Taiwanese firefighting innovation wins Edison Awards silver medal

New York, April 11 (CNA) Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) won the 2018 Edison Awards silver medal in the commercial safety category on Wednesday for its Fluid-Driven Emergency Rescuer (FDER), which helps firefighters more effectively and safely fight fires.

The technology, shaped like a small box and containing a micro-turbine generator, is mounted on the firehose nozzle and can generate thermal imaging, light and signals to evacuation routes through hydropower, according to descriptions on the ITRI and the Edison Awards' websites.

Evin Liao (廖榮皇), the inventor of the technology who accepted the award on behalf of the ITRI team, said he is honored to be able to take a Taiwan-made innovation to the global stage.

The honor belongs to the entire ITRI team and the people of Taiwan because the ITRI believes that only through continuous innovations will the lives of the people of Taiwan and the rest of the world become better and safer, Liao continued.

The FDER technology can also be placed on sprinklers in buildings, so that when they are activated, there will be green lights that indicate a path to emergency exits.

Its practical nature is what makes Frank Bonafilia, executive director of the Edison Awards, confident that there are plenty of commercial possibilities for the technology.

If the technology can be implemented in buildings and schools, it will not only make people feel more secure but will also attract the interest of developers and real estate insurers, Bonafilia said.

Liao is expected to visit the New York City Fire Department, which has expressed an interest in learning more about the technology.

This marks the second consecutive year that the ITRI has been recognized with a silver medal by the U.S.-based Edison Awards.

Last year, the institute won a silver medal in the Energy and Sustainability/Power Source category for the URABat, an ultrafast rechargeable aluminum battery.

The Edison Awards, now in its 31st year, was founded in memory of scientist Thomas Edison to honor "excellence in new product and service development, marketing, human-centered design and innovation," according to its website.