Graphene nanotubes safeguard imaging camera for firefighters

Luxembourg – Hungarian-based manufacturer of thermal imaging cameras (TICs) Medirlab is employing graphene nanotube materials in a new range of explosion-proof devices for firefighters.

Budapest-based Medirlab selected the Tuball-branded materials from OCSiAl to enhance ATEX safety: integrating the nanotubes into silicone camera-body parts and aramid neck strap of the Pyrolater.

The TICs are designed to transform infrared radiation into visible light, enabling firefighters to see through smoke, darkness, or heat-permeable barriers, helping to locate hot spots and save lives.

Equipped with a high-res thermal detector and wide-angle lens, the compact Pyrolater can provide vivid, high-contrast images, while offering light weight, high robustness and anti-static properties.

OCSiAl’s graphene nanotubes provide camera parts with stable, permanent electrical conductivity, according to Dr. Thomas Nagy, a managing director of Medirlab.

The nanomaterials, explained Nagy, protect “both the camera and firefighter from the risk of static electricity discharge generated from combustible dust, gases, or liquids.”

According to a release from OCSiAl, the Pyrolater camera is already in use with fire departments in Hungary, and will soon be launched elsewhere in Europe in the south east Asia markets.