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Arizona inventors create app-operated locks, floating drones to prevent drownings

GateSense and Morningstar SOS are two Arizona inventions that were created to help prevent child drownings.

PHOENIX — Inventors are using the latest technology to come up with devices they hope will help promote water safety in a state where drowning is one of the leading causes of death for children under 4 years old.

From a tech savvy pool gate to a floating drone, two Valley residents are hoping their inventions prevent future deaths by drowning.

ASU engineering student, Kevin Hale and his team created a a smart deadbolt lock called GateSense that remotely lock and unlock a pool gate through a mobile app.

“It allows any gate, pool gate or side gates to be locked with a dead bolt, locked and unlocked remotely through an app,” Hale siad.

Gilbert resident, Lee Kambar, came up with a floating drone called Morningstar SOS. The drone has a camera on top and another on the bottom that alerts pool owners when someone jumps in the water.

“Worse case scenario, my kid jumps in the pool and is drowning now, right? The bottom camera will send you a notification with live video feed of the incident,” Kambar said.

While these devices can help, Vice President of the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona Jessica Curtis says supervision is key to preventing drownings.

Curtis says there have been 25 drownings in Arizona so far this year. There were at least another two in the last few days. Recently, a 15-month old girl from Goodyear whose mother tearfully spoke out.

“I should have been here, but I wasn't here and I don't know what to tell anybody, but I loved my baby so much,” Kristal Kennedy said.

READ: Grieving Goodyear mom says she's receiving hurtful messages after daughter's drowning

But these local innovators just hope their devices are one more way to help prevent a tragedy.

“The most important thing we can do is education,” Hale said.

Both of the new devices aren’t available yet, but they will be later this year.

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