NASA, DHS to demo victim-locator device

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- A device that will help first responders find live victims of disasters or accidents trapped under rubble is being developed by U.S. government agencies.

NASA, the U.S. space agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have been collaborating on the device that detects a victim's heartbeats and they will demonstrate the device later this month in Virginia.

The device is called the Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response. It can locate individuals buried under as much as 30 feet of crushed materials, hidden behind 20 feet of solid concrete, or from a distance of 100 feet in open spaces. NASA said it was developed by its Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., in conjunction with DHS' Science and Technology Directorate.

The newest FINDER prototype features technological improvements recommended by emergency responders, NASA said, but additional details were not provided.

FINDER will be demonstrated at the Virginia Task Force 1 Training Facility in Lorton, Va.