At the German boat show in Düsseldorf, a curious lifejacket with a bright perimeter was on display in a corner of the SECUMAR stand. It is in fact a prototype on which the vest manufacturer tested the public's feedback.
Used on work clothing, on construction sites or even for cycling, this light band is flexible. It is sewn to the fabric. It is an optical fibre that can be equipped with coloured sheaths. SECUMAR has chosen a fluorescent yellow sheath for its demonstration.
On the SECUMAR vest, the flexible edging was sewn onto the outer shell of the vest, but the manufacturer is now trying to combine it with the inflatable lung of the vest so that this light band can be seen once the vest has been inflated.
To light up, this headband is connected to a box that contains the batteries. It has several ignition modes (continuous, flash or flicker). To be definitively adopted on a vest, it will be necessary to make this box totally waterproof.
Initial tests show that this border will probably not replace the light system required for lifejackets, but it will probably be a good solution to provide better visibility of the shipwrecked person without hindering the proper functioning of the lifejacket. A project to follow...
