An armed police officer shows newly-developed firefighting gear. (Photo/Beijing Times)
(ECNS) -- Beijing has used technology designed for spacesuits to create the latest firefighting gear, the Beijing Times reported.
The Astronaut Center of China delivered the newly-designed multifunctional protective suits to Beijing's fire brigade on Wednesday.
The suits were made with high-tech innovation similar to that used to produce extravehicular mobility units (EMUs), the spacesuits that provide environmental protection, mobility, life support and communications for astronauts.
The suit is resistant to high temperatures, thermal radiation and deflagration. Inside the suit is an automatic air-conditioning system. The suit also allows users to transmit audio and visual messages from 500 meters underground.
The suit can monitor a firefighter's physical conditions, including their pulse in real time, and send alerts in case of emergency. The helmet integrates lighting, photography and information collection, according to the report.
Four sets of suits will be put through practical testing, before more are rolled out in Beijing.
Research on the suit, supported by the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and the Beijing Municipal Institute of Labor Protection, was carried out over nearly three years.
