Remote-Controlled Rescue Buoy with Self-Righting Flotation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Rescuing swimmers in open water poses risks to rescuers due to the distance and hazardous conditions, as existing methods are slow and require direct water entry, which can be dangerous and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A remote-controlled motorized buoy with flotation mechanisms, visual indicators, and a jet drive pump for navigation, enabling quick and safe rescue by traveling at high speeds, self-righting, and deployable from various heights, with a lightweight and affordable design suitable for single-person operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rescuer swims to the troubled swimmer, then the rescuer can provide direct assistance, but the rescuer is exposed to danger and the rescue time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a remote-controlled buoy as an intermediary device between the rescuer and the troubled swimmer. The buoy travels to the swimmer's location and provides flotation assistance, allowing the rescuer to remain at a safe distance while still delivering timely rescue assistance through automated navigation to the victim's position
2Loss of time
If the buoy travels at high speeds, then the rescue time is reduced, but the buoy may cause unintended injury in case of collision
Solution Approach 1:
The buoy employs a flexible canvas flotation cover that envelops the rigid hull, creating a soft exterior surface. This flexible shell allows the buoy to deform upon contact with swimmers or obstacles, significantly reducing the risk of injury from collisions while maintaining the structural integrity needed for high-speed travel and rescue operations
Solution Approach 2:
The buoy is designed with a lightweight, easily replaceable canvas cover that can be quickly swapped if damaged. This approach allows the use of durable internal components for high-speed performance while protecting against injury through sacrificial, replaceable external elements that can absorb impact damage
3Ease of operation
If the buoy is made lightweight for easy deployment, then the deployment complexity is reduced, but the buoy may have limited capacity to support multiple swimmers
Solution Approach 1:
The buoy's flotation system is segmented into multiple independent flotation chambers within the hull and an additional removable canvas flotation cover. This segmentation allows the buoy to maintain a lightweight core structure for easy deployment while providing distributed flotation capacity that can support multiple swimmers by allocating buoyancy across different segments
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The remote-controlled motorized buoy provides rapid and safe flotation assistance in challenging water conditions, reducing the risk to rescuers and enabling efficient rescue operations even in situations where direct water entry is prohibited, with minimal training and maintenance requirements.
Implementation Method 1
The buoy may have flotation mechanisms to keep the buoy right side up in rough water conditions
Implementation Method 2
The buoy may have flotation mechanisms to keep the buoy right side up in rough water conditions
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A remote controlled motorized buoy is provided for rescuing people in the water. The buoy may be controlled by a person with a remote control to navigate to the person in need. The buoy may have flotation mechanisms to keep the buoy right side up in rough water conditions and includes visual indicators to help the user keep track of the buoys location, such as a flag and beacon. When the buoy is near the swimmer, the swimmer may graph the buoy and the buoy may be remotely navigated to bring the swimmer to a safe location.