Skip to Content

Fire Sight

Rushing fearlessly into burning buildings, firefighters seem at times like superheroes. If researchers at a company called Zybron have their way, firefighters will actually acquire a superhuman power: the ability to see through a wall of fire that might conceal someone in need of rescue.

Zybron and other firms have already built devices that use infrared detectors to peer through thick smoke. But a fire’s bright light and searing heat blots out the weak infrared signal given off by a human body on the other side of the flames. So Zybron, based in Beaver Creek, Ohio, is developing a helmet-mounted system that uses a diode laser to beam out light at a wavelength outside the spectrum of fire. The light bounces off objects behind the fire and back into a detector on the helmet; filters that pass only the laser’s wavelength permit the system to create an image of the hidden area, which the firefighter views on a liquid crystal display attached to the visor. Zybron hopes to begin field tests late this year.

Keep Reading

Most Popular

DeepMind’s cofounder: Generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI.

“This is a profound moment in the history of technology,” says Mustafa Suleyman.

What to know about this autumn’s covid vaccines

New variants will pose a challenge, but early signs suggest the shots will still boost antibody responses.

Human-plus-AI solutions mitigate security threats

With the right human oversight, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can help keep business and customer data secure

Next slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentation

From million-dollar slide shows to Steve Jobs’s introduction of the iPhone, a bit of show business never hurt plain old business.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.