T-shirts turn into life jackets in a flash to help prevent drowning

Air bags will be integrated into the shirt, just apply a sufficient force, the air bags will inflate in 3 to 6 seconds and turn into life jackets to help people float on the water.

This Living Lifejacket was researched and designed by a group of students of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH). This unique lifejacket was tested by the team in the pool and gave positive results.

Air bags under the shoulders will inflate when there is force acting on the shirt.The inflated air bag will operate in 2 to 3 days.(Photo: NVCC).

Nguyen Tiep Lap , the leader of the group, recalled the sad memories of his time in high school, witnessed his two friends unfortunately drowned. Upon closer inspection, Lap found that two-thirds of the students in Vietnam could not swim and were not equipped with drowning prevention skills.

On the other hand, according to statistics of the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, every year in Vietnam, nearly 2,000 children die from drowning. Meanwhile, safety devices such as life jackets, life buoys, etc. are not available in every area, especially in remote and isolated areas.

'Because of these reasons, the team came up with a solution to integrate the float system right in the attire of the students. Specifically, the air bags will collapse when in a normal state and are ready to inflate when needed ' - Lap share.

T-shirts will be like a life jacket when drowning occurs.(Photo: NVCC).

Starting with the research, the team found two active ingredients: Citric Acid (C ₆ H ₈ O ₇ ) and Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO ₃ ) when the two react together to form carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) that helps the bag. The air in the shoulders inflates within 3 to 6 seconds. These are substances not on the blacklist. In the event of a leak, these substances can cause minor itching for only a short time and only need to be rinsed with water.

To inflate the bag, users only need to perform a few manipulations for these two chemicals to interact to form CO ₂ .

Tran Hoa Binh, a member of the group and also a lifejacket designer, said that the integrated air bag in the jacket only inflates when the force is applied, so when in a normal state, it is still a normal shirt, no Harmful to human health, does not affect the aesthetics of an outfit significantly.

'From the idea of ​​an airbag integrated into a shirt, the team evolved into another product, which was a lifeline. When wearing this belt, the pontoon will inflate and act like a life buoy, but it is more compact and more effective, '' Binh said.

Developing ideas since 2017, the group has now perfected the entire technology of manufacturing integrated life jackets and life buoy belts. The process of testing products at the swimming pool to verify the performance of life jackets, life buoy belts gives positive results. Experiments show that the self-inflating coat will help lift the head and neck of the person from the water and help people float and breathe normally.

The group's Living T-shirt has just won the Second Prize of the Entrepreneurial Idea (CiC) in 2019 organized by Ho Chi Minh City National University recently.(Photo: Nil Lam).

The group is currently working with businesses to commercialize products. According to Trinh Bao Ngoc, a member of the group, the price for the integrated air bag into the shirt is about 120,000 VND, very suitable for the majority of people and students. In the immediate future, the group will go to offer at tourist resorts, resorts specializing in organizing tours to explore the islands, the West of the rivers . to prove the superiority of the product.

'The group also aims to provide free funds to remote areas to give students additional tools to prevent drowning. The group will also organize training and instruction on how to use the products for students here ' - Ngoc shared.