Skip to main content

This wristband inflates to save wearers from drowning

You've got your bikini, your surfboard and your sunscreen, your about to hit the water but wait you also need this.


   A new emergency wristband called Kingii has turned up on Indiegogo that motivates slightly weak swimmers to gain more comfort and confidence in the water. The company's founder, Tom Agapiades, had a friend who drowned in a lake three years ago, and this motivated him to create the portable flotation device.

   Kingii, named after a type of lizard that is found mainly in northern Australia and southern New Guinea, has a silver handle that when pulled, a small orange bag pops out and inflates automatically and drags the wearer to the surface of the water. 


   The device is said to be as reliable as a conventional life jacket, as well as more comfortable and less bulky. It weighs just under 5 ounces, available in a "one size fits most" version, and provides buoyancy to people older than six, and to adults in excess of 124 kilograms (275 lbs).

   The wearable tech uses a compressed air cylinder (CO2) and that cartridge is replaceable. However, the cylinders are uniquely designed to fit the Kingii, so you can't just go buy a standard one from a hardware store or a DIY shop. According to the company, shortly after their Indiegogo campaign is over, they will open an "online store where you can purchase recharge cylinders."


   Kingii has already surpassed the original funding requirement by over 660% with 26 days left from the campaign. Check out the video below to learn more about the device:

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Adorable Sculptures of Yen Yen Lo

These images are from a series of wall sculptures created by Yen Yen Lo . Here you can see her intricately textured ceramic pieces, looking downright adorable. Yen Yen Lo's eye for the unique and whimsical is delightful. Apparently they are not intended for kids under 16. Fifteen-year-olds cannot be trusted with fragile stuff. Get them a Funko Pop instead.

James DeRosso's ceramic monsters

I really like these whimsical ceramic creatures by James DeRosso. Yes, they have bulging eyes and toothy grins, but they're not scary at all. The Portland-based artist started making cute monsters while he was a student to jokingly create gargoyle-like guardians for the kiln. After other students kept taking his quirky little figures, he realized there was a market for them. "I'm enjoying the whole monster making niche," James says. "It's amazingly gratifying to be doing ceramics full time and especially to be a teacher introducing kids to the joy of clay." Be sure to visit his website and like his Facebook page for the latest monster news.

This art installation aims to raise awareness on domestic violence

What you see here is an art installation featuring 440 pairs of high heels. The shoes were recently hanged by Turkish artist and graphic designer Vahit Tuna on a facade of a building in downtown Istanbul to highlight domestic abuse. Each pair represents one of the 440 women killed in Turkey last year by their partner or husband. How sad that is.