2013 Chicago Innovation Awards Recognizes Home Safety Innovation

The recipients of the 12th annual Chicago Innovation Awards were announced last week. They celebrate Chicago-based companies big and small for original and innovative products and services. The top dogs ranged from software companies to social program innovators. A record high 562 companies were nominated this year and among the 10 winning companies was First Alert, the maker of safety and security alert systems.

This is second Chicago Innovation Award won by First Alert. They were recognized this year for their latest fire safety innovation, the Atom Smoke & Fire Alarm. The Atom system is a compact device weighing less than two ounces. The alarm features a photoelectric sensor that will detect slow and smoldering fires and its new technology promises fewer false alarms. The lithium battery is long lasting and the alarm sound is loud, reaching all rooms of your home. The small design is discrete and more aesthetically pleasing as it comes in wood grain, stainless steel and bronze finishes.

The Chicago Innovation Awards also recognizes up-and-comers each year and in this group of Chicago companies was Nordic Plow, a manufacturer of snow plow blades that can be attached to any mower, car or all-terrain vehicle. Their latest innovation, the Nordic Auto Plow is specifically designed for residential snow plowing. The plow attachment is lightweight at 52 pounds and has a rounded edge that makes it suitable for any type of surface from grass to gravel.

Portapure, another up-and-comer award winner, offers water purification products for areas without access to clean drinking water. Their latest product, PureLives, is a transportable 5 gallon container with a built-in filtration system that removes 99.9 percent of sediment, bacteria and viruses. There are no mechanical parts that require electricity and it's chemical free. PureLives is an affordable product designed to help communities affected by natural disasters as well as developing countries.

For more information about winners and the up-and-comers of the 2013 Chicago Innovation Awards go to www.chicagoinnovationawards.com