Quick Release Window Bars

Honorable Mention Award at the 11th Annual DifferenceMaker $50,000 Idea Challenge

Deigo King, a business graduate student, brought attention to a fire hazard that many city residents and people in underdeveloped countries face in their homes. Deigo participated in the 2023 $50,000 Idea Challenge and received the Honorable Mention prize, a $2,000 award. He pitched the idea of Quick Release Window Bars, which would help conquer this dangerous issue. Deigo explained that many apartments in cities and homes in underdeveloped countries have long steel bars that extend across the window to prevent intruders from entering and to avoid accidental falls from older structures. However, these bars pose a threat to safety when a fire breaks out. Since the bars are bolted to the siding, they cannot be removed. In the case of a fire, escaping through the window is no longer a solution for residents.

Deigo’s idea is an affordable device that integrates with existing, permanently mounted security window bars, allowing removal during a fire to act as a safe escape when needed. During his pitch, Deigo showed an animation of his idea for the device which attaches the bars to a device which then attaches to the side of the building. In the event of an emergency, homeowners can easily remove the bars as they are connected to the device rather than mounted to the side of the house directly. Deigo showed extensive research and his plans to focus specifically on Boston and Jamaica. With the money he earned from the Idea Challenge, Deigo plans to move his idea further through the manufacturing and testing process starting with a prototype.