Swim increasingly safe thanks to smart tech

By Elcke Vels

The (outdoor) swimming season is in full swing. Unfortunately, swimmers are not always aware of the risks. Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) show that 139 people drowned in the Netherlands last year. There is also good news; Increasingly, innovative tools are helping to prevent drowning, in open water or the swimming pool.

Why this is important:

We’ve known for a long time that technology helps people get safer on the road, for example, or work more safely on a construction site. Increasingly, we are also hearing how innovative tech helps prevent drownings.

Underwater cameras

Dutch company AngelEye, for example, has created a detection system for swimming pools. The technology uses a network of underwater cameras connected to a central unit. These cameras scan in real time and use AI algorithms to detect drownings. An alarm is issued within 15 seconds to alert lifeguards.

Rescue stick

Slightly less technological, but very handy: At sea, the Dutch aviation police are equipped with a rescue stick. This stick is thrown from a helicopter to the person in distress. As soon as the stick hits the water, a salt tablet dissolves and the stick inflates itself into a floating buoy. This significantly increases the drowning person’s chances of survival. The device was first deployed last year and has since saved several lives.

From sewage to swimming: How clean are Dutch canals?

As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, the summer brings with it the wonderful spectacle of the ‘outside phenomenon’.

Smart buoys

Smart buoys are another technological innovation that increases swimmer safety. These collect real-time data on weather conditions, currents and water temperatures. The information is analyzed to alert swimmers to risks such as strong currents or sudden temperature changes.

Drones

In addition, drones are increasingly being used to locate swimmers in distress and drop off flotation devices. Take the Kop van Noord-Holland. In a pilot project some time ago, it was explored how drones could detect currents and find drowning victims. The initiative came from the Maritime Emerging Technologies Innovation Park Noord-Holland (METIP), in collaboration with DroneQ Aerial Services and the Den Helder Rescue Brigade.