Martin Veit has recently published an article in the International Fire & Safety Journal, presenting key findings from the report “Measuring Thermal Image Quality for Fire Service Applications.” The report was co-authored by Dr Andrea Lucherini, Prof Grunde Jomaas, and Prof Bart Merci and addresses critical challenges in evaluating the performance of thermal imaging cameras (TICs) used by firefighters.

Thermal imaging plays a crucial role in emergency response, yet current testing frameworks for assessing image quality present limitations. The published article outlines advances in the development of no-reference image quality assessment methods tailored to the infrared (IR) spectrum, where thermal imaging cameras operate.

The findings highlight three main contributions:

• Identification of suitable no-reference image quality assessment models for thermal images;
• Guidance for curating a dedicated dataset for model training in the infrared spectrum and,
• A case study demonstrating how such datasets and models can be applied to evaluate the quality of thermal images.

The work emphasises the need for a structured and standardised approach to thermal image quality evaluation, with potential implications for future certification procedures, performance standards, and technological innovation in fire service applications.

This publication builds upon FRISSBE’s ongoing research efforts in thermal imaging and fire safety engineering, strengthening the scientific foundation for improved safety tools in emergency response environments.

The full article is available in the International Fire & Safety Journal, pages 30–31.