Disorientation inside smoke-filled and unfamiliar buildings can be a major obstacle for firefighters – and it’s not as if they don’t have enough to worry about already. Researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm have addressed this problem by developing fancy footwear that allows firefighters to be tracked in places where GPS fails, including up to 25 m (82 ft) below ground.
The digital positioning system developed by Peter Händel, John-Olof Nilsson and Jouni Ranta Kokko consists of a processor and sensors, such as an accelerometer and gyroscope. The system is fitted into the heel of a boot, where it can withstand shock and extremely high temperatures and keep working where GPS technology fails.
via Gizmag
