“Third Thumb” Augmentation Changes the Way we Think of Prosthetics
Present Day
For most rural communities, infrastructure, such as road development, is perceived as an important utility to ensuring improved access to markets, health, and education facilities. Unfortunately, rural areas are also known for their poor, if not completely lacking, infrastructure, making necessary public services next to impossible. And when it comes to emergencies, this lack of infrastructure could quickly become deadly.
Which is why industrial designer Simeon Ortmüller has designed ACCESS – a river-crossing device that’ll serve as a bridge for rural areas lacking the necessary infrastructure for expeditious emergency health services. ACCESS is made out of bent aluminum pipes, making them easy to assemble and to transport. It’s able to adjust to various topographical environments and would be anchored into the ground on both sides to ensure safety and stability.
The floating body unit of ACCESS will be made up of a flexible floating jet that’ll inflate and unfold, of which will then be locked into place using available rope. As a result, the device will provide a stream-resistant crossover, providing efficient transportation of victims, regardless of the rural environment.
Near Future
Five to ten years from now, easily-transportable, makeshift devices will be developed to ensure safe and efficient emergency transportation all throughout the rural region. Similar devices will also be used by other public and emergency services, like firefighters and other first responders. The quicker and more efficient the device, the more lives that’ll be saved in the near future.
“Considering that accessibility is one of the most important factors on the scene of an accident, up-and-coming industrial designer simeon ortmüller presents ‘ACCESS’ — an emergency river-crossing bridge.”
FAR FUTURE
Thirty to fifty years from now, not only will makeshift devices such as ACCESS be used during emergencies, but so will other advanced technologies, such as drones, robots, etc. Victims will have easy access to a means of communication and self-care using tricorders and artificial intelligence. Whenever an emergency arises, the A.I. will analyze the situation and take the necessary steps to ensuring the victim’s safety.
As emergency responders do everything they can to reach them, the victims will be able to use their tricorders to possibly alleviate the situation themselves through step-by-step commands by the A.I. In so doing, the percentage of likelihood of survival will have increased a hundredfold.
Photo Credit: Simeon Ortmüller
About the author
B.J. Murphy is the Editor and Social Media Manager of Serious Wonder. He is a futurist, philosopher, activist, author and poet. B.J. is an Affiliate Scholar for the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies (IEET) and an Ambassador for the robotics company Humai.
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