Not your average extinguisher
Doing double duty as a fire detector and a sprinkler system, the Automist has claimed top honours at the 2009 James Dyson awards.
This nifty product was designed to make fire protection more accessible, with an eye on the space where many fires start: the kitchen.
Automist, which is currently preparing for production, is installed under your typical kitchen tap.
A wireless heat detector monitors for fire, and in the event of a blaze, triggers a pump that pushes water through the nozzle, filling the kitchen with mist -- and putting out the fire.
"This simple but clever device should become a permanent safety feature in the home. Smoke alarms are essential part of modern life but have remained
fundamentally unchanged for forty years. Automist not only detects a
fire but can put it out as well," said James Dyson in a statement on the award website.
Automist, which beat out more than 400 projects from 21 countries, was designed by Yusuf Muhammad and Paul Thomas. They win £10,000 (nearly $18,000 CAD) towards product development.
Having been in the fire extinguishing trade for over 20 years, it is always refreshing to see, not only a new idea for fire protection, but a totally new innovation that could be applied to many risks.
Well done and good luck on getting it to market
Posted by: Jon | September 20, 2009 at 08:35 AM