Anti-drowning detection system assists with first Australian life saving

The Poseidon anti-drowning detection system has assisted in its first non-simulated life saving in Australia, aiding lifeguards during a recent incident at the Blacktown Leisure Centre, Stanhope (BLCS).

BLCS was the first Australian swimming pool to be equipped with this ground-breaking computer vision system, installing the system in 2007.

Currently installed in more than 220 pools in Europe, America and Japan, the Poseidon system is a computer-based drowning detection system dedicated to assisting lifeguards it sends them alerts on a real-time basis and is able to give them the exact coordinates and location of the drowning person in the pool.

The technology is also seen as a potential to Australia's alarming drowning statistics - the National Drowning Report, released by the Royal Life Saving Society Australia, finding that, in 2012, approximately 300 Australians lost their lives due to drowning.

In addition, near-drowning indicents have led to numbers of people suffering the effects of Hypoxic Brain Injuries.

The aim of Poseidon's technology is to minimise immersion time, in order to prevent brain injuries or fatalities.

The duty of a lifeguard is difficult in a public swimming environment due to glare, the inconsistency of water, the challenge of maintaining a sharp attention at all times and, of course, the unpredictability of aquatic patrons.

Poseidon's aim is to minimise the risk involved in this environment and to provide the best possible tool to assist lifeguards in the pursuit of safety.

The courageous work of lifeguards in saving people's lives, particularly in Australia, a country with an affinity for the water, can be assisted by this ground breaking technology paralleled by no other technology in the world.

Poseidon integrates state-of-the-art technologies in computer vision and aquatic image processing and is the result of a close cooperation between its highly qualified R&D engineers and some of the leading European research laboratories. The Poseidon system is based on a network of overhead or underwater cameras connected to a computer equipped with the Poseidon software. It analyses the trajectories of the swimmers and sends an alert to lifeguards when a swimmer is in trouble. Poseidon is an intelligent, technical solution that helps lifeguards save precious seconds.

In Australia, the Poseidon anti-drowning detection system is distributed by Maytronics. Click here to contact Maytronics Poseidon via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

The technology can also be viewed at www.poseidonsaveslives.com/TECHNOLOGY.aspx

Image included for illustrative purposes only.

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