Revolutionary technology which uses ‘smart fabric’ to extinguish lithium-ion battery fires in personal electronic devices (PEDs) on aircraft has been unveiled at Farnborough International Airshow.
Global engineering solutions provider Barnbrook Systems (‘Barnbrook’) and pioneering tech firm Flair have joined forces to launch the exciting E-bag innovation to combat the danger.
E-bag has been designed specifically for aviation for air crew to safely isolate and extinguish blazes caused by the batteries in such devices as tablets and mobile phones. It also means those emitting smoke or extreme heat can be safely and efficiently dealt with.
Innovative nano technology has been used to create the E-bag’s temperature sensitive smart fabric which adapts to completely smother the battery or device once it has been placed inside.
By cutting off air, the E-bag self-extinguishes and suppresses the fire efficiently, ensuring the safety of passengers and cargo alike.
Barnbrook’s innovative and multi-award-winning BlueCube© technology will be used to monitor and provide live readings from the interior of the E-bag – including temperature and humidity.
This means suspect devices can be placed inside the E-bag as a precaution, tracked while being extinguished and monitored safely or removed once the danger is over.
Barnbrook and Flair – both based in Fareham, Hampshire, UK – have launched E-bag as the threat from lithium-ion batteries rises on passenger and cargo aircraft.
According to latest figures from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), it received 65 reports of lithium-ion battery fires involving PEDs carried by passengers in 2023 – a 60% increase on the previous year.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says that the number of battery fires has risen by more than 42% from 2018 to 2023. It says that incidents of overheated lithium-ion batteries causing smoke, fire, or extreme heat on aircrafts are now happening at an average rate of more than one per week.
In May of this year, a passenger jet flying from Tenerife to Edinburgh was forced to make an emergency landing after a portable battery is believed to have overheated and started smoking.
Andrew Barnett, managing director of Barnbrook Systems and a board member of Farnborough Aerospace Consortium, said: “Connectivity is increasing all of the time on aircraft.
“Passenger services are allowing greater use of PEDs, enhancing internet availability and providing recharging capabilities.
“This can be a recipe for disaster with the danger from so many lithium-ion batteries in a highly-pressurised and risk-adverse environment.
“Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries are become more common place across society and are notoriously difficult to identify and extinguish.
“E-bag’s smart fabric means that PEDs which are alight, overheating or smoking can be safely isolated and extinguished.
“This not only improves safety for passengers and aircrew, and averts potentially life-threatening situations, it also delivers benefits for business continuity, risk management and customer confidence.
“All at Barnbrook and Flair are excited to launch the E-bag at Farnborough International Airshow, and have already started negotiations with an international company.
“It is smart technology on smart technology – or smart technology cubed – with the combination of smart fabric and BlueCube© having the power to transform travel and safety in aviation and multiple other sectors.
“This advancement underscores the commitment of Flair and Barnbrook to enhancing safety measures within the industry.”
The E-bag is the first product launch from Flair and Barnbrook. As two prominent technology companies, they have joined forces to revolutionise the Intelligent Internet of Things (IoT) sector with their cutting-edge innovations and solutions.
The partnership between these forward-thinking entities has opened up a realm of possibilities for the aviation and transportation industries, showcasing their commitment to safety through their prevent and protect philosophy and doing so in efficient and exciting ways.
In addition to E-Bag, the partnership has also resulted in a new personal location beacon with a multitude of applications.
These range from man-overboard scenarios to ensuring the safety of lone individuals in the work place environment or during leisure times.
The flair beacon embodies the versatility and reliability that characterize Flair and Barnbrook’s technological prowess.
With its advanced tracking capabilities and real-time monitoring features, this personal location beacon is set to become an indispensable tool across various sectors.
Visit Barnbrook Systems and Flair on stand 1317, close to the FAC marquee, in the main hall to find out more about E-bag.