Design and engineering team members from solidThinking and AltairProductDesign are excited to share that their joint submission of a human-powered “rescue tool” designed for use by the U.S. Air Force, has been recognized by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) and Fast Company magazine as one of the 2010 most inventive and creative product and product concept designs.
Announced at the recent IDSA National Conference in Portland, Oregon, held from Aug 3-7, the rescue tool (or U.S. Air Force Extrication Tool) was selected as a winner from the highest number of entrants in the competition’s 30-year history. The tool is designed to allow U.S. Air Force search and rescue teams to extricate trapped personnel from damaged or disabled ground vehicles and aircraft without the use of auxiliary power sources. Following extensive user research, the tool is designed to be 30 percent lighter and 15 percent shorter than the tool currently deployed for rescue missions and is meant to be operable by a single rescuer.
When combined, these features not only make rescuers more efficient, but also give them the ability to get to mission locations more quickly and easy because the tool is lighter, smaller and easier to handle.
For additional information, visit the IDSA website at: http://www.idsa.org/content/content1/usaf-extrication-tool
