Battery Powered Ascender available now.....

PowerQuick Inc. of Troy MI, has partnered with Superior Design Concepts of Sterling Hts., MI to develop and market battery powered ascenders- personal lifting devices used for rigging, SAR, and other applications.

Developed through the Missile Defense Agency, a DARPA sponsored SBIR contract, also through the Air Force Research Lab fire science group. Yes, your tax dollars don't just go for space based infra red satellites and anti-missile missiles. The 'spinoffs' that come from Missile Defense to industry are featured in the quarterly newsletter for MDA Technology Transfer. the TechUpdate. Issue 1 for 2012 has this new device featured on the front page.

PowerQuick, which evolved from MDA funded Quoin International, Inc., has commercialized this ascender device for us common folk to purchase. The company, which had been headquartered in NV, relocated to Michigan in 2010. Their core business is to produce these personal ascenders. SAR and big wall fans, here's your new toy for the summer season!

Their website has a short video and pics. powerquickinc.com or email contact is Cathy Jacobson at: mcj@powerquickinc.com

Website coming strait out the 90's

And seems like a low load for SAR. I know they love their safety margins and it seems like a kitted SAR + litter + patient would be coming close to that 500lb limit. And wonder how big/ heavy the batteries are.

Yeah, website is all business, simple old style with no flashy stuff. Remember, this has no nonsense military govt. roots behind it. I picture a pair of them ascending ropes on both ends of the litter basket, thus can make the weight limits. Wonder how much they cost......probably like in the range of a self-auto belay device, $1200 or more??

Woodchuck ATC wrote:Yeah, website is all business, simple old style with no flashy stuff.

No not business it's is all sorts of bad layout and visual clutter. And I beg to differ on the flashy bit :P

Evidence #1



Looks like the got the finance team do it and told them to be "creative".

And I'm not trying to be an ass, just as a designer everything I see gets a crit.

Sweet, thanks for the "crit", it has really added to the discussion.

Cool to see some real Batman stuff coming out, hopefully it works well in the rescue application.

C Blank wrote: No not business it's is all sorts of bad layout and visual clutter. And I beg to differ on the flashy bit :P Evidence #1 Looks like the got the finance team do it and told them to be "creative". And I'm not trying to be an ass, just as a designer everything I see gets a crit.

Well personally being an old fart, I'm so tired of 'new' webdesigns that won't allow me to find anything or get to the info I seek. They are filled with fluff, streaming videos that don't load up, jumping in and out scenes that confuse us old folks as to where to click next. ....loading......loading........is a sign that I need to escape that site immediately cuz I got better things to do with my time. Just my opinion from a 'senseless upgraded technology' critic.

And I too, am more interested in the chances this may help out SAR teams in a tight spot., more than ease the work of hauling the pig up a big wall.

this is the piece that makes it a non starter for me:

"600 to 800 feet of climb per charge depending on load"

Sweet idea though.

Screw the ascenders, I want one of these grappling hook launchers: powerquickinc.com/PDFs/PLUM…

We bought one of the PQ powered ascenders years ago at my work. I didn't think it would be a good purchase, I said that the money would be a lot better spent on industrial rope access training. The machine proved to be completely unreliable and a waste of money. It's now collecting dust in the basement. To this day we do all of our rope access the old-fashioned way.

Battery (or gas) powered ascenders, like that horrid website, are like tits on a bull. This was done back in the 80s with small gas motors and it didn't find a market or serious use. What makes them think it will be useful now? Idiots misspending government money. Period.

Holy crap! I came from Troy, MI. I'm glad other decent things are coming from there as well. =p

Meh, even if everyone craps on your idea, at least you're trying. Make it stronger and I think you'll have an interesting product.

Woodchuck ATC wrote: $1200 or more??

Hehe, I doubt it. Probably over $3,000. If it was made for the government, it is going to be extremely expensive. Defense contractors sure know how to overcharge the government.

20 kN wrote: Hehe, I doubt it. Probably over $3,000. If it was made for the government, it is going to be extremely expensive. Defense contractors sure know how to overcharge the government.

the government projects might be the $3000 toilets, but the spinoff companies usually work to put their devices to market at a fairly good price. Granted, even 1200 would be too much for me to consider for an ascender, and I agree it might cost much more. But at least something from the DOD-DARPA came back our way for public use.