The Drowning Alert Device would likely take the form of a small compartment strapped to, say, the outside of your upper arm or another place high up on the body.

If the wearer felt they were in serious trouble in the water, they would activate the device (via a button or pull cord), launching a small flare 10-20 meters into the air. The flare would (somehow) be able to propel through a small amount of water also, so the user could launch while under water.

Shore-dwellers would obviously recognise the help signal and rush to the wearer's aid. Basically, it's a personal boat flare.
-- Achenar, Jun 01 2005

<Imagines small child staring intently at dangling flare cord of sunbathing adult>
-- DrBob, Jun 01 2005


It would need some form of counting device, to ensure it only triggers when the victim descends for the third time.
-- coprocephalous, Jun 01 2005


Bone for the use of (somehow), and another for the burns on my arm.
-- zeno, Jun 01 2005


For some reason, from the title I thought this was going to be a device which played a prerecorded message ("You are now drowning. You are now drowning") when you were drowning.
-- hippo, Jun 01 2005


I thought this was going to be a small electronic device that informed you, in a computerised voice, that you were drowning, should the situation occur.
<beep><beep><robot voice>You are drowning</robot voice>
<beep><beep><robot voice>You are drowning</robot voice>
<beep><beep><robot voice>You are drowning</robot voice>
etc...
-- zen_tom, Jun 01 2005


So did I (see my previous annotation).
-- hippo, Jun 01 2005


Sorry [hippo] I don't know whether I cross-posted, or didn't read your anno properly, or what - either way, I've not had my coffee today yet.
-- zen_tom, Jun 01 2005


(somehow) just isn't use often enough on the halfbakery.
-- hidden truths, Jun 01 2005



random, halfbakery