Fresno State engineering research leads to U.S. Patent, invention could help firefighters save lives

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- When idiosyncratic is trapped successful a burning home, each 2nd counts.

Firefighters tin beryllium up against ample flames, dense fume and highly debased visibility.

Dr. Hovannes Kulhandjian, an subordinate prof astatine Fresno State, says immoderate of those factors and firsthand acquisition from a erstwhile pupil gave him the thought to make a caller instrumentality to assistance firefighters find radical and pets successful debased visibility.

"I said, 'Why don't we person a instrumentality that tin bash the aforesaid process but automate it and usage immoderate artificial intelligence?'" Kulhandjian said.

Three of his students took connected the task arsenic their elder plan project.

They came up with an invention called the "System and Method for Human and Animal Detection successful Low Visibility."

The instrumentality uses an infrared camera to observe heat, a radar sensor to observe motion, and a microphone to assistance amended constituent firefighters successful the close direction.

"So the quality of our instrumentality is besides that it tin supply audio information. It tin archer you not conscionable visual, but besides archer you that determination is simply a idiosyncratic connected the close side, however acold that idiosyncratic is." Kulhandjian said.

All the accusation it collects is delivered straight to the firefighters successful existent time.

The invention is tiny capable to beryllium utilized connected a handheld device, a drone oregon a robot.

That means a drone tin beryllium deployed instantly and provender accusation to firefighters arsenic they attack the scene.

"This could beryllium utilized extensively successful redeeming lives," Kulhandjian said.

In May of 2021, Dr. Kulhandjian and his erstwhile students filed for a patent. Last month, they formally received the 'Notice of Allowance' from the U.S. Patent Office.

He hopes the invention volition someday beryllium deployed wide and marque a planetary impact.

"It's an astonishing feeling, particularly that we - it was my archetypal patent. So hopefully, successful the future, determination mightiness beryllium immoderate different patents that mightiness travel out." Kulhandjian said.

While the patent has been secured for that invention, the probe and inventions continue.

Kulhandjian says they are besides moving connected a brain-computer interface, which uses sensors to place encephalon signals.

It could yet assistance individuals with prosthetics to power their prosthetic limbs with their minds.

They're moving connected SARDOG, a robot utilized connected the workplace to automate antithetic processes.

They're besides processing the "Crossbot." The robot volition assistance students and the visually impaired safely transverse the street.

All of them are inactive successful improvement but whitethorn yet beryllium submitted for a patent.

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