CELIDON-PRO Final Demonstration showcases Immersive 360° Localization for Firefighters

The CELIDON-PRO project concluded with a live demonstration of an integrated localization and augmented reality system designed to support firefighters under challenging operational conditions. The demonstrator showed how infrastructure-free wireless localization can provide firefighters with real-time information about the position and distance of nearby team members, even in environments with severely limited visibility.

During the demonstration, firefighters in full protective gear used the CELIDON-PRO system in a realistic operational setting. Compact Ultra-Wideband (UWB) localization nodes integrated into the protective equipment enabled infrastructure-free 360° localization. The resulting position and distance information was displayed directly in the firefighter’s field of view through an in-mask display. The firefighter’s perspective was simultaneously transmitted to an external monitor, allowing visitors to experience how the system can support spatial orientation from the user’s point of view.

Participants in the final presentation were able to follow the mission scenario live.

A key contribution of the Chair of Communication Networks at TU Dortmund University was the development and evaluation of the wireless ad-hoc localization system. Unlike infrastructure-based approaches, the CELIDON-PRO solution does not require previously installed anchors or other fixed equipment at the deployment site. This is particularly important for emergency operations, where environments are usually unknown and no dedicated localization infrastructure can be prepared in advance.

To enable reliable 360° localization, the system combines multiple UWB measurements and sensor fusion algorithms to estimate both the direction and distance of other firefighters. Throughout the project, the localization solution was further miniaturized, integrated into personal protective equipment, and evaluated under increasingly realistic operational conditions.

The miniaturized Localization nodes can be integrated into personal protective gear of first responders.

The final demonstrator brought together the project’s main developments: infrastructure-free ad-hoc localization, 360° position estimation, integration into protective equipment, and augmented reality visualization. The demonstration highlighted how wireless communication and localization technologies can contribute to improved orientation, team coordination, and safety in future firefighting operations.