By Christopher De Los Santos
Waco Tribune-Herald
WACO, Texas — Waco firefighters soon will be using a new thermal imaging augmented reality system not yet available to the general public.
The Waco City Council last week approved a three-year, $396,000 agreement with Qwake Technologies Inc. of Austin, allowing the fire department to buy at a discount the hands-free thermal imaging equipment and software, along with training on its use. The Waco Fire Department will be the second in Texas to train with and evaluate Qwake’s helmet-mounted C-THRU system, which combines thermal imaging with augmented reality displays that allow firefighters to see critical information while operating in smoke-filled or low-visibility environments, a letter from Qwake executive Austin James says.
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In addition to thermal imaging, which the department now has access to through handheld equipment, the Qwake system can provide navigation assistance, real-time video streaming to command staff, safety alerts and post-incident review capabilities, according to the letter.
The department expects delivery within 60 days, Deputy Chief Philip Burnett said Friday.
“The designers and distributors of this technology will be traveling to our training facility to deliver a robust training program prior to the devices being placed in service,” Burnett said.
Fire officials intend to have the new systems deployed in January, he said.
Under Qwake’s development program, firefighters will use the system in the field and provide feedback.
The city’s agreement provides for purchase and support of 16 C-THRU helmet-mounted units, along with command center software, training, connectivity services and related equipment.
The city received a 30% discount on the augmented reality systems and a 60% discount on accessories such as cases, mounts and command tablets, compared with retail prices, according to the purchase agreement.
The purchase is through a sole-source procurement process, an alternative to seeking competitive bids that can be used when a product is only available from a single supplier.
James’ letter to the city says other systems, including 3M’s Scott Sight In-Mask Thermal Imager and Longan Vision’s Fusion Vision System still in the prototype stage, do not have the same combination of features as Qwake’s, including navigation, communication and post-incident data analysis features. A Smart Firefighter Helmet developed by the University of Edinburgh remains in the early research phase and is focused on demonstrating the technology rather than operational use, James wrote.
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