Here's a nifty lifesaving idea from Noras Performance out of Portugal. U-Safe is a lifesaving buoy that can drive itself around in the water by remote control, meaning it can reach a victim quickly, and transport them to safety if need be. The 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. U SAFE® - Big Jump For Saving Lives - Short Patent filings describe possible future iterations that might charge themselves through solar power, or that might automatically self-deploy and self-drive to the location of a crew member who's gone overboard with a special GPS locating device on their person. Other ideas include a larger version with a seat that could be used for recreational purposes as well, and another that can also be used for surveillance purposes. According to the Noras website, U-safe is "coming soon" and has been for over a year, so we'll keep an eye out for updates! Source: Noras Performance
Portuguese engineering firm Noras Performance has created a lifesaving buoy that can propel itself to reach those in difficulty in the water. The device is called the “Lifebuoy” and it was designed by Brazilian engineer Ricardo de Oliveira who worked with his father on the project. The device is powerful enough to drag a person to safety. The company has filed patents for potential future versions that can be charged through solar power or can drive autonomously by following a GPS location device. The U-safe has yet to be released commercially.