Wasabi Fire Alarms For The Deaf
from the now-there's-an-idea dept
It's always fascinating to see technology come up with unique solutions to certain problems. For people who are deaf, it makes sense that a traditional fire alarm might not work, since they wouldn't hear the alarm in order to escape. So, if I were tasked with coming up with a special alarm for the deaf, I'd most likely target one of the other senses. I would probably go with sight or touch as the first two, creating fire alarms that light up and flash or perhaps bang or shake something so the person would feel the alarm. However, Boing Boing notes that some researchers in Japan went after a different sense: smell. They've created a horseradish fire alarm (I'm assuming it's actually a wasabi smell, but since the two are effectively the same, perhaps it doesn't matter). In tests, the wasabi smell woke up 13 of 14 test subjects in less than two minutes. What's not clear, however, is how much more effective the smell of wasabi is than, say, the smell of smoke from the actual fire. Also, what happens if there's already a strong wasabi smell in the house? If I'm deaf, I think I'd prefer a flashing light.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: deaf, fire alarms, wasabi
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Smell rather than sight
Cool idea in any case.
Disclaimer: I am not deaf so my experiences and opinion mean diddlysquat.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Make the bed the alarm
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Smoke dosen't wake you up
Smoke dosen't wake you up, it just kills you in your sleep.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
strobe
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Right, but...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Right, but...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Right, but...
"Smelling salts release ammonia [NH3] gas, which irritates the mucous membranes of the nose and lungs, and thereby triggers an inhalation reflex (that is, it causes the muscles that control breathing to work faster)."
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
You say, however:
"What's not clear, however, is how much more effective the smell of wasabi is than, say, the smell of smoke from the actual fire."
You pose a question that is out of place and (please excuse) impertinent.
Wasabi smell does not cause unconsciousness while asleep when applied like most any house fire smoke,
Wasabi smell doesnt make you blind to the surroundings (a problem if deaf, yes?
Wasabi is not as deadly as thick carbon monoxide,
does not fill the closed rooms with carbon DIoxide,
not containing poisons that disable a given individual,
is able to be distributed house wide faster than smoke,
is not superheated,
Wasabi smell immediatly drives a message to the deepest part of the human brain, Jump and Run. Not turn over, sleepy sleepy. (sense of smell most primitive) Good Stuff Here!
Most Important: fires tend to start in nearby household rooms the Wasabi carries the message without death and passing out enclosed with the message. surely by electrical signal as already is in place, then discharging the wasabi SMELL into the other rooms.
(This is presuming a release mechanism simply built into standard existing fire alarms on ceiling in houses)
(If you have a deaf, single, deep sleeping cook that smells wasabi all day that would be a counter indication!)
I predict with some confidence (as smell is basic to brain) (more basic than other senses) all fire alarms will have this feature in ten years or less (or similar).
I applaud Techdirt, this IS the kind of article that is JUST GREAT!!!!!
Haaaaand..... Salute!
Mike
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
wasabi
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: wasabi
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: wasabi
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
re: wasabi fire alarm
That's like saying the light from the blaze would be more affective than the strobe lights. And apparently that statement is false.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: wasabi
The would should be WORLD
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: wasabi
The would should be WORLD
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]