Wireless Fire Detector

The proposed Skyward/ESI wireless fire detector system is a forward-looking concept that utilizes a collection of some commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies, applies them to this unique problem, and creates an innovative package addressing the many requirements of this SBIR topic. This system uses electro-optical devices in the form of a combination of photodiodes and thin film thermopiles (similar to fire detection technology already employed on the Joint Striker Fighter aircraft) for the fire detectors to target likely aircraft fire sources and to reduce the incidence of false detection by using comparative logic. This system also uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for transmission, which enables the detectors to be reduced in size and increased in quantity, eliminates wiring for the detectors, simplifies attachment requirements, and offers, with available technology, the potential for moving toward a semi-passive or even passive power source for the detectors. As this proposal shows, the final solution positively addresses requirements associated with weight, cost, false detection, response time, power requirements, installation requirements, and communication.