Noah Shelter : Japan's answer to next tsunami

Via Nick Kaufmann
http://www.smh.com.au/world/japans-answer-to-next-tsunami-miniark-20111001-1l276.html

October 1, 2011 - 7:01AM

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Japanese company markets tsunami escape pod

A small factory in Japan has introduced a tsunami survival shelter, a capsule which floats on water and is able to hold four adults inside.

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A small Japanese company has developed a modern, miniature version of Noah's Ark in case Japan is hit by another massive earthquake and tsunami: a floating capsule that looks like a huge tennis ball.

Japan's Cosmo Power says its "Noah" shelter is made of enhanced fibreglass that can save users from disasters like the one on March 11 that devasted Japan's northern coast, leaving nearly 20,000 people dead or missing.

Company president Shoji Tanaka says the 300,000 yen ($A4000) capsule can hold four adults, and has survived many crash tests. It has a small lookout window and breathing holes on top. It can also be used as a toy house for children.

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Cosmo Power Co. President Shoji Tanaka inside the spherical earthquake and tsunami shelter "Noah" made of fibre enforced plastic. Photo: AP

The company has already delivered two capsules and has orders for 600 more.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/japans-answer-to-next-tsunami-miniark-20111001-1l276.html#ixzz1ZYPOG39s

 

Posted via email from Open_Sailing

Noah Shelter : Japan's answer to next tsunami

Via Nick Kaufmann
http://www.smh.com.au/world/japans-answer-to-next-tsunami-miniark-20111001-1l276.html

October 1, 2011 - 7:01AM

Click to play video

Japanese company markets tsunami escape pod

A small factory in Japan has introduced a tsunami survival shelter, a capsule which floats on water and is able to hold four adults inside.

• Video feedback
• Video settings

A small Japanese company has developed a modern, miniature version of Noah's Ark in case Japan is hit by another massive earthquake and tsunami: a floating capsule that looks like a huge tennis ball.

Japan's Cosmo Power says its "Noah" shelter is made of enhanced fibreglass that can save users from disasters like the one on March 11 that devasted Japan's northern coast, leaving nearly 20,000 people dead or missing.

Company president Shoji Tanaka says the 300,000 yen ($A4000) capsule can hold four adults, and has survived many crash tests. It has a small lookout window and breathing holes on top. It can also be used as a toy house for children.

Advertisement: Story continues below

Cosmo Power Co. President Shoji Tanaka inside the spherical earthquake and tsunami shelter "Noah" made of fibre enforced plastic. Photo: AP

The company has already delivered two capsules and has orders for 600 more.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/japans-answer-to-next-tsunami-miniark-20111001-1l276.html#ixzz1ZYPOG39s

 

Posted via email from Open_Sailing

Recycled Rigs: Abandoned Oil Platforms as Ocean Mini-Cities?

via Felix Compere.

 

http://dornob.com/recycled-rigs-abandoned-oil-platforms-as-ocean-mini-cities/

It is hard to believe that there are companies capable of creating (relatively) robust structures far out at sea, (usually) capable of withstanding extreme weather and lasting for decades or longer. But their use in harvesting ‘black gold’ from the ocean floor is limited, as alternatives are (hopefully) developed and spill risks increasingly recognized. Here is one vision for how one turn such relics into semi-submerged habitats and give them a new architectural lease on life.

A competition entry by Ku Yee Kee and Hor Sue-Wern of Malaysia forEvolo, this idea is speculative, creative and additive – it is more about exploring various possibilities than creating a resolved design. Still, the latter seems to result from the former, with many metaphorical as well as physical levels spanning from lofted surface layers to submarine science and observation stations.

Much like a skyscraper or other self-contained mega-structure, the program works from the inside out; core service, conveyance and community functions exist in the structural core, while residents of each modular village are arrayed in dwellings plugged in around the outer rim, affording ideal vistas of the surrounding seascapes.

 

As intriguing as the final renderings are, the process models, sketches and diagrams are at least equally fascinating – they show a series of related and independent thought processes, three-dimensional experiments and sources of inspiration leading up to finished drawings and perspective money shots.

The standard solar and wind power generators are present, but tidal energy is also available given the relatively unique placement of these would-be water towns. Each atoll would, in theory, be at least largely self-sufficient, assuming some space were provided in the final design for growing fruits, vegetables and perhaps selectively raising a little supplemental livestock

Posted via email from Open_Sailing

Listening to the Deep Ocean environment, LIDO

Thanks to Nicolas Huber for link. 

http://lido.epsevg.upc.es

http://youtu.be/z-ItgpELavg

Posted via email from Open_Sailing

Listening to the Deep Ocean environment, LIDO

Thanks to Nicolas Huber for link. 

http://lido.epsevg.upc.es

http://youtu.be/z-ItgpELavg

Posted via email from Open_Sailing

4 Days left to support Protei, the Oil Spill cleaning sailing robot.

Dear fellows,

Some of you may already know about Protei, the project I coordinate.
We managed to raise already more than $20'000 but we only 4 days left to collect the $7500 missing.

Please have a look at this short video and you will understand it all :D

So, to help us you can :
- back us on kickstarter, every $ counts :)

- Share our short URL http://kck.st/hUv68A on your facebook, by email to your friends.

- And if you know journalists, bloggers (who like robots / ocean / environment) etc, give them our media page : http://media.protei.org

Last week we did some tests in Rotterdam, and we are very proud to be presenting Protei at the World Port Day this summer (400'000 visitors!).

Thanks for your help !

Posted via email from TED Fellows

On the Water, Nils Ferber

http://www.nilsferber.de/landannahme.html

The platform a few days after its first erection in June 2010 in Hamburg.
It was assembled from 13 modules with a diameter of 3m and a 220l-barrel as floating body each.
The main structure was supplemented by floating patches, a six-person-tent and a roof-like net structure.

The platform could carry up to 20 people (if the weight was evenly spread).

Helium-filled registering balloons were used for illumination at night. A 12V bulb inside each balloon was powered by a car batterie in the barrel below.

The patches were kept afloat by PET bottles. Ducks were amongst their biggest fans but gave the plants a hard time.

Connecting the spiral-shaped modules created a rhombic structure in between the barrels. The rhombes were filled out with different materials like truck tarpaulins, nets and scrap wood.
Different material features proposed varying uses: The nets were often used as hammocks while the wooden rhombes provided a more secure base for standing up straight and more serious tasks.

A small rope ferry was installed to grant access to the island at all times and transport goods to and from the island.

At the first night on the water a band gave a concert. Providing electricity was a challenge, though.

Even though the platform was located very central, the actual place was rather quiet and sheltered (you can see the platform under the bridge, on the left side).

Everyday life right in the city.

The floating patches suggested the possibility to grow vegetables, herbs, fruits and berries around and under the platform. In this way the potential habitans could cover their basic needs self-sufficiently. In addition to the patches we used some barrels as planters for small trees.

The barrels can be accesed from the platform and make spacious, waterproof storage containers.
With 13 barrels there is enough room for drinking water, groceries, cooking equipment and whatever else is needed on the platform.

Posted via email from Open_Sailing

On the Water, Nils Ferber

http://www.nilsferber.de/landannahme.html

The platform a few days after its first erection in June 2010 in Hamburg.
It was assembled from 13 modules with a diameter of 3m and a 220l-barrel as floating body each.
The main structure was supplemented by floating patches, a six-person-tent and a roof-like net structure.

The platform could carry up to 20 people (if the weight was evenly spread).

Helium-filled registering balloons were used for illumination at night. A 12V bulb inside each balloon was powered by a car batterie in the barrel below.

The patches were kept afloat by PET bottles. Ducks were amongst their biggest fans but gave the plants a hard time.

Connecting the spiral-shaped modules created a rhombic structure in between the barrels. The rhombes were filled out with different materials like truck tarpaulins, nets and scrap wood.
Different material features proposed varying uses: The nets were often used as hammocks while the wooden rhombes provided a more secure base for standing up straight and more serious tasks.

A small rope ferry was installed to grant access to the island at all times and transport goods to and from the island.

At the first night on the water a band gave a concert. Providing electricity was a challenge, though.

Even though the platform was located very central, the actual place was rather quiet and sheltered (you can see the platform under the bridge, on the left side).

Everyday life right in the city.

The floating patches suggested the possibility to grow vegetables, herbs, fruits and berries around and under the platform. In this way the potential habitans could cover their basic needs self-sufficiently. In addition to the patches we used some barrels as planters for small trees.

The barrels can be accesed from the platform and make spacious, waterproof storage containers.
With 13 barrels there is enough room for drinking water, groceries, cooking equipment and whatever else is needed on the platform.

Posted via email from Open_Sailing

Launch of Protei, oil spill cleaning open hardware sailing robot.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cesarminoru/protei-open-hardware-oil-spill-cleaning-sailing-ro

Dear fellows. We just launch yesterday Protei on Kickstarter. 

Please share the link to our Kickstarter on your facebook, or if you know people in 
- environmental justice

- sailing world

- DIY

- open-source

- engineering

Protei is a fleet of Sailing Drones, developed primarily to collect Oil Spills under Open Hardware licensing. An oil spill drifts down the wind, Protei sails upwind to collect the oil. Everyone is welcome to join, contribute, modify, produce, distribute the design and share their findings.

You can watch the 3 minutes video under to understand the detail of how it works :

The technology is really exciting beyond the fact that it could help for ocean study and cleaning. 
Have a lovely TED2011!

Posted via email from TED Fellows

Launch of Protei, oil spill cleaning open hardware sailing robot.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cesarminoru/protei-open-hardware-oil-spill-cleaning-sailing-ro

Dear fellows. We just launch yesterday Protei on Kickstarter. 

Please share the link to our Kickstarter on your facebook, or if you know people in 
- environmental justice

- sailing world

- DIY

- open-source

- engineering

Protei is a fleet of Sailing Drones, developed primarily to collect Oil Spills under Open Hardware licensing. An oil spill drifts down the wind, Protei sails upwind to collect the oil. Everyone is welcome to join, contribute, modify, produce, distribute the design and share their findings.

You can watch the 3 minutes video under to understand the detail of how it works :

The technology is really exciting beyond the fact that it could help for ocean study and cleaning. 
Have a lovely TED2011!

Posted via email from TED Fellows