Two engineering students in Fairfax, Virginia have come up with an amazing gadget. Viet Tran and Seth Robertson have created a fire extinguisher that relies on sound to take out fire. Unlike what we have seen from cartoons and movies, it isn’t something too loud but rather just a low hum. When it is pointed at fire, it takes out the flames.
When the project started, the duo thought that high-pitched tones would do the trick, however, soon realized that they were wrong. Tran said, “It’s low-frequency sounds — like the thump-thump bass in hip-hop that works.”
With current methods of dousing a flame, a mess is left behind. This point is one of the reasons why it makes sense of introducing a new fire extinguisher. Unlike chemicals that leave residue or gushing water that damages material, this fire extinguisher does a cleaner and more professional job at taking out the fire. Robertson said, “In space, extinguisher contents spread all over. But you can direct sound waves without gravity.”
The duo developed the gadget at the George Mason University as part of the senior year final project. However, when they started out, other classmates disapproved considering this to be a ride that would guarantee an F by the professors and a number of professors were leery of it as well. However, Professor Brian Mark agreed upon mentoring them. He too believed it wouldn’t work. He says, “Some students take the safe path, but Viet and Seth took the higher-risk option.” The university is now helping the duo to apply for a provisional patent.
