Airplanes and Rockets' history & copyright Google search American Modeler Air Trails American Aircraft Modeler Young Men Hobbies Aviation Flying Aces Saturday Evening Post Boys' Life Hobby Distributors Amateur Astronomy Engines & Motors Balsa Densities Silkspan Covering Comics Electronics My Models Model Aircraft Articles Plans Model Boat Articles Plans Model Car Articles Plans Model Train Articles Plans 1941 Crosley 03CB Radio Model helicopter articles & plans Crosswords Model Rocket Articles Plans Restoration Projects Photos Peanuts Collection Model Aircraft Articles Plans Sitemap Homepage Hints and Kinks Amateur Radio Archives of the homepage R/C Modeler Electronics About Airpleans and Rockest, Disclaimer, Terms of Use Model Topics Please Donate to Airplanes and Rockets Parole Plaza, Annapolis, Maryland Hobby Items for Sale Airplanes and Rockets Hero Graphic
Cafe Press

RF Cascade Workbook 2018 by RF Cafe

EMILY Remote Controlled Lifeguard

EMILY Remote Controlled Lifeguard - Airplanes and RocketsLifeguard duty is the latest application for radio-control systems and the combination of modern high-powered electric motors and Li-Ion batteries. An Arizona-based company called Hydronalix has created a robotic flotation device to deploy to reach swimmers in distress when a lifeguard can't get there soon enough. The robot is called EMILY, which is an acronym for Emergency Integrated Life-saving Lanyard. EMILY weighs 25 pounds, can go up to 25 miles per hour and can be used as a flotation device for up to six people. Its batteries will run the device for about 15-20 minutes.

The Hydronalix website does not have much information on it, but their About Us page states, "Engineering and Design of high speed unattended devices for littoral and brown water operations." Merriam-Webster dictionary defines of those two key words thusly -

littoral: of, relating to, or situated on the shore of the sea or a lake

brown water: an inland or coastal waterway esp. when murky or colored brown by silt, tannins, or pollutants

The Hydronalix Facebook page has a few photos and a some information on the operational testing. EMILY can be dropped from helicopters or launched from a shoreline, a pier, or watercraft. It has the ability to quickly get into hazardous areas where human rescuers would typically take much longer to safely reach. Although not addressed on the website, EMILY might also have an application in rescuing people who have fallen through ice.

With a price tag of $10,000, EMILY does not come cheaply. Early models on special-purpose items like this are usually expensive because of low Volume production and the need to absorb the cost of development and certification. Liability insurance is probably also a big part of the price as well. After all, no person or company, regardless of the good intentions, is safe from the wiles of money-grubbing lawyers who will exploit any situation.

Time Magazine chose it as one of the 50 best inventions in 2010.

 

 

Posted August 18, 2012

RF Electronics Shapes, Stencils for Office, Visio by RF Cafe
Academy of Model Aeronautics Government Advocacy Coalition - Airplanes and Rockets

Model Aircraft Museum, AMA - Airplanes and Rockets

Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) - Airplanes and Rockets

Academy of Model Aeronautics

Tower Hobbies logo - Airplanes and Rockets

Tower Hobbies

Horizon Hobby logo - Airplanes and Rockets

Horizon Hobby

Sig Manufacturing - Airplanes and Rockets

Sig Mfg

Brodak Manufacturing - Airplanes and Rockets

Brodak Mfg