IPFS News Link • Inventions
Self-propelled lifesaving buoy zips out and retrieves drowning swimmers
• http://newatlas.com, Loz BlainThe U-shaped U-safe is a battery powered device you can use in place of any lifesaving "donut." When it's thrown in the water, it propels itself using a pair of electric turbines that take in water and fire it out the back.
A remote control thumbstick gives an operator the ability to drive it as a small watercraft - and it's quite nippy as it makes its way across the water. It looks like about the quickest way we can imagine to get a piece of lifesaving gear out to a distressed person in the water, particularly in difficult surf.
Once a victim has been reached, the U-safe has enough power to help drag them back toward safety - which could make it very handy on large ships that might have to launch a rescue boat otherwise.