Fluorescent Hansel and Gretel system for firefighters

The Seoul Design Competition's grand prize winner was the Life Pebble device designed by Kim Woo-Sik and Jun Yoo-Ho of Konkuk University, which drops a trail of fluorescent pebbles behind a firefighter — much like a radioactive hamster — so he can easily find his way out of a smoking building.

Life Pebble [AVING via DVICE]

[#1 posted by Anonymous , October 23, 2008 2:42 AM]

What happens when 2 firefighters try to find their way out?

[#2 posted by HeavyD14 , October 23, 2008 7:20 AM]

Or what about when the balls roll away? I think bean bags might work better here.

[#3 posted by Anonymous , October 23, 2008 8:16 AM]

As a firefighter this is a horrible idea. If a situation is really that bad where we have to get out we don't need an extra "ball pack" on our air tanks. If the event calls for us to do low profile escapes that just ads another obstacle that would likely get us killed.

Great idea: but don't put it on our damn air tanks.

[#4 posted by Joel Johnson , October 23, 2008 8:43 AM]

I question how visible these would be in a smokey fire.

[#5 posted by simonemarie , October 23, 2008 8:45 AM]

"Pebbles...Thanks!!!"

[#6 posted by Halloween Jack , October 23, 2008 10:27 AM]

Are these the same geniuses that came up with the combination fire extinguisher/O2 canister?

[#7 posted by HaltingPoint , October 23, 2008 11:55 AM]

So to summarize the flaws...

-Could impede the maneuverability of a fire fighter in a tight space and hinder their escape

-Balls could easily roll away and ruin the path

-Balls could be difficult to see in a blaze with lots of smoke

-Firefighters might trip on said balls

-Need I say more?

I think in principle it is a decent idea but the execution has a lot of issues. Maybe a non-flammable, lower-profile container of a non-flammable paint-like fluid that could drip a trail behind the firefighter? Doesn't completely solve the visibility issue but mitigates the others if designed right.

[#8 posted by TabulaRasa , October 24, 2008 5:33 AM]

Give them something like an oversized lift-pass holder containing several hundred foot of a thin string designed to be heat resistant up to the temperature the protective gear of firefighters can stand.
That way they can either follow the string or know that, if there's no more tension on it, their path back is blocked by flames hot enough to melt both the string and their gear. And by holding the string in their hands they can even find back when it's pitch black. Once the string gets caught or otherwise bothers them, just cut it with pliers.

Courtesy of Ariadne.

[#9 posted by abe lugo , October 24, 2008 8:30 AM]

The flaw is a person designing something for which they have no experience in. The firefighter's comments make sense.
I would just make a GPS unit that is on your wrist with a big arrow, the fire fighter would key it up with the truck (outside). So when he ready to leave the fire, just tap it to give you old follow the arrow approach. Just my thoughts.

[#10 posted by TabulaRasa , October 24, 2008 8:44 AM]

Abe: using GPS inside a building made of steel and concrete? Please reconsider that thought.
Your GPS needs good reception of several satellites, the batteries could die down, heat, water or chemicals could damage the unit etc.

Seriously, i wouldn't go for high-tech gadgets if my life is at risk, i would want something as simple as can be.

[#11 posted by Anonymous , February 12, 2009 12:32 PM]

WHOA! spherical glowing pebbles? i don't think so... has it crossed anyone's mind that a spherical formed object tends to roll when thrown down to the ground? ROLLING perhaps out of sight?

C'mon... FIRST PLACE? that just makes me want to cry