In an impressive display of technological synergy, innovative firms have come together to create a cutting-edge backpack designed for search and rescue operations.
Emerging from a serendipitous meeting at a North West tech campus, this partnership exemplifies how proximity can accelerate groundbreaking developments in challenging environments.
The collaboration between Revector and 4D Products originated at Sci-Tech Daresbury, where proximity enabled swift action. They succeeded in crafting a backpack tailored for search and rescue missions, particularly in the dense vegetation of Vietnam. This union underscores the potential of co-located firms to quickly bring innovative solutions to life.
Revector’s core contribution lies in its advanced phone tracking technology. With two decades of expertise in telecoms and security, their device can effectively capture and track signals from a missing person’s mobile phone. This technology narrows down the location to a 20-metre radius, vital in areas where traditional navigation cues are absent.
The equipment precisely locates individuals by targeting mobile signals, offering newfound efficiency in search operations, especially in Vietnam’s challenging terrains rich with vegetation.
4D Products, known for its adept design capabilities, created a specialised cradle for the tracking unit.
The cradle, integrating seamlessly into backpacks used by rescue teams, supports and stabilises the 10kg signal tracking device and its elongated antenna.
This design ensures that rescue missions are not hindered by cumbersome equipment, allowing for easier mobility through challenging landscapes.
The geographic proximity between Revector and 4D Products facilitated unparalleled speed and efficiency in the project’s development.
Shane Wilson, Revector’s CEO, praised this efficiency, highlighting reduced turnaround times due to real-time feedback and adjustment capability, courtesy of the firms’ close working relationship.
Sci-Tech Daresbury’s environment inherently encourages collaboration, providing firms with direct access to diverse expertise.
John Leake, Business Growth Director, notes that the campus not only fosters innovation but also accelerates the commercialisation of ideas. The ecosystem’s dynamic promotes quick exchanges and refinement of innovative concepts.
The project has been acknowledged for its potential to revolutionise search and rescue operations, particularly in vegetation-dense regions of South East Asia.
Feedback from search and rescue teams has been overwhelmingly positive, commending both the technological innovation and the practical design of the backpack.
The alliance between Revector and 4D Products has resulted in a pioneering solution, enhancing the capabilities of search teams in Vietnam.
This partnership demonstrates the substantial advantages of geographical proximity and shared expertise within an innovative hub like Sci-Tech Daresbury.
