Warning System for Firefighters Using E-Textile

This paper presents a research focused on an e-textile based warning system for firefighters which is intended to bring more safety to firefighters on-the-job. The system is designed so that it is integrated into an undergarment shirt worn underneath a firefighter's protective jacket/suit. It is able to monitor heart rate, detect a firefighter's position relative to his posture, detect CO gas concentrations in the environment and measure ambient temperature. The warning system, as a whole, consists of the sensors and a microcontroller integrated into the undergarment through e-textile technology, and a wireless monitoring device. Measured data are wirelessly transmitted and received by the monitoring device capable of data visualization and are intended to be used by an operation chief to monitor a firefighter. When monitored data exceed a certain threshold value the firefighter will be notified by means of a light and sound alarm. The system performed well when tested against specific digital sensors and withstood moisture exposure tests. Wireless communication was consistently established to the monitoring device.