb.cz/sam/index.php