Recently, we interviewed Uzi Hanuni, founder and CEO of Maxtech Networks, whose amazing radio communications equipment specially designed for challenging, emergency situations played a crucial role in the successful rescue of 12 boys and their coach from deep inside a cave in Thailand.
Hanuni first began thinking about how to build a simple, reliable radio after watching many rescuers responding to the September 11 attack on the World Trade Centers lose their lives because of a lack of radio communications. It took years to develop radios that worked reliably in all conditions, including above ground, inside buildings, and below ground, the same radios that proved their value in the cave rescue in Thailand. To learn more of Hanuni’s story, read a recent interview and see the video of Hanuni speaking about the radios his company built and their role in the Thai rescue.
As a follow-up to the interview, article, and video, we would like to express our gratitude and heartfelt thanks to Uzi Hanuni and his team with this “digital thank you card,” signed by a small group of his peers in the electronics industry. Read on to see words of thanks and support from Analog Devices, Planet Analog, EEWeb, Sparkfun Electronics, Hackspace Magazine, and many more.
To our Bench Talk readers: We welcome you to share your words of thanks as well in the Comments below.
“It is rare CEOs such as you who inspire not only your employees and the electronics industry, but also the world! What a great example of selflessness to our younger generation as well as all people worldwide. The world would be a better place for all if everyone did a little more for our sisters and brothers in need.”
Steve Taranovich, Senior Technical Editor Planet Analog | Analog, Power for EDN, and Integration Nation UBM Electronics
“Rarely is an engineer recognized as being a hero, but that is exactly the case with Uzi Hanuni. I was captivated by the Thai cave rescue and even found myself thinking about engineering solutions to the problems they were facing. So it’s really exciting to hear that an engineer (and entrepreneur) with an innovative technology helped save all of those lives. Congratulations Uzi, and thank you for helping this story have a happy ending!”
John Teel, Founder/Electronics Design Engineer/Entrepreneur Predictable Designs
“When I first heard about the Thai youngsters in the Wild Boar soccer team and their assistant coach, Ekkapol ‘Ake’ Chantawong, becoming trapped in Tham Luang cave, my heart fell. When I was a (much) younger man, I used to be a member a mountain/cave rescue team in England, so I’m well aware as to how quickly things can go ‘pear shaped’ underground.
“As the days passed, my hopes of a successful outcome fell. When the team was eventually located after nine days, I was delighted, but I was also apprehensive because I had some idea how hard it was going to be to get them all out safely. Thanks to the heroic efforts and expertise provided by the volunteers, emergency responders, and the rescue team—coupled with state-of-the-art technology, like the wireless systems provided by Israeli company Maxtech Networks—all the members of the team were brought out alive.
“With the sad exception of former Navy Seal diver, Saman Gunan, who died after running out of air, this was an almost unbelievable ‘textbook’ rescue. I send my thoughts and best wishes to the students and the assistant coach, to everyone who played any part in the rescue, and—especially—to the friends and family of Saman Gunan; “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Clive Maxfield, Editor in Chief at Embedded.com and EEWeb.com Embedded.com and EEWeb.com AspenCore, An Arrow Electronics group
“Congratulations to yourself and the whole team for successfully rescuing the boys. It's one thing to make a device that works well in the lab or workshop, but bringing together everything to make this work reliably in such an inhospitable environment is a real engineering achievement. It's fantastic to see technology that has such a tangible impact on people's lives.”
Ben Everard, Editor, HackSpace Magazine Rasberry Pi
“While the world watched, you showed us how far wireless communications has come and how quickly it can be deployed. More than that, you reminded the world of how people will rush to pitch in if they can offer help when others are in danger. This was a moment of great technical innovation coupled with human empathy and bravery. Thank you for the work you've done and everything you did to bring that team home!”
Nancy K. Friedrich, Editor in Chief/Content Director Design News
“Congratulations to Uzi Hanuni from Israeli company Maxtech networks for sending an engineer and equipment to Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Thailand. We thank you and all those who worked tirelessly to rescue the trapped boys and their coach. These heroes took the Talmudic phrase “whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world” to heart. Maxtech’s technology of linking radios into a communications chain kept up hope as those trapped were kept in contact with the outside world.”
Martin Rowe, Senior Technical Editor, Test & Measurement EDN Test & Measurement Design Center | EE Times Test & Measurement DesignLine
“Uzi, as a fellow communications SME, COML, COMT, and have been part of the operational comm planning for some of Washington DC’s major events, I know the challenges that sometimes initially appear to be unsolvable but through the hard work of dedicated people like yourself, they get solved. Refusing to accept the impossible and having a wealth of knowledge, some serious creativity, and some rock-solid intestinal fortitude and a great team saved a number of lives!!!”
Larry Schaefer, Telecommunicators Emergency Response Taskforce Schaefer Global Management LLC, FEMA
“Congratulations to you and the team who’s achievement saved lives in such a harsh environment. It is great to make all the necessary tools and equipment available for such a mission, and even greater having people like yourself willing to put out what’s needed for the greater good. Stay awesome!”
Mehdi Sadaghdar, Electrical Engineer/YouTuber ElectroBOOM
“Uzi, your initiative in sending radios to help rescue the trapped boys in Thailand must have been an enormous help to teams on the ground. As a wireless engineer myself, I understand the technical communications challenges involved and the technology you’ve developed could only be dreamed about just a few years ago. To see it now applied to such great effect, benefiting the lives of so many people, is a heartwarming example of how technology is capable of making a positive difference to our lives. Congratulations on your important role in this successful mission!”
Bob Jones, Chairman Publitek
“Congratulations and thank you for your tireless efforts in Thailand. You have shown the world the ability technology has to amplify the best instincts of humanity. The people you saved will never forget it, and neither will any who watched and hoped for their safety—keep using your power to shed light on the incredible potential of technology to solve problems, save lives and bring our world to a better, more sustainable future.”
Glenn Samala, CEO SparkFun Electronics, Inc.
“THANK YOU. We need more people like you who do not need to see the immediate financial gains for modern technologies. Your dedication to saving human lives is remarkable. If we design technologies for the human experience first and foremost, then we can easily adapt them for the moments in time when they are needed. Thank you again.”
Billie Whitehouse, CEO Wearable X
“Our heartfelt congratulations to you and the teams at Maxtech for your incredible help in rescuing the boys from the cave in Thailand. Your quick decision to provide a critical technology in this mission is very inspiring. We wish you the best in continued technological innovations that touch our lives in such impactful and meaningful ways!”
Jim Schmidt, VP of Broad Market Analog Devices, Inc.
“Congratulations Uzi. The rescue of the Thai soccer team will go down in history as one of the most challenging rescue attempts ever made. I’ve no doubt that your mesh communications network and technical team contributed significantly to the success of the mission. Well done.
Rich Elliot, Editor-in-Chief Electromaker.io
“Uzi, well done to you (and your Thai distributor) for immediately thinking of the potential for your non-GPS-Based Mesh network with Software Defined Radio to help the boys trapped in the cave, and with acting straight away to send the units and engineers directly to Thailand. I feel inspired that a journey that started after a tragedy many years ago could lead to technology that makes possible such life-saving rescue today, and pride that an EMEA company, based in Israel, is responsible for this rescue.”
Mike Britchfield, VP of Sales EMEA, Analog Devices, Inc.
“Uzi Hanuni’s efforts during the Thai cave rescue defined altruism: seeing such an urgent problem, he went out of his way to ensure the right communication was implemented to help ensure the safety of the Thai football team. The quick-thinking involved was of course vital, and not to be forgotten.”
Sam Holland, Assistant Editor IML Group