Sure, we've got devices that can see through concrete walls, but why get all complicated when there's some good ol' fashioned bashing to be done? That's the poetic question posed by the Controlled Impact Rescue Tool, developed by Raytheon as part of a Department of Homeland Security program. The 100-pound rescue device uses specially-designed ammunition to create shock waves that can shatter through concrete walls in just 13 minutes, compared to nearly half an hour for conventional methods. Although the rig can create a hole big enough for a person to crawl out of, it's designed to be held up and operated by just two people, and as the video below shows, it doesn't look like it's too much of a bear to handle. Raytheon hasn't set a price for the CIRT yet, but it's aiming it at fire departments, rescue services and the military -- but we're always ready for a demo if anyone's interested.

On the surface, a PlayStation 3 doesn't seem like too much to give a person for saving your life, but when the request comes from the little man to whom you (in one way or another) gave life, things aren't so clear. Reportedly, the nine-year old Matty Lovo came the rescue and saved his pop's life by calling for help after his father passed out behind the wheel of his tractor-trailer. In an interview with CNN, the youngster didn't hesitate to label himself a hero, and moreover, wasn't shy about stating that a shiny new PS3 seemed like a fair reward for such a saintly act. Sheesh, talk about demanding.

[Via PS3Fanboy]

We've all heard horror stories about being stranded sans a cellphone (or a signal), and while we doubt the majority of you break out into the wilderness on a regular basis, a little peace of mind for when you do won't hurt. SPOT Inc. has introduced the simply-titled SPOT, which operates as a personal GPS-enabled tracking device to inform relatives, friends, and emergency personnel of your status. Among the features are a 911 button that automatically calls in help and gives them your exact location, an Ask for Help button that beams up friends / family, a Check In selection that informs contacts that you're a-okay, and a Track Progress option that sends your location to a Google Map that relatives can monitor. The unit itself is powered by a pair of AA cells, weighs just seven-ounces, floats on water, and is rugged enough to handle most any encounter. Price wise, the SPOT will run you $149.99 along with a $99 "service fee," but monthly and multi-year options will purportedly be available soon.

UPDATE: Check out a few more details provided directly by SPOT on how this thing actually works along with a closer look at each button.

Probably best known for its Roomba-esque robovac, Hanool is branching out a bit and introducing the Hanuri-RT rescue robot in Korea. The incredibly large machine sports a simple, yet menacing design and a sophisticated track system that that can expand in a multitude of directions in order to reach places that humans could have difficulty accessing. Unfortunately, details are scant when it comes to explaining the control method and determining just how capable this off-roading beast really is, but click on through and view a few more pictures of this bad boy in action for the time being.

These collaborative robots remind us a lot of NASA's SuperBot, only with a clear mission to search and rescue (and minus the crazy acrobatics). These modular bots, currently being developed in Germany, work both independently and as a group and are designed for use in applications such as military reconnaissance, surveillance, and even space exploration. When detached the individual bots can work separately to cover large areas over a shorter period of time. The units come together and join by way of a novel conical docking mechanism, allowing them to form a single, more complex robot. Each module is outfitted with a pair of rugged treads, various onboard sensors, a touch sensor, GPS module, and gyroscope to help then navigate and identify their surroundings. At this stage, the robots are pre-programmed, but a future goal is to make them autonomous and to increase the number of collaborative units working as one. The bots have yet to be used in real-world scenarios, however we'd hope that if one fell into a crevice, another one would come to its rescue. Or whatever.

We've heard of filing larceny charges in an attempt to retrieve a highly desired cellphone, but risking your life at Niagara Falls? Apparently, a Polish tourist studying English in Lancaster, Pennsylvania wasn't exactly fazed by the treacherous surroundings at Terrapin Point, as he slid to within 50 feet of the falls before finally stopping. Whilst frolicking about on the obviously icy terrain, 29-year old Waldek Kubicki slipped about 200 feet down a rock after "trying to pick up his cellphone," and remained stranded for around 45 minutes until rescuers came and roped him up. Of course, the mystery here is simple: which (potentially unavailable in the US) phone do you think was worth nearly plummeting into an abyss for?

Flying cars have been doing this whole vaporware thing long before Duke Nukem Forever was even a twinkle in 3D Realms' eye. That's why it's practically absurd to assume anything at all will come from this new X-Hawk flying car, whose inventor, Rafi Yoeli, the founder of Urban Aeronautics, claims could ready for the market by 2010. The project has been in the works for years already, but Rafi recently managed to get a rudimentary prototype to fly a few feet off the ground, and has sparked some interest from Textron's Bell Helicopters for potential partnership. Two main things set the X-Hawk apart from the pack. First, the ducted fan design allows the car to achieve the speed and maneuverability of a helicopter -- 155 mph, 12,000-foot altitude, two hours of flight time, vertical take off and landing -- but removes the dangers of exposed rotors, allowing the "car" to sidle up to buildings for rescue missions, or coexist in close quarters with other vehicles. The enclosed-rotor design isn't perfectly unique, but the X-Hawk further differentiates itself by its target market: Rafi is going after those established military and rescue dollars, instead of the theoretical consumers willing to drop $1.5 million on a flying car that they'll still need to obtain complicated licenses for and etc. Making high-rise rescues possible, along with urban airlifts and such makes this sound like a natural fit, and perhaps we'll get a little bit of trickle-down flying car action before 2035 when Duke Nukem finally ships.

[Via Autoblog]

While Japan is fairly well equipped to notify citizens of impending doom, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency is taking another step to preparing its rescue forces for anything in times of emergency, and the forthcoming water jet cutter should help slice through debris without the risk of starting a fire in the process. Due to a railway disaster in April of 2005 which forced rescuers to find an alternate way of cutting metal with gasoline sloshed about, the water jet cutters were moved up in priority, and now the powerful streams can output a high-pressure blast of water / sand in order to make a "1.5-centimeter cut through a 2-centimeter-thick steel plate in just a single minute." Of course, the biggest boon here is the device's inability to spark a fire, but the pressure cutter can also be used in instances where flammability isn't an issue, and it has already been demonstrated to local reporters last week. Although we're not sure just how soon these slicers, along with high-powered "blowers" to whisk away harmful fumes, will be put into action, they'll be hitting the fire departments of Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Sapporo first.

[Via Fark]

Sure, we've heard the heartwarming stories of SMS savings a boy's life and TiVo preventing a man from heading to prison, but this round of "Gadgets Saving Lives" features none other than the token iPod as the center of attention. While Griffin has long since had the idea of using the iPod to power a flashlight-type device, a mushroom hunter (yes, they do exactly as the title describes) resorted to the backlit LCD in his Apple in order to lead rescuers to his location. While enjoying a presumably thrilling evening of picking 'shrooms from the wild brush in Vancouver, Washington with his mother, Pini Nou somehow found himself off the beaten path and lost under a cover of darkness (and wild grass, too). By phoning in authorities and faintly describing his surroundings, troops were able to get close enough to view the white glow emitted from his PMP, and 20 minutes later he was safe and sound, albeit "cold, tired, and aching." So, there you have it kids, the ultimate excuse to get an iPod for the holidays -- safety.

[Thanks, Napo M.]