Project Description

#3312

Concept Title: safetyNET Carabiner
Rock climbing has become one of the fastest growing recreational sports in recent years. More than 100,000 athletes in the United States alone climb on a regular basis. Most climbing enthusiasts will admit that their sport is inherently dangerous. Risk levels increase proportionally with height of ascent and distance from civilization. Avalanches, rockslides, falls, and encounters with wild animals are just a few reasons for climbers to call upon the services of rescue workers. In many cases, mountaineers who choose to climb in remote geographic locations must rely on antiquated forms of communication in the event of an emergency. The need for a product that can transmit a strong, reliable, automated distress signal is very real.

Aron Ralston, a 27 year-old mountaineer, was climbing alone in a remote Utah canyon in May of 2003 when an 800-pound boulder fell and pinned his arm. Ralston’s calls for help went unanswered for five days and he realized that he would not survive unless he took drastic action. He was forced to amputate his pinned arm in order to free himself and seek help.

The safetyNET carabiner addresses a climber’s fundamental need for connectivity. Typically, mountaineers use standard carabiners to simply attach accessory gear to their climbing harness. The safetyNET carabiner offers additional functionality that will differentiate it from other analogous products.

In the event of an emergency, the safetyNET carabiner will transmit a distress signal along with GPS coordinates to a satellite relay station. An operator will receive the signal and deploy a rescue team to the specified coordinates within a matter of minutes, reducing response time dramatically.

A signal may be transmitted from the safetyNET carabiner in one of two ways. If a climber is conscious, they may press and hold the carabiner’s clear window to initiate transmission. If the user is not physically able to activate the distress signal, transmission will begin automatically when a remote vital sign sensor (worn on the climber’s wrist) detects trouble.

In addition to the safetyNET’s life saving link to rescue personnel, the carabiner serves several other load-lightening functions, enhancing the user’s climbing experience and minimizing fatigue. An LCD panel behind the carabiner’s display window communicates time, altitude, GPS coordinates, temperature, and compass readings during normal operation. The electronic components required for these additional functions resides in a weather-resistant compartment which is sealed by an elastomeric plug. The carabiner’s metal injection molded titanium framework provides lightweight rigidity and an integral locking feature prevents accidental removal. Finally, the carabiner features a generous open area which will allow its user to clip a variety of accessories to their harness.

Avid climbers will surely agree: From now on, there’s no excuse to climb without a safetyNET.