Student company creates device to rescue fishermen
A student company from the University of Technology and Applied Sciences in Sohar has created a device which can help in rescuing fishermen trapped on the high seas.
Called Etienne, the device can be installed on fishing boats, which sends a distress signal in case of an emergency to the concerned authorities who can then actively engage in rescuing the fishermen.
Aiman bin Abdullah al Hosani, one of the students of the company, told ONA that the device gets activated in the event of the boat encountering specific problems.
“These problems were identified through a questionnaire distributed among fishermen for a survey, the results of which indicated two problems were common. These are boat capsize and sinking due to leakage,” Hosani said.
Certified by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP), the device incorporates advanced satellite communication technologies allowing communication from anywhere on Earth. It also includes sensors for water leakage.
MoCIIP has also granted the company an intellectual property certificate for Etienne.
“Apart from an automated response in case of the two emergency situations specified, the device also has an emergency button to send a
The device has an emergency button to send a distress message followed by the location of the boat to the authorities
AiMAn Al HoSni
distress message followed by the location of the boat to the competent authorities if need arises,” Hosani said.
He informed that the company started manufacturing and installation of the device in June of 2021. “It is designed for small marine fishing boats and pleasure boats to ensure safety and security in the sea.”
The device went through several stages of testing and trials before the final product was manufactured.