PFD

PFD = Personal Flotation Device.

You'd be amazed how many healthy adults drown every year, either because they don't know to swim, or because they do, but extend past their limitations. Or they get drunk and go swimming. It seems like the kind of problem that is entirely preventable, even though in reality it isn't. It's a tough one.

Also, contributing to this idea is the fact that life jackets have changed some in the past few years. Rather than those hokey orange things, they make a version now that has all the flotation elements compressed and they expand when you pull a cord. It's kind of like a parachute, but for floating. It's great if you're working on docks or something, because it's less hot and bulky, allowing you an easier time to work.

So, combining those two things leads me to believe we could create some sort of wristband or belt that non-swimmers, or swimmers going for a long lake swim, could wear just in case they started to cramp up. Now of course this wouldn't inflate into a life jacket type appartus, but it would turn into something bouyant enough to keep you going with minimal kicking. A PFD, basically.

I think it would have to look cool, so that people wouldn't be embarrased to wear it. And you wouldn't want it so bulky that it interfered with your other activities. I can imagine a way in which this would work, but sadly I can imagine a way in which no one would use these and we'd be right back where we started.