AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Innovation Patent Wrist-Worn Inflatable Rescue Bulb (WIRB) The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: WRIST-WORN INFLATABLE RESCUE BULB Many drownings occur due to causal factors such as: not swimming between surf-lifesaving flags (especially by tourists unfamiliar with this directive); over 5 estimating one's swimming ability; being unaware of water dangers; and unexpected environmental condition changes leading to events such as being swept into the water via a water surge or wave (e.g., while rock fishing). In many such swimming/aquatic situations it is not practical or considered the norm to carry or wear a life-jacket or similar flotation aid. Issues such as 10 cumbersomeness of device, apathy, ignorance, cost, social norms, ego and peer pressure all contribute to reasons why flotation aids are not utilised in various swimming/aquatic situations. Thus, a niche exists for a compact, inconspicuous, light-weight floatation device that can be activated when in distress and that will provide adequate floatation until help (e.g., from a surf 15 lifesaver) can arrive (i.e., a device generally for near-shore activation to aid rescue rather than for long-term floatation as is required for capsizing at sea). This invention, a wrist-worn inflatable rescue bulb (WIRB), is a device designed to fill the above niche. The compact device contains a cylinder filled 20 with compressed air and for which the pressurised air is released to inflate a self-contained balloon upon activation by the wearer, thus providing a floatation device when in aquatic distress. The compressed air pressure is such that when the air is released the balloon will inflate to an approximate volume of 0.0056 to 0.011 m 3 (the latter dimension providing sufficient 25 flotation buoyancy for a large adult). Activation is necessarily simple (so that in a distress situation a wearer will not be hindered by a complicated process) yet secure so that accidental (or deliberate mischievous) activation does not take place in swimming situations such as in the surf. A moderate inflation speed is utilised (e.g., time-to-inflate of approximately 3 to 5 seconds) to 30 prevent impact injury from the balloon but still provide relatively fast inflation time for a swimmer in distress. The balloon is relatively light-weight to reduce over-all weight, facilitate folding when in "stand-by-mode" (prior to activation), and facilitate release when activated. Conversely, the balloon is tough enough to avoid easy puncturing. After activation, re-folding and enclosing 35 the balloon into the device housing and re-pressurising the device's air cylinder component is made simple for a non-technical user (e.g., re pressurisation is achievable via a standard bicycle pump or compressor attachment with a permanent visual indicator of air pressure correctness). 40 The air cylinder component of the WIRB can take on several different forms in accordance with this invention. That is, the air cylinder component may range from a separate standard cylindrical form to a preferably integrated canister within an ergonomically moulded device with rounded edges and subtle "kidney shape" cross-section so as to fit snugly against the underside of the 45 wrist (and secured to the wrist for example via velcro strapping). In an alternative form the air cylinder component may also be integrated within a WIRB device taking on a tubular bracelet form. Materials such as stainless steel, carbon fibre, aluminium, toughened plastic or polymer resin are suitable for the pressurized air cylinder component and overall device housing (device 50 housing is detailed further below), while rubber and PVC (and PVC coated 2 materials such as nylon and tarpaulin) are examples of suitable balloon material. The balloon in its preferred inflated form would have an inflated handle for gripping with the opposite hand (opposite to the hand of the arm wearing the WIRB attachment). Incidental foam padding may also be 5 including depending on the device form. The deflated balloon is folded into and encased within a discrete, unobtrusive, round-edged housing that may be moulded together with the high-pressure air cylinder component. The balloon is air-tight and fastened to the inside of this 10 enclosed housing (e.g., via a simple washer and nut mechanism centred with the balloon's filling orifice that is connected to the air cylinder component via a suitable tap/valve-controlled inlet). The WIRB activation mechanism can also take on several forms in 15 accordance with this invention. For example, the activation mechanism could require a (sunken) dual button depression system with buttons on opposite sides of the device housing for which activation can be undertaken one handed by the wearer. A protected pin-pull activation is anther example activation mechanism. As well as activation providing air filling of the balloon 20 via the aforementioned mechanism providing tap/valve opening between the cylinder and balloon, activation also provides balloon release from the device housing. The mechanical method of balloon release can also take on several forms, e.g., via a spring-loaded latched housing door that opens away from or parallel to the arm. 25 In more advanced micro-processor controlled digital models, activation could be controlled by a pressure-sensitive sensor, whereby if the surrounding water pressure remains above a set pressure (e.g. 5000 Pa) for a specified time, activation could automatically be triggered. Such micro-processor controlled 30 digital models may in addition or alternatively have features such as time indication (i.e., watch function), UV indicator, strobed LED activation indicator, siren alarm activation indicator, radio/MP3 and similar function, in-built mini compressor for re-pressurising the air canister component via DC transformer plug-in, and/or playable audio recordings such as surf lifesaving directives in 35 chosen languages. Balloon replacement would be relatively inexpensive with the balloon regarded as semi-disposable. 40 The WIRB, in accordance with this invention, can take on several balloon sizes as exemplified earlier, with smaller sizes suitable for children or adults wearing two or more devices. Although the invention name indicates the WIRB is to be worn on the wrist, the wearing/strapping on any arm area is also included within the invention. 45 Figures 1 (front view) and 2 (side view) give an example of a preferred design included by this invention where 1 is ergonomically shaped, rounded device housing; 2 is integrated air canister; 3 is air inlet valve/tap between the canister and balloon (with surrounding balloon attachment nut and washer 50 also indicated); 4 is balloon housing chamber; 5 is latched spring-loaded 3 release door for balloon; 6 is sunken dual-activation buttons; 7 is air pump or compressor attachment valve with integrated air pressure indicator; and 8 is velcro strapping.