The new prototype was developed with the close collaboration of the local corporation of firefighters “Bombeiros Voluntários de Vila Real – Cruz Verde”.
This prototype targets the real-word training scenario of firefighters for neutral plane identification procedure in closed spaces before entering it. For this scenario, the trainee is required to use his/her ability to detect a significant increase in temperature on a closed door. The plane where this temperature difference exists indicates that only below that plane is safe to progress in that closed space as above the temperature will compromise the firefighter’s physical integrity. Alongside the coherent thermal stimulus-only and audiovisual conditions, we also experimented augmenting the thermal stimulus with visual cues. For more information, watch the video of the project’s prototypes on the Results page.