SBIR Phase II: Biometric IoT system for First Responders

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to reduce injuries and costs due to overexertion and heat strain in firefighting through a real-time, biometric monitoring system and accompanying analysis tools. This system collects each firefighter's vital signs and sends the data to authorized commanders for real-time strategic decision-making. By receiving access to life-critical information, commanders can make informed decisions on the allocation of key resources during the hectic scene of an emergency. Every year over one million firefighters risk their lives to protect others. Almost 60% of the deaths in firefighting are caused by overexertion and stress, which can induce heart attacks as well as other serious medical issues. Around 70,000 firefighting injuries occur each year, and associated costs total over $7 billion annually. The proposed system can be easily adapted to serve other first responders, such as military personnel, industrial workers, and others with occupational risk. The proposed project will improve the occupational safety of first responders through the research and development of the following components: 1) An improved biometric collection wearable; 2) software used by the biometric monitoring system; 3) a location-monitoring tool; 4) algorithms to estimate sleep quality, fatigue, and detect symptoms for certain diseases, and improve exertion and core-body temperature estimates. 5) network improvement solutions allowing first responders in remote areas to utilize biometric monitoring tools. All five objectives will consist of multiple pilot studies with ongoing research and development that will incorporate crucial feedback from end-users. It is expected that the outcomes of this project will demonstrate a significant reduction in firefighter injuries, paving the way for a clear return on investment for partnering fire and emergency services. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.