Published 4 June 2024
Royal Life Saving Australia and Lynxight have announced a strategic collaboration focused on strengthening drowning prevention and safety at Australian aquatic facilities. The collaboration will use data insights from Lynxight's AI-enhanced analytics to strengthen research, policy, and practices at Australian aquatic facilities.
Founded in 2019, Lynxight's prevention technology combines specialist Artificial Intelligence (AI) and swimmer behaviour analysis to deliver real-time insights directly to the lifeguard's smartwatch, often with minimal capital outlay for pool owners and operators.
The Royal Life Saving Australia Safe Places to Swim: The State of Safety in Aquatic Facilities Report found that in 2023, there were six drowning deaths, 18 non-fatal drowning incidents, and more than 7,800 rescues in publicly accessible swimming pools. This highlights the importance of ongoing innovations in safety management, and the adoption of technologies which can assist in preventing drowning incidents.
RJ Houston, Royal Life Saving Australia's General Manager – Capability & Industry, said: “Royal Life Saving is excited to collaborate with Lynxight and believes data derived from AI-enhanced safety technologies can be applied to elevate existing practices and address challenges, making Australian aquatic facilities safer for everyone," said Mr. Houston.
“While lifeguards play critical prevention and rescue roles, supervision in public swimming pools can be challenging. The potential of combining lifeguard expertise with enhanced technological approaches in coming years is exciting,” said Mr. Houston.
Daniel Mulvey, Lynxight's General Manager for Australia and New Zealand, explained that Lynxight utilises an overhead security camera system, offering easy setup and maintenance, minimal impact on pool buildings, and a seamless experience for pool visitors. It can operate in a wide variety of pool types, including indoor standard tank swimming pools, freeform pools with irregular shapes, and outdoor swimming pools.
“Lynxight is very excited to collaborate with Royal Life Saving Australia, who share a common vision to eliminate preventable drowning and ensure Australians have world-leading safety delivered at their aquatic facilities,” says Mr. Mulvey.
Lynxight is trusted by hundreds of pools globally, supporting sport and leisure centre operators across counties like the UK and Germany, and is currently operating in over 40 Australian public pools with some of Australia's most prominent commercial leisure operators. It is expected that AI-enhanced prevention systems will become the new normal in aquatic facilities in the near future.
“Lynxight is expanding rapidly, driving a safety revolution with a simple, proven technology that empowers aquatic professionals across the board. We are thrilled to collaborate with Royal Life Saving Australia to enable the insights derived from our system to strengthen industry standards, research, and advocacy,” Mr. Mulvey added.
Both Lynxight and Royal Life Saving Australia emphasise that technological systems are a valuable tool that assist lifeguards in responding early to safety risk and are not intended to replace the need for proactive and vigilant professional supervision.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Media Contact:
Ross Woodward, Media Key
P: (03) 9769 6488
E: mediakeypr@iprimus.com.au
About Royal Life Saving Australia:
Royal Life Saving Australia is dedicated to the prevention of drowning and the promotion of safe aquatic places and practices through education, research, risk management and advocacy. We are committed to ensuring that all Australians can enjoy water safely and confidently.
About Lynxight:
Lynxight makes pools safer and smarter by using AI to enhance standard CCTV cameras and send real-time alerts to lifeguards in order to prevent water distress incidents.
