The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) on Wednesday won a silver medal in the Edison Awards Commercial Safety category for its Fluid-Driven Emergency Rescuer, which helps firefighters work more effectively and safely.
The invention, a small box that contains a micro-turbine generator, can be mounted on a fire hose nozzle and generate thermal imaging, light and signals that point to evacuation routes using hydropower, according to descriptions on the ITRI and Edison Awards’ Web sites.
Evin Liao (廖榮皇), the inventor of the technology who accepted the award on behalf of the ITRI team, said he is honored to be able to take a Taiwan-made innovation to the global stage.
Recognition should go to the entire ITRI team and the people of Taiwan because the ITRI believes that only through continuous innovation will the lives of Taiwanese and the rest of the world become better and safer, Liao said.
Fluid-Driven Emergency Rescuer technology can also be used for sprinklers in buildings, so that when they are activated, green lights show a path to emergency exits.
Edison Awards executive director Frank Bonafili said that the technology’s practical nature is what makes him confident that there are plenty of commercial possibilities for it.
If the technology can be implemented in buildings and schools, it would not only make people feel more secure, but would also attract the interest of developers and real-estate insurers, Bonafilia said.
The New York City Fire Department has expressed an interest in learning about the technology.
It marks the second consecutive year that the ITRI has won a silver medal at the Edison Awards.
Last year, the institute won a silver in the Power Source subsection of the Energy and Sustainability category for the URABat, an ultrafast rechargeable aluminum battery.
The Edison Awards, now in its 31st year, was founded in memory of scientist Thomas Edison to honor “excellence in new product and service development, marketing, human-centered design and innovation,” its Web site says.
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