Design and Development of a Novel Lifeguard Rescue System Based on Automated Air-Cushion Device, Artificial Intelligence and Aerial Support

Drowning remains a leading cause of accidental mortality worldwide, with delayed response times being a critical factor in survival outcomes. This study presents an innovative autonomous underwater robotic rescue system designed to minimize intervention time through distributed stationary deployment and intelligent threat detection. The proposed system comprises compact submersible vehicles stationed in underwater docking facilities, equipped with rapid-inflation flotation devices that activate beneath drowning victims to provide immediate buoyancy assistance. Each robotic unit measures 250×120 mm with brushless electric propulsion and three-axis control surfaces, capable of underwater speeds reaching 2.5 m/s. The flotation mechanism utilizes pressurized carbon dioxide cartridges enabling complete inflation within 1.8 seconds, generating 70-liter buoyant volume sufficient for 90 kg payload capacity. Multi-sensor fusion incorporating computer vision, hydro acoustic detection, and thermal imaging enables autonomous victim identification with 98.3% accuracy. Controlled pool testing demonstrated average response times of 8.4 seconds from threat detection to surface deployment, representing an 81% improvement over conventional human lifeguard intervention. The modular architecture permits scalable deployment across swimming pools, beaches, and maritime rescue operations including aerial delivery from helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, offering transformative drowning prevention through proactive automated intervention.