Embedded Files
Remote Controlled Life Boat
Final Iteration Rendering
Iteration 2 System Test
Purpose: Design a swift water rescue device to provide rapid assistance to swimmers in distress, while ensuring rescuer safety.
Stakeholders: Lifeguards, Boat Captains, white - water rafters, and more
Problem Discovery & Downselection:
Explored a wide range of water-rescue concepts
Compared: speed, ease of use, cost, safety, and feasibility
Led to two main ideas: a RC boat system and a life-ring launcher
Down-Selection led to RC boat as primary methodology
Major Aspects
Hull Design
Hull Design
Design Goals:
Safe and stable patient support
Durable in harsh aquatic environments
Easy access to internal components for modifications
Critical Functional Requirements:
No sharp edges (injury prevention)
Sufficient buoyancy for the system's weight
Must be visible in all environments
Design Evolution / Means of Achieving Goals:
Curved hull geometry to reduce the risk of injury
Shortened hull length
Increased lid size for easier access
Use of fiberglass for improved strength, durability, and water resistance
High-visibility coloring for better detection in emergency conditions
Stakeholder Feedback
Prioritize stability and prevent flipping
Add a retrieval mechanism for the tow rope
Improve safety and visibility
Final Iteration Hull Design
Propulsion
Propulsion
Design Goals:
Move boat with directional control and velocity control
Ensure safety to patient while in motion
Operatable within 75 yards of the user
Means of achieving these goals:
Waterjet propulsion system with bevel gear-driven steering nozzle.
Propulsion System Overview:
3 stages: Pre-rotator, impeller, and flow-straightener
Bernoulli-based system modelling, plus detailed hydrofoil design
Testing to understand failure modes and saftey concerns
Stakeholder Feedback:
Ensure no places that could potentially catch a person
Important to balance speed and safety
Current is a concern
System Propulsion and Handling Test
Cross-sectional view of the inlet demonstrates how water behaves using velocity streamlines
Propulsion Force Testing
Steering Testing
Inflation
Inflation
Design Goals:
To add additional bouyance to the vessel to to support the victim and increase stablity
Stakeholder Feedback:
Ease patients ablity to hold on
Provide a safe way to allow for victim to be rescued
Functional Requirements:
Must support a 300 lb person in water
Bladders must inflate in < 5 seconds
Must resist saltwater corrosion and withstand moderate impacts (aligned with International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea and ASTM International standards).
Iteration 1:
Identified safety risks from rigid cover edges
Structural weaknesses in hinge connections
Insufficient bladder integration and support
Successfully demonstrated ~300 lb load capacity
Inconsistent inflation time
First Inflation Iteration Schematic
Iteration 2:
Softer more flexible door to increase victim safety
Redesigned valve system for improved deployment reliability
Replaced rigid cover with flexible protective skin
Upgraded bladder material to TPU-coated 400D nylon for higher durability
Made component changes to the inflation mechanism
Second Inflation Iterationn Schematic
Inflation Iteration 3 - Inflated
Iteration 3:
Implemented improved marine-grade adhesive for secure bonding
Increased bladder pocket volume to reduce deformation
Refined bladder shape to enhance user grip and towing stability
Improved inflation mechanism mount
CO2 Inflation Testing
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