New Safety Feature Detects Flesh

nmb3000 writes "SawStop has introduced a new safety feature for dangerous power tools such as table and band saws which, if accurate and reliable, could result in a lot fewer people visiting the emergency room due to deadly accidents. Using the difference in electrical capacitance between various substances, the system can stop a blade rotating at 4000 RPM in less than 5 milliseconds after detecting contact with flesh. It's hard to understand just how effective this is until you see the demonstration videos where a hotdog is used in place of a potential victim's finger. The site also gives a brief explanation of how the system works as well as some high-speed videos showing just how quickly the blade stops rotating. I wonder if this same technology might be used to protect you neighbor's cat from your robotic lawnmower?"

Comments

They can't do this to me

[DeadSea]

I don't see how this is going to work for me. I use my power tools to prepare my BBQ. I use the saw to split the hot dogs and shape the hamburger patties.

It is "features" like this that kill the hobbist market for power tools.

Nope, this isn't new

[andawyr]

Sorry, this type of safety feature has been available for a few years. I have seen it demonstrated, and it is impressive. 3hp cabinet saw meets hotdog. The blade stopped instantly, with only a small nick taken out of the hot dog.

The unit I saw demonstrated was a one-use unit. Once the brake was used, it had to be replaced. The system had to be professionally installed, which is very inconvienient unless you have an installer in your city. It was also expensive, relative to the tool. However, when compared to your fingers, how expensive is it really?

Personally, I would never use one of these things. If you use your tools properly, and avoid running 'bad' wood through your tools, you will never have a problem. Avoid distractions, pay attention, and use push sticks.

Re:Nope, this isn't new

[rtaylor]

Personally, I would never use one of these things. If you use your tools properly, and avoid running 'bad' wood through your tools, you will never have a problem. Avoid distractions, pay attention, and use push sticks.

Since normal people will never trigger the device, they will, of course, never need to replace the device either.

But it sounds like a great system for the one time the dog manages sneak in and it trips you. Or for schools where a kid, every few years, seems to manage to injure themselves.

So what happens if...

[lunarscape]

So what happens if your arm gets pinned under a fallen beam in a fiery explosion and your only hope of escape is to use the nearby power saw to amputate your own limb? This happens:

"Yes! I am saved by this power saw that is still miraculously working despite the fiery explosion!"

::Turns on power saw and moves it toward arm::

::Power saw clicks off::

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Damn you science!!!"

Re:The joys of severed limbs

[bradkittenbrink]

[We ended up passing the exam, with a minor downcheck for not being more delicate about the severed limb with the patient - the hand was in the very back of the room. Apparently none of the other groups even thought to find the limb, and took the patient to the hospital immediately].

How many of the other groups passed? Should I move out of Pennsylvania?

Too bad more safety professionals don't read /.

[Bahumat]

I work in the Loss Control industry, which is a fancy way of saying I try to make jobs safer for people so that A) you still have your limbs at the end of the day, and B) your employer doesn't have to pay through the nose for injuries/casualties.

I showed the videos to the Director of the company and immediately it's been making it's rounds through the office. This is exciting technology, this is *important* technology. Ask the thousands of labourers, carpenters, shop workers, around north america who've lost digits to cutting accidents what they think of this technology. No, you won't hear a goddamn negative thing.

Some people have complained about the inventor of the technology trying to make the device mandatory on cutting tools. Is this self-serving for him? Hell yes. Is he still in the right? Undoubtedly. Hard hats, steel toe boots, rebar covers, flagmen, confined space entry, are all areas of industry that are strongly regulated by governments, and made mandatory by law. This should, without a doubt, join it.

One significant aspect of the technology that needs to be addressed however, and raised by a fellow /.'er, is that the cartridge must be re-useable. Not infinitely, but it should be able to hold at least 6 good stops to itself before needing a cartridge change. (By law, and good safety policy, such systems should be regularly tested.)

I look forward to this technology becoming industry standard. The man who invented it is going to be filthy, stinking rich, and definetly deserves to be. That's what innovation leads to; success.

And for the rest of you going on about "You don't need this if you're careful.", I call bullshit. You need a hardhat, you need safety goggles, you need steel-toe boots. *YOU* can be careful, but you can't control all variables around you. That's why they're called 'Accidents' when they happen.