Rescue

We've all seen footage of disaster victims being hoisted into helicopters, in litter-type stretchers. It's not a good thing if those litters start spinning or swaying, though, which is what the thrust-vectoring Vita Rescue System is designed to stop.

Imagine if someone such as a stranded mountain climber needed food, but could initially only be reached by drone. Scientists have developed a proof-of-concept system of getting that food to them, in the form of a drone with edible wings.

Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology are working on a new autonomous search and rescue system made up of a marine vessel that can launch a fleet of fixed-wing drones to scout a predefined area, along with live-feed quadcopters.

When rescuing avalanche victims or other people in cold, snowy outdoor conditions, it can be difficult to monitor their vital signs via traditional means. The MedSENS device was created with that fact in mind, as it simply goes in the ear and gets strapped to the head.

If you were heading off into a wilderness area with no cell coverage, you might worry about how you'd summon help if you got hurt or lost. Well, the O-Boy satellite-connected rescue watch was designed with just such concerns in mind.

When arriving at a disaster site, one of the most crucial tasks is to locate any survivors who may be trapped in the debris. A new module is designed to let drones do so, by detecting the radio signals of victims' mobile phones.

The Royal Navy's NavyX autonomy accelerator team and private companies Malloy Aeronautics and Planck Aerosystems have been testing the potential for heavy-lift Minerva drones to locate and aid sailors that have fallen overboard until help can arrive.

Even though lifeguards are essential to maintaining safety at swimming pools, they can't always see everything that's happening. That's where a new swimmer-saving underwater robot is designed to come in.

If you should become separated from your sailboat, kayak or other watercraft out on the open sea, staying afloat isn't the only challenge – you also have to be seen by your rescuers. That's where the wearable, inflatable SeeArch is made to come in.

In the spirit of maximizing functionality, we’ve seen quite a few axe designs that incorporate extra tools, be they bottle openers, bit drivers or detachable hand knives. The newly launched CTAX is one that places an emphasis on rescue operations.

A feasibility study modeled on the VoloCity multirotor electric air taxi has concluded that electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft would benefit emergency air rescue services. Now the project is looking to begin operational testing in 2023.

Turns out Hyundai was actually pretty serious when it debuted the go-anywhere four-leg/wheel drive Elevate concept in 2019. This week, it announced that it has formed a new studio to work on "ultimate mobility vehicles" (UMVs), including the Elevate.