Did I already tell you about that time when I was almost drowned when I was a kid? No? Well, long story short, I almost did, and it took a while for me to want to go back to the beach after that.
I still get a little paranoid sometimes when I have to hop on a boat for one reason or another, so it definitely helps when I’m traveling with someone who knows how to swim. That, and the fact that I can see a ton of floatation devices and life jackets on board.
This new concept in water emergency gear by Son Kijo, Joon Hyoung Seo, Uhm Hyung Woo, Choi JinYoung and Kim Junpyo, however, is something else.
Their design is an entry in the 2011 Spark Awards entry and is called the Network Tube. Basically, it’s a beefed-up rescue tube that’s got magnetic properties. When you’re in the water in your own tube, the attached GPS robot module detects other passengers close by and will direct you towards them. Once you find them, you can then snap your tube on to theirs using the Network Tube’s magnetic links.
Other than the part where your legs dangle in the open waters, it’s a fantastic idea because it always helps to have other people around during emergencies, and your chances of being spotted by a passing ship or rescue chopper are much greater too.
[via Yanko Design]
