Scott Sight Thermal-Imaging Firefighter Mask

Firefighters have been using thermal imagining cameras since the 1990s, and the reason is clear: One of a their greatest challenges can be visibility through smoke, and thermal imaging lets them see in a different way. But these cameras have always been independent units that added pound or two to a firefighter's helmet. That's what makes the Scott Sight, the new firefighting mask developed by Tyco International, so remarkable. By placing the thermal imaging inside the mask, they've given firefighters greater accessibility to cameras without adding weight. A firefighter wearing the Scott Sight, announced at the Fire Department Instructor Conference in Indianapolis, will have in the bottom right of their field of vision a thermal image of their immediate surroundings. This will free up both hands for other things and allow smoother operation in dark areas. Another big problem with the old thermal imaging cameras was price. The first ones purchased in 1997 cost $16,000, and while prices have gone down since then, departments still often rely on fundraisers and charity to get the cameras. Tyco has yet to set a price point on their new technology. (yahoo)