Shirt designed to protect firefighters from heat stress

Terrassa (ACN).- One of the main problems firefighters face is thermal heat stress. It deals with the degree of temperature the human body can take it before their system collapses, causing them to lose consciousness. Researchers at the Leitat Centre, in Terrassa, have designed a shirt that, through a system of electrodes and sensors that measure temperature and humidity, can alert firefighters that are in danger of suffering from heat stress. The shirt sends off a vibration, notifying firefighters to exit the building or seek relief. The product is expected to hit the market in the coming months.
The shirt is made with a special flame-retardant fabric equipped with a network of electrodes that goes from the firefighters hands through their clothes to a centre point where a small box is located. The box contains an electronic sensor that measures temperature and humidity and lasts up to 4 hours. “The components, using logarithms, calculate the thermal heat stress index of the person wearing the shirt. Through a mechanical alarm, it sends out a vibration when the body is about to reach the limit that it can withstand heat”, said José Alberto Sáez, the project manager.

From the moment the firefighter puts on the shirt, it begins detecting his heart rate and calculating his risk. “It updates the data periodically and when the thermal heat stress level rises, the monitoring process starts to be more accurate”, explained Sáez. He added that the mechanism can be programmed to send out a signal to the rest of the firefighters to alert when someone is at risk. While the system is designed for firefighters, it can also be applied to other extreme working conditions, such as in the petrochemical field.

The shirt was designed by a team of 7 textile and electronic companies in the Vallès zone with support from Acció 10 and Tecnio. The team is also working on a protective vest that can lower thermal heat stress but according to Sáez, “it is still very far from being commercialized”.