Rescue Reel named top 10 inventions of the year by Popular Science
The Rescue Reel lets upper-floor workers descend in safety in case of disaster.
The Rescue Reel’s cord unwinds from a spool and wraps around a shaft connected to a brake. As the shaft spins, a set of brake pads exerts force on the inner edge of the brake housing, smoothly slowing the user down. Should the automatic brake fail, the device is also equipped with a manual backup brake lever. Descending from 100 stories up takes less than four minutes—about two seconds per story.
