The ABD device has been designed to allow climbers to safely use indoor climbing walls without the need for a climbing partner.

A group of four Cambridge Manufacturing Engineering students have come up with a new design for a extreme sports device which could save lives.

The Automatic Belay Device (ABD) is the work of four third year students, Chris Bellamy, Emma Crossman, Tom Latimer, Isabel Martinez who are planning to apply for a patent for their design.

The ABD is one of eleven new product ideas developed by students as part of their Manufacturing Engineering course. The designs were on display at the IfM's annual Design Show, supported by Shearline Engineering.

The annual showcase is a chance for students to show off their ideas to local inventors, industrialists and designers.

The ABD device has been designed to allow climbers to safely use indoor climbing walls without the need for a climbing partner. The climber clips into the device and it takes up the slack as they climb the wall. The  students are now in conversation with a leading sports equipment manufacturer to obtain a patent and eventual production.