A high-tech swimming pool monitoring system has saved a young girl in Wales from drowning. An underwater camera network spotted the girl lying motionless on the bottom of the pool and sent an alert to a lifeguard, notifiying the lifeguard of the girl's location. The lifeguard hadn't noticed the girl in the crowded pool.

A series of cameras in and outside the pool monitor the movements of swimmers, matching the images with a database to detect those in distress or apparently unconscious. It constantly scans the pool analysing the trajectories of swimmers. Poseidon sounds an alarm on a screen at the lifeguard station, picturing the stricken swimmer and indicating the position.

There are eight cameras in the water and another ten above the water line at Bangor. Manufacturers say the system operates as a third eye for the lifeguard. In this case, the girl was identified and rescued within 62 seconds.

The Poseidon swimming pool montoring system has been installed in 120 pools around the world, and is credited with saving lives in France and Germany.

Now this is an example of useful real-world technology. I wonder if it watches for people peeing in the pool as well?

xLusTx

Madison, WI

August 2005

AUG 31, 2005 11:03 PM

That's pretty cool. I remember when I was little things like this seemed like a distant dream... Not so distant anymore, eh?

Isn't there a chemical that you can add to pools that causes a blotch of color to follow pee-ers around the pool?

BlueCadet

Austin, TX

August 2003

AUG 31, 2005 11:14 PM

Yes, it's called PP see I believe.

FreakPirate

Canada

November 2002

AUG 31, 2005 11:16 PM

This is wonderful news.

bean

STAFF

Los Angeles, CA

AUG 31, 2005 11:26 PM

Awesome.

SomeOneUK

United Kingdom

June 2004

SEP 01, 2005 04:29 AM

Just saw this on the TV. That's great technology, the time saved in rescuing that little girl, made her resuscitation and recuperation much quicker.

Today's happy story.

[Edited on Sep 01, 2005 5:30PM]

almostfamous

NEWSWIRE

United Kingdom

SEP 01, 2005 04:48 AM

PurePhase said:
Yes, it's called PP see I believe.

you're thinking of PCP, that makes colours follow everything around.

October

SUICIDEGIRL

United Kingdom

SEP 01, 2005 06:45 AM

cool

Midnyte

SUICIDEGIRL

Arizona, USA

SEP 01, 2005 07:08 AM

I hope they don't start relying on it too much. It could end up causing drownings if people use it and start getting lazy.

robosagogo

State College, PA

September 2004

SEP 01, 2005 07:18 AM

Midnyte said:
I hope they don't start relying on it too much. It could end up causing drownings if people use it and start getting lazy.

Why don't you trust the machines to govern and control every aspect of your life?

[Edited on Sep 01, 2005 by robosagogo]

Cassiel

Aurora, CO

September 2004

SEP 01, 2005 09:49 AM

it sounds like a great technology

but the paranoid part of my is reminded of the pool scenes from Ghost in the Machine where the ghost/machine tried to trap the boy under the pool cover

BOARDS:

TOPICS:

Los Angeles, CA

October 2002

AUG 31, 2005 10:22 PM

Madison, WI

August 2005

AUG 31, 2005 11:03 PM

Austin, TX

August 2003

AUG 31, 2005 11:14 PM

Canada

November 2002

AUG 31, 2005 11:16 PM

STAFF

Los Angeles, CA

AUG 31, 2005 11:26 PM

United Kingdom

June 2004

SEP 01, 2005 04:29 AM

almostfamous

NEWSWIRE

United Kingdom

SEP 01, 2005 04:48 AM

SUICIDEGIRL

United Kingdom

SEP 01, 2005 06:45 AM

SUICIDEGIRL

Arizona, USA

SEP 01, 2005 07:08 AM

robosagogo

State College, PA

September 2004

SEP 01, 2005 07:18 AM

Aurora, CO

September 2004

SEP 01, 2005 09:49 AM