New Designer of the Year after developing a device that could help treat people suffering from cold water exposure. Rupert Murphy, a product design student and keen water sports enthusiast, created Re-Warm after identifying a gap in the way casualties are treated before they reach medical care.
Designed for use by organisations such as the RNLI and search and rescue teams, the handheld device actively raises a person’s core body temperature by delivering warm, humidified air through a face mask.
Current emergency treatment for people rescued from cold water largely relies on insulation, such as blankets or foil wraps, which help prevent further heat loss but cannot actively warm the casualty.
Murphy said Re-Warm was designed to bridge that gap: “I specifically looked at cold water immersion,” he said. “It’s applicable to other areas as well, like mountain rescue.
“In a rescue scenario, the only option the RNLI or search and rescue really has is insulation. That keeps the heat you have left in, but it can’t actively start adding warmth to a casualty. That’s where Re-Warm comes in.”
The device works by heating a small water reservoir. Fresh air is passed over the warm water, collecting heat and humidity before being inhaled, helping to warm the body from the inside.
Murphy received the New Designer of the Year Award at this year’s New Designers exhibition in London, where the UK’s leading emerging designers showcase their work to industry professionals. He hopes the concept can now be developed commercially. “I’d love to see it out in the world making a difference,” he said.
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