The FireSense Mission

FireSense is a modular sensing system designed to aid firefighters by establishing real-time operational awareness during structural fires. Each payload uses thermal cameras and radar to Simultaneously Localize And Map (SLAM) the interior of a smoke-filled room when human visibility is zero. All payloads communicate their SLAM data to the command station outside, where the data is fitted together to form a real-time map of the interior.

Unlike traditional robotic solutions that rely on independent platforms, this project utilizes a modular approach. FireSense 1.0 is a singular unit, mountable on any ground platform or carriable directly by firefighters. FireSense 2.0 seeks to further miniaturize the payload to make it more useful when carried by firefighters, who are the most effective ground platform available. This design eliminates the friction of deploying separate ground or aerial robots, allowing the system to seamlessly integrate into existing firefighter workflows while extending their situational awareness beyond physical barriers. By mounting this device on firefighters, localization allows command to always know their position, improving decision making when emergencies occur.