Free design rights for search-and-rescue beacon

International electronics design company, Tancher, is providing free design rights to its lifesaving personal locator radio beacon, to encourage governments and industries to make lifesaving devices more accessible.

The beacon, which also doubles as a USB flash memory, is worn on the wrist and, when activated, emits a distress signal that helps rescue teams quickly locate the wearer.

"This beacon will assist authorities locate missing bushwalkers or those trapped under debris caused by explosions, cave-ins and earthquakes," said Dr Anton Tyruin, president of Tancher.

"The lack of availability of these devices is not due to large design and production expenses but because many businesses do not consider the safety industry commercially attractive."

"In order to rectify the situation we've decided to give away the design rights to our beacon in the hope that organisations or governments will produce the beacon and make it widely available."