Does Automist use AI for firefighting?

Yes. Automist uses artificial intelligence with thermal imaging to detect and target fires more intelligently than traditional sprinklers. Thermal cameras “see” heat rather than light, so they can identify the unique heat signatures of a fire even through smoke or in darkness. Unlike flame detectors, which only react to a visible flame, Automist interprets the thermal image to decide if suppression is truly needed. This means it can distinguish between real danger and harmless heat sources like ovens or fireplaces, greatly reducing the chance of false activations.

Machine learning plays a crucial role here. Automist has been trained on thousands of thermal images of both real fires and safe everyday activities, learning how heat spreads and behaves. Its embedded AI runs in real time on a dedicated chip inside the controller, without needing the internet, to calculate the probability of fire and decide when to act. The activation threshold can even be fine-tuned to specific scenarios, for example prioritising extra sensitivity at night in a bedroom for someone with limited mobility.

The result is up to 14x faster activation than traditional sprinklers, which is critical because smoke becomes lethal long before flames destroy a home. By intervening earlier, Automist improves survivability and reduces smoke damage, offering peace of mind to both homeowners and insurers.

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