The designers behind Sharkbanz, a new repellant wristband that has recently been released, claim that the device can protect its wearer against inquisitive sharks, and attack survivors are already endorsing the technology.
The brainchild of American Nathan Garrison and his father, David, Sharkbanz utilizes electromagnetic waves to repel the predators, according to the Daily Mail . The wristband, which is roughly the size of a watch, has already been tested on over a dozen species of shark, and presents a unique opportunity for surfers and beachgoers.
The Sharkbanz repellent is aimed at warding away hit-and-run attacks. The most common type of incident, these attacks occur when a curious shark strikes at a human in order to determine if they are prey. Sharkbanz disrupts the electro-receptors in a shark’s body to make them turn away, and while it has been proven on a variety of species, including Bull, Blacktip, Oceanic Whitetip, Caribbean Reef, and Hammerhead sharks, it is unclear how much of a deterrent it will present to a great white, as Surfer Today observes. There is still no effective way to combat the ambush style of attack exhibited by great whites, which occur at high speed and from a distance.
“It is important for us to be honest about what Sharkbanz technology can and can not do. Sharkbanz will reduce the risk of shark interactions, but there is no 100% guarantee that interactions will not take place,” the company noted.
Not a woman’s torso beached after a shark attack. She’s alive thanks to the Sharkbanz bracelet http://t.co/JbC9i93d7v pic.twitter.com/mw3t9PhxLs
— Surfersvillage (@Surfersvillage) January 12, 2015
The Sharkbanz technology has found an enthusiastic supporter in 65-year-old Paddy Trumbull, who herself was the victim of a shark attack in 2010. Swimming off Queensland in February of that year, Trumbull suffered severe injuries to her buttocks when a bull shark struck her. After being pulled underwater by the shark and shaken, Trumbull fought back until the predator released her.
“The shark let me go and I remember feeling the shark rip my flesh and the stinger suit from my body,” she recalled.
Despite the attack, Trumbull remains fascinated with sharks. As she has no desire to injure the predators, she feels that a technology like Sharkbanz is the key to her and other swimmers safely sharing the ocean with them.
Can you ward off a shark for $80 simply with a Sharkbanz? http://t.co/JpcUDQva3o pic.twitter.com/pOiVD1gHNg — PerthNow (@perthnow) January 8, 2015
Though a variety of other shark repellent devices exist on the market, as the Inquisitr has previously reported, Sharkbanz is unique in that it sells for under $90. Relating that he was inspired to create the device after a lifetime of close calls and watching friends suffer attacks, Nathan Garrison noted that Sharkbanz in no way harms the sharks.
[Image: Sharkbanz via the Daily Mail ]
