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Wireless Applications

Moteiv Claims First Intelligent Wireless System for First Responders

September 28, 2006

Wirelessly networked sensors and electronic maps combine to displays vital information inside individual firefighter's masks.


(BUSINESS WIRE)--Moteiv Corp., manufacturer of wireless sensor networks, will demonstrate a new wireless fire and rescue system, aptly named FIRE (Fire Information and Rescue Equipment), at the WIRED NextFest Fair in New York City, slated to begin tomorrow, September 29, and run through October 1. Moteiv will be showcasing the new system at its booth (#911) in the Future of Security Pavilion. Additionally, the system will be featured on the Science Channel tomorrow, Friday, September 29 at 9pm EST; and on the Discovery Channel on Sunday, October 1 at 11am EST.

The system, uses wirelessly networked sensors and electronic maps, and displays vital information such as occupancy, smoke, light and emergency crew positions inside individual firefighter's masks. It is powered by Moteiv's Tmote Sky wireless sensing platform and Boomerang software that enables wireless sensor devices to sense, react and report changes in the environment to the mobile firefighters. FIRE is a joint project between Moteiv, the University of California, Berkeley and the Chicago Fire Department.

"This technology is a major breakthrough for improving safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of first responders," said Joe Polastre, Moteiv's CEO. "We believe that wireless technology, such as this, would have increased safety for us in numerous rescue operations last year," commented San Francisco Fire Department's Lieutenant Mindy Talmadge.

The FireEye system within the FIRE project is a head mounted display (HMD) inside each firefighter's helmet that shows an interactive floor plan map with current locations of the user, their Buddy (according to the National Fire Protection Agency "Buddy System"), other company members, areas where smoke alarms have activated, and remaining air supply. Additionally, incident commanders located outside the building can view the activity and condition of their crews in real time on a laptop computer. The wireless sensors also can alert officials to changes in a structure's temperature, identifying potential hazards prior to an actual fire.

WIRED's vision of a new world's fair, WIRED NextFest is a four-day festival of innovative products and technologies that are transforming our world. Patterned on the great World's Fairs of the past, this year's NextFest in New York features more than 130 interactive exhibits from leading scientists and researchers around the world.

Founded in 2003, Moteiv Corporation is a leading wireless sensor network provider specializing in easy-to-use hardware and software solutions. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, its products are designed for applications such as microclimate monitoring, tracking, security and industrial sensing and control, which require networks to function independently for long periods of time using very little power and in potentially harsh environments. For more information on the company and its products contact Moteiv Corporation at 415.692.0960 or visit their website.






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