Challenge Seeks Combat Emergency Rescue Device

(Army.mil)

A new challenge on InnoCentive calls for a concept and design of a device that enables a rescuer to quickly and safely transport an injured person away from a combat site. The contest has a prize of $15,000 and a deadline of 28 February 2012.

InnoCentive in Waltham, Massachusetts is a company that conducts open-innovation crowd-sourcing competitions for corporate and organization sponsors. The sponsor of this challenge is not identified.

This challenge seeks a concept or design for a device that can be carried to a combat site by one person, quickly unpacked, and onto which an injured or deceased person can be loaded. The device with the injured or deceased person would then be evacuated from the combat area and into a helicopter.

Combat rescuers currently use a collapsible medical stretcher with straps to secure the patient, but straps can be too slow to deploy in the field. The desired system or device should provide for quick and simple loading of an injured person, ease for a single rescuer to safely transport the injured person on foot across difficult terrain, and make it possible to support and stabilize the injured person’s vital functions.  Detailed technical requirements are given in the challenge’s full description, available with a free InnoCentive registration.

The challenge requires a written (text) proposal with the concept and design, which will be reviewed by the sponsor. Winning entries will be asked to grant the sponsor a non-exclusive license to develop the proposed solutions. The sponsor expects to prototype the winning designs. Successful proposals may be invited to take part in further design or prototyping.

Read more: Helicopter Transport Improves Survival of Severely Injured

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