It should be no surprise that there is great concern over evacuation plans for people with disabilities.
Have you ever seen an evacuation plan that includes disability-specific details? Even more alarming, everyone has the right to live in an apartment on the third floor, but not everyone gets to have access to the fire escape. If the fire alarm is going off, who will let the deaf know?
Clearly enough is not being done, but not for lack of trying on part of these researchers in Japan…
Introducing, the Wasabi Fire Alarm
Inside the smoke detector are spray cans of Wasabi Extract–you know the seemingly benign but deceptively potent horseradish paste served with sushi? Seems like an appropriate way to be alerted to a fire.
13 of 14 deaf sleepers, in a study, woke up within 2 minutes of the alarm going off. Participants helped determine the best concentration of wasabi in the spray to wake up subjects without effecting their eyes. I wonder if they gave participants complimentary ginger.
The Wasabi Fire Alarm has been in on the market since 2009 (recommended for hotels, homes, and hospitals alike!) and won the Ig Nobel Prize in 2011.
Okay, who’s craving sushi now? Seems like the just the way to celebrate their achievement!
World Travaillers 