As the Boy Scouts would say, “Be prepared” and the latest additions to Etón Corporation‘s American Red Cross TurboDyne series are a good step forwards for everyone. Showcasing at CES, the Road Torq, Axis and Rover are all aimed at helping during those unexpected emergencies.
All the devices are self-powered through a hand crank which charges up the internal battery, so there’s never any worry about the batteries running out – just wind it up.
The Road Torq is a roadside assistance tool, with a spotlight and emergency beacon. As you can see from the picture (left), it’s a little tripod with a hinged lamp so you can put it on the ground or your car roof and direct light where you need it.
The Rover is a combined AM / FM / NOAA radio, torch and USB phone charger. Shown right in the picture.
The Axis, centre, is the slightly bigger sister to the Rover. It too has a AM / FM / NOAA radio but comes with a digital tuner. The torch is also present as is an additional flashing red lamp. The Axis can be powered from multiple sources, including the crank, 3x AAA batteries and a DC input. The USB phone charger is there too.
“Our long-standing partnership with the American Red Cross enables us to provide products that help our friends and families stay prepared for unexpected situations,” says Esmail Hozour, CEO of Etón Corporation. “Our new TurboDyne Series represents a new design and increased functionality, and we are proud to help support the efforts of the Red Cross with its introduction.”
I think this is a great little set of products for emergencies, so I’ll be picking up a Road Torq for the car and an Axis for the house as soon as I can. Available in black and white, and coming soon in 2011, a portion of proceeds will go to the American Red Cross, but no price was announced.