By Andrew Tarantola
Gizmodo
WASHINGTON — Firefighting is dangerous enough without your two-way radio failing behind collapsed walls or in smoke-filled buildings. That’s why the DoD has developed the a new disposable router system, dubbed WISPER, that may one day replace traditional radios.
Designed on the ZiggBee protocol, each WISPER (Wireless Intelligent Sensor Platform for Emergency Responders) unit consists of a single, inch-square waterproof and heat-resistant router containing an integrated two-way digital radio, antenna, and 3-volt power source.
Developed by Oceanit Laboratories and the University of Virginia, WISPER routers are designed to be dropped as position markers, like Hansel and Gretel’s breadcrumbs, from waterproof dispenser as firefighters move through a building.