An innovative backpack called the Safeback SBX system uses fan-powered airflow to help avalanche survivors breathe under snow.

When an avalanche hits, victims are racing against the clock to survive. Approximately 75% of fatalities are caused by suffocation, which often occurs within 15 to 30 minutes. Though airbags could help prevent burial, they can’t help once a person is trapped beneath snow.

The Science Behind Survival

The new system transforms surrounding snow into an air supply, using a battery-powered fan that pulls oxygen from the porous snowpack. The oxygen is pumped through hoses in the backpack straps toward the victim’s face. The avalanche snow is approximately 50% air, which allows the device to pull oxygen flow continuously while pushing exhaled carbon dioxide away from the breathing area.

According to a clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, an international group of researchers buried 24 volunteers face down under 20 inches of snow to test the invention. Half of the buried volunteers had an activated SBX system and the other half didn’t.

Participants wore devices to monitor their SpO2 levels, or the amount of oxygen-saturated hemoglobin in the blood. This helps to measure how well oxygen is traveling from the lungs into the bloodstream. Levels below 90% indicate hypoxia or a lack of sufficient oxygen.

For testing purposes, the team defined an adverse event as someone’s SpO2 levels falling below 80%. Those using the SBX unit maintained stable oxygen levels for around 35 minutes, whereas those without it reached critical oxygen levels at an average time of 6.4 minutes.

Using six Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries, the cord-activated system weighs about 520 grams and operates for up to 90 minutes at temperatures as low as -22°F.

Though researchers stated that the backpack is a safety device, they also emphasize that traditional gear, such as airbags, avalanche transponders, shovels, etc., is also essential for avalanche survival.