2018 Startup GUIDE - 10th Edition

COVER STORIES 25
Darix
Using augmented reality to help first
responders save lives
A key challenge firefighters face is being able to locate and rescue
victims amid a thick cloud of smoke. The revolutionary new
smart glasses developed by Darix – a spin-off of the Ecole Polytechnique
Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) – allow firefighters to
see through the smoke with the help of thermal images in order
to quickly bring victims to safety.
Darix’s smart glasses use a patented visualization algorithm and a
sophisticated thermal sensor to generate the images on a transparent
display. Firefighters see the color-coded thermal image as
well as what’s actually going on behind the image, enabling them
to safely orient themselves through structural fires and better
identify danger zones in low-visibility situations. The glasses give
firefighters a kind of sixth sense – the ability to see temperature.
This augmented reality system is designed to fit easily into firefighters’
masks and helmets. That makes it entirely hands-free –
a huge advantage over existing thermal cameras, which are all
hand-held. With those cameras, firefighters have to not only carry
the extra gear, but also stop what they’re doing and put down
their equipment to use it. Darix’s system is the only one with a
fully-integrated thermal camera, letting firefighters respond with
greater agility and keep their hands free for more urgent searchand-rescue
tasks.
In addition to the smart glasses themselves, the company also developed
all the associated electronics and the mechanical casing
around them. The system is designed to be lightweight and robust,
with a long-life battery and its own software and streaming
protocol. These technological bricks fit together to create a complete
solution that can be deployed not just for fighting fires but
in any critical environment where hands-free thermal vision and
a quick response are essential. For instance, another target market
for the firm is remote expert assistance, where its smart glasses
can be used in conjunction with a web platform to securely
stream video between a technician in the field and an expert
back in the office.
The underlying technology was developed four years ago by two
engineering students at EPFL. They teamed up with local firefighters
to create an integrated thermal-camera system targeted
specifically to the needs of first responders. Thanks to this
joint development work, along with funding from the Foundation
for Technological Innovation (FIT), they soon developed an initial
prototype. Today Darix is still working with regional firefighters to
continually tweak and improve its technology. The latest user tests
delivered excellent results; the next step will be to obtain the CE
certification for launch in the EU market. The firm sees numerous
applications for its smart glasses in other industries, too. “We believe
we can provide real added value to enhance the user experience
for critical environments just about anywhere,” says Martijn
Bosch, CEO of Darix.
“The grant we obtained from the FIT enabled us to build our
first prototype. And we’re still using the funding from a FIT
seed loan to develop strategic partnerships. That support –
DARIX’S SMART GLASSES GIVE FIREFIGHTERS A
“SIXTH SENSE”
Fotos: Zuzanna ADAMCZEWSKA-BOLLE
along with the various other forms of assistance we’ve gotten
from other local support organizations like Innovaud and
SPEI – has been instrumental to our success.” Martijn Bosch,
Darix co-founder and CEO
Learn more at
darix.ch
Facts and Figures, Contact
Organization
Darix Sàrl
Foundation 2017
Mission
Number of employees 4
Contact Person
Function
phone number
mail address
Website
Use the powers of augmented reality
to support first responders and
professionals in their work
Martijn Bosch
Founder & CEO
+41 76 232 50 77
martijn.bosch@darix.ch
darix.ch
MARTIJN
BOSCH
Co-founder and
CEO
ADRIEN
BIRBAUMER
Co-founder and
CTO
SWISS STARTUP GUIDE 2018