The season of candles and flaming puddings heightens the risk of fire. But what if there is no smoke alarm nearby when you need one? Never fear, there could soon be one in your pocket. Douglas Redman of Northamptonshire wants to build smoke alarms into cellphones (GB 2374484). The alarm phone can then sit anywhere.
If fire breaks out, the phone sounds a warning tone and automatically dials the emergency services. Apart from the obvious risk of a false alarm call if someone burns the toast, the idea may founder on other grounds. Many smoke alarms contain tiny quantities…
