Help With Design Project

[Greenman]

It should be a redundant system. First, you need to deny the child access to the pool, a simple 4' fence with a high latch solves that. You can also make the fence removable if it has to be close to the pool. A socket mounted in the pool deck at each post would work well. The second part would be an alarm that sounds due to waves, you could even have a remote receiver mounted inside the house.

And fyi, around here a fence is required around a pool, and the alarm system is already a commercial product.

 

[50cent1228]

i like the infrared idea

 

[stevovee]

Originally posted by: drinkmorejava
Just an idea. A physical means of restraining the child seems expensive and not necessarily practical. The first idea that comes to mind is an infrared sensor that will set off an alarm if there is a body in the pool. Obviously, you could turn it off when you want to go swimming. I don't know anything about the reflective capabilities of water and Ir wavelengths, but I'd assume to avoid installation problems with the sun blinding it, as well as sensing somebody near the pool (vs in), it would have to be submerged.

would you prefer to make sure that the alarm only sounds when someone is in the pool or would it be ok to simply know that someone is near the pool...

 

[Mo0o]

How about some kind of belt that inflates when it touches water and sends a signal to the parents

 

[stevovee]

the belt could work...but you'd have to design it so that you made sure to hold the kid right side up so you don't drown him while you float them

 

[stevovee]

to get even simpler what are some requirements that the product would absolutely need to have... for instance, the ability to notify the parent? etc...

 

[stevovee]

would you say this would require that it kept the child out of the pool, would it require that it notify the parent, would it require that it physically prevent the child from entering the pool or is a sensor letting the parent know that the kid is in the area work?, please let me know

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: stevovee
would you say this would require that it kept the child out of the pool, would it require that it notify the parent, would it require that it physically prevent the child from entering the pool or is a sensor letting the parent know that the kid is in the area work?, please let me know

Seems like notification is the least intrusive out of all the possibilities. Unless you're thinking of some kind of dog shock collar, yo'ure gonna need a fence to restrain children from wandering near the pool. I think something that informs the parents that children are getting close to t he pool and a second alarm to detect water w ould go a long ways in preventing accidental drowning

 

[Kelemvor]

A simple fence will do the trick. If you don't have a fence/gate around your pool and you have little kids running around who don't know how to swim, you are a dumbass.

Just have the latch to open it on the inside so you have to reach over the gate to get it open so there's no way a little kid can get at it. Other than that, I don't think you'd need anything real important.

Having a lock code type thing on the fence would be great too as long as you can set it in the open position if you want to during pool parties and such.

 

[IEC]

Originally posted by: stevovee
thats a decent idea but they kinda already have that, they make them for boating to where a splash or water or even very heavy rain won't activate them but submersion will...and they quickly inflate with a c02 cartridge....so i have to come up with something else

Why reinvent the (already perfect) wheel?

 

[NanoStuff]

Originally posted by: stevovee
If so what characteristics would you like it to have?

Internet access through an ethernet port. This way if the kid starts sinking, I'll known because I'll have lost my connection.

 

[stevovee]

I think this was assigned because it is a challenge to find a New and Creative solution...i really appreciate all of your input and please feel free to post more

 

[zerocool1]

i've heard of alarms that go off if the water is disturbed like if something falls in.

 

[Howard]

A circular fence that can only be opened by pulling at the very top. It would be anchored to a track around the pool.

For convenience, close it by pulling a rope at one point in the ground, perhaps.

 

[Goosemaster]

laser fence around the prohibited area...(pool)

once they lose a finger you bet your ass they won't try again....

 

[coldmeat]

Tie them to a rope in the yard that's just short enough that they can't reach the pool.

Or some kind of watch with a water sensor, but that's probably already been created.

 

[So]

Fill the pool to the brim with concrete.

 

[klipschman]

razor wire around the pool, will keep those bastards from dieing

 

[Leros]

A pool cleaner robot that can also sense a drowning child and rescue them to safety.

or

Embed a RFID chip in the kid so he can't remove it (it could be used for other things too). Then put RFID readers all around the pools edge, so they can sense when the child is near. Have a big alarm go off if the child gets within a few feet of the waters edge.

Both are stupid, but they are innovative and new.

 

[stevovee]

so on a scale of 1-5, 5 being most important, how would you rate the following things as far as importance in a product like this

1. The ability to keep the child from being able to get in the pool at all
2. the ability to keep the child afloat
3. an alarm that would alert when something gets in the pool
4. the ability to not have false alarms if an alarm system is in place
5. Whether or not the product restricts the child's mobility ie a life jacket, 5 means that it is very important it does not restrict childs mobility
6. that the device will protect everyone (ie if the child has to wear a sensor it only protects specific people) 5-meaning it is important that it protects everyone
7. that the device not prevent access to the pool for swimmers

 

[stevovee]

8. is the device easy to set up (if a fence or other device needing to get setup)
9. that the device is cheap..ie if you would not spend much money at all 5, if you would be willing to spend a lot 1

 

[stevovee]

sorry this is so strung out i keep thinking of more
10. If an alarm is it important to be alerted when the child is near the pool rather than in the pool (5 yes 1 no)

 

[UnatcoAgent]

Where are you studying?

 

[Pegun]

What about a remote activated fence that can be posted in the house but also have a remote so that the only way to open the pool gate is a push of button. This could go along with the motion detector by beeping on the indoor control panel and sending video to it. Just remember where you got the idea

 

[Mr Pickles]

Will you think before you post in full please? Seeing that dumb avatar of yours three times in a row and then looking at the time stamp spaced only minutes apart makes me not interested in helping you. But alas... I think this is the first time I've ever been able to use the word alas...

I don't think there is a market for a device that a child can wear at all times that monitors weather or not they are drowning or submerged. The only way I could see a device like that being marketable would be if it had other features as well such as being able to detect if the child is in distress, if the child is in abnormally cold or hot areas, or if the child is around harmful chemicals.

If we are talking about pool safety, I think the monitors that show when there is a splash in the pool is sufficient enough. I think the low tech market for something like this is cornered as well with simple fences and covers.

As my duty for the day I think its important to note that if a child would just be taught to swim at a young age then there wouldn't be a need for all of this. I was a lifeguard for six years and I am still a certified swim instructor. Very young children are perfectly capable of swimming to the side of pools fully clothed if they are just taught what they need to do. Staying afloat is not difficult for them, it just takes a few weeks for them learn skills that can save their life some day.