Product category:
Fire and Smoke Protection, Detection and Alarms
News Release from: Klaxon Signals | Subject: E-Z-Exit
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 15 November 2004
Directional Sounder Locates Emergency
Exits "E-Z"
In an attempt to reduce the confusion often experienced by building evacuees, and thereby increase their chances of survival, Klaxon Signals has introduced a new directional sounder, the E-Z-Exit.
Featuring broadband sound technology, the E-Z-Exit sounder allows building occupants to instantly locate their nearest exit during an emergency Traditional evacuation aids - such as emergency lighting, high-visibility LEDs and luminous guidance strips - are often little use in smoke-filled environments, where visibility can be less than two metres and where rapid evacuation is critical if inhalation of poisonous fumes is to be avoided
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 22 Mar 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
"Twist And Click" Fire Sounders Faster Installion
New alarm sounders from Klaxon Signals allow faster installation and maintenance thanks to an innovative mounting base.
Klaxon Combination Provides Peace Of Mind
Following a break-in which saw £87,000 of plant stolen, Foxley Builders has decided to safeguard its Hertfordshire premises with security sounders from Klaxon.
The E-Z-Exit emits pulses of broadband sound whose frequency increases as evacuees get nearer to the exit.
A series of rising or falling tones is also used to indicate whether an evacuation route leads up or down.
An alarm is the most commonly-used sound in emergency evacuations, but merely alerts people to the presence of imminent danger.
Irrespective of whether this information is provided by conventional alarm tones or through more sophisticated speech-based alert mechanisms, alarms provide no information about the direction to, or location of, the nearest exit.
Even if such alarms were placed immediately above exit doors, acting as directional beacons, they would still be impossible to locate: for the human brain to perform sound location, a unit that emits 20Hz-20kHz (covering the complete hearing range) is required.
Trials involving visually- and hearing-impaired subjects have shown that, with the help of E-Z-Exit directional sounders, evacuation time from a smoke-filled environment was reduced by as much as 75% compared to trials with no directional units (but still using mandatory emergency signage).
Even without smoke, evacuation time was cut by up to 35%.
The E-Z-Exit was developed in conjunction with Sound Alert Technology, a company founded by Leeds University after 10 years of research and extensive trials.
Language-independent, the sounder is easily retrofitted and integrated with existing systems.
• Klaxon Signals: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Buildingtalk email newsletter
• Buildingtalk Home Page
