How about a mask that can display the best way trough a building aflame? Or show different degrees of heat while trying to put the fire out.

That's what FIT works on. FIT stands for Fraunhofer institute for applied information technology. The research is very "real life" driven. Because of the complexity of perilous situations FIT cooperates with fire brigades in paris for example.

The mask includes a thermal imaging camera and is a prototype.

This news (in german)visit FIT