Smart Wristband Stops Boats, Saves Fishers Who Fall Overboard

Imagine slipping off your fishing boat into icy Norwegian waters, then watching your vessel drift away while you struggle to stay afloat. A new wristband could turn that nightmare into a survivable accident.

Audun and Ronny Bakke, a father and son who both worked at sea, founded Dimeq to tackle one of Norway's deadliest professions. Between 2000 and 2022, 149 professional fishers died in accidents, most from falling overboard or shipwrecks. Solo fishers face the highest risk because nobody is there to help when disaster strikes.

Their solution sounds simple but required years of development. When a fisher wearing the smart wristband falls overboard, the device instantly stops the boat's engine. It also triggers flashing lights, sound alarms, and automatically alerts Norway's Coastal Radio Service and nearby vessels through VHF radio signals.

The technology gives fallen fishers something precious: time. Instead of watching their boat disappear over the horizon, they know rescue is coming. They know their boat stopped. They know someone received the emergency signal.

SINTEF, a Norwegian research organization, spent years working with fishers and maritime authorities to define exactly what these devices needed to do. The Norwegian Seafood Research Fund saw the potential and funded Dimeq and SINTEF to build it. Real fishers tested the system aboard working vessels during the harsh winter of 2025.

The results proved the concept works. Now the team is fine-tuning the system to reduce false alarms and simplify the controls before final approvals.

The Ripple Effect

This innovation arrives at a perfect moment. Norway's Maritime Authority published its National Action Plan for Maritime Safety in 2025, aiming for zero serious injuries and deaths in Norwegian waters. The plan specifically calls for emergency stop devices when people work alone on commercial vessels.

The wristband addresses that need directly. Thousands of fishers along Norway's coast could benefit once the device hits the market. The technology could also protect workers in aquaculture and improve search and rescue operations across multiple industries.

Trine Thorvaldsen, a senior researcher at SINTEF, notes the solution has high value beyond Norway's borders too. Other countries with fishing industries face similar dangers, and the system could adapt to their needs.

Audun Bakke says interest in the device runs strong. His team continues working toward final approvals so they can deliver on their simple but powerful goal: saving lives.

For solo fishers who brave dangerous waters to feed their families and communities, this small wristband represents hope that technology can protect them when they're most vulnerable.