Term 1 Week 2
The flames of Australia have grown larger than ever and with the technology we have, we may be able to enhance our firefighting ways.
1. Virtual reality and haptic technology that can help train firefighters
When the firefighters act to the catastrophe, chemicals spent to sodden the fires are not fit for the environment. It just happens that we have one Australian entrepreneur planning a system that practices VR. It can be for fun and games but more importantly as an exercise and lesson in virtual reality to train the firefighters for the Australian roast. This idea guarantees firemen a worthwhile and important experience, also ditching the need to release unpleasant chemicals.
2. Keeping firefighters safe from truck burn overs
That’s not all, we have more equipment and strategies to help keep firefighters safe. Technology may be helpful but there are problems elsewhere. Being trapped in a truck caught on flames; overwhelming, right? The CSIRO have set themselves on an adventure to discover a solution, by testing water sprays and shields for the sake of decreasing radiation risk, temperature and toxic gases.
3. Watering Drones
Another technology we could put to use is the sound blasting fire extinguisher. Drones are mechanical pressure waves that cause vibrations, since sound waves have the potential to manipulate both burning material and the oxygen that surrounds it, Drones could be used to separate the two, the fire would be starved of oxygen.
Drones don’t completely cool the flames, so there is a chance the fire could catch again when the sound is switched off. This doesn’t necessarily mean drones are useless. Drones can be applied to help detect damaged buildings and hotspots.
4. Satellites and space cameras
Have you hear of DESIS, or DLR? If not, it’s us humans using the resources we have to have this incredible technology which can depict the land surface, oceans and atmosphere with great accuracy and can absolutely be applied to supervise any bushfires from orbit. With a map of information sent to firefighters as the bonus keypoint.
5. Using sound waves to extinguish blazes
In 2015, Seth Robertson and Viet Tran (engineering students) at George Mason University in the US have come up with a way to fight fire without water or chemicals!?
“The principle behind the extinguisher is simple: as they are mechanical pressure waves that cause vibrations in the medium in which they travel, sound waves have the potential to manipulate both burning material and the oxygen that surrounds it. If the sound could be used to separate the two, the fire would be starved of oxygen and, accordingly, would be snuffed out.”
Physics World
Like a fire extinguisher equipped with sound waves; their prototype uses low-frequency sound waves. It weighs around 9 kg. Similar to the drone, the technology isn’t 100% effective. There’s a likely chance that the fire will return when the sound is turned off. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s useless but it can still be of assistance in the firefighting department, just not at popular choice.
6. The V.F.D also known as the Volunteer Fire Department
There you have it, if you have any questions or compliments, the box is down below.
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