The giant ball that could save your life in a catastrophe: The Survival Capsule designed to withstand tsunamis, earthquakes and hurricanes (providing you're not too claustrophobic!) Survival Capsule protects occupants against tsunamis and hurricanes Rea

The giant ball that could save your life in a catastrophe: The Survival Capsule designed to withstand tsunamis, earthquakes and hurricanes (providing you're not too claustrophobic!)

It may look like a giant snooker ball, but this spherical capsule could save your life.

When a natural disaster strikes, whether it is a tsunami or earthquake, there are very few places to find shelter.

But now, The Survival Capsule - a personal safety system in the form of a giant ball - has been designed to combat this issue.

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The capsules come in various sizes ranging from two-person capacity (pictured), for family homes, all the way up to a ten-person capacity, which could be used for businesses and schools
The capsules come in various sizes ranging from two-person capacity (pictured), for family homes, all the way up to a ten-person capacity, which could be used for businesses and schools

The Survival Capsule is a personal safety system (PSS), designed to protect against tsunamis, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and storm surges.  

This capsule, which features two small porthole windows so the occupants can see what is going on around them, was created to give individual groups and families more control of their survival in emergency situation than traditional 'safe houses.'

Julian Sharpe, founder of The Survival Capsule, said: 'It gives [people] an option of having a security system on their own property which is easily accessible day or night and really gives the family a safe security they wouldn't otherwise have.'

American company designs capsule to help people escape tsunamis.







The Survival Capsule sphere will withstand the initial impact of a natural disaster, as well as sharp object penetration, heat exposure, blunt object impact, and rapid deceleration

The capsule is designed as a 'variable disaster solution', according to the designers.

THE SURVIVAL CAPSULE FEATURES
It is designed to float so it will never be inundated by water levels rising too high, as they do in tsunami situations.

A self-righting system, using water bladders in the bottom, prevent it from rolling upside down.

It can also be tethered to prevent it being washed away with the occupants inside.

The designers of the capsule, which is made from a hardened aluminium shell and frame, is insulated to keep the occupants warm.

It is intended to keep those inside safe during the initial post-disaster period before rescue crews and relief workers have arrived on the scene.

The capsule was designed by a team of aerospace engineers, whose main aim was to make the pod as strong and durable as possible.  

In its initial testing, the designers used a test programme similar to those used in the aerospace industry to examine the strength and survivability of the capsule.


More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3604428/The-Survival-Capsule-designed-withstand-tsunamis-earthquakes-hurricanes.html

Fascinating.  They have developed on the same principle the “avalanche air bag”, an inflatable bladders that fills instantly in the event of a snowpack slide:

Scientific American wrote:When an avalanche strikes, skiers can be carried along in a thunderous mass of snow moving up to 100 kilometers per hour down the mountainside. Death is usually caused by suffocation.

The inflatable air bag blows up, and creates a pocket of air--a bubble, so to speak--that insulates the skier and gives air to breath.

The same principle with a parachute for small airplanes that lose power.  John Denver would be alive today had he one of those.

It's amazing how simple these devices are...and you wonder, why didn't someone think of that before? It was always in the child's imagination.

1.   How much does it cost ?

2.   Where would you park it ?

3.    How would you take it with you --  to work, travelling, visiting people and places, shopping..

4.     Would it only be good for you if you're home and close to it ?


IF I were organising rescue and disaster relief teams, people using these pods would automatically go to the bottom of the list --  after all, they are both protected, and largely self-sufficient..

ALSO, Most of those areas suffering from tsunamis, earthquakes and cyclones are (a) relatively poor, and (b) heavily populated -- the very areas that can't really afford such technologies  !


I RECKON that article has actually missed where the target markets are more likely to be..

Yes Quill. These concepts are always so simple you do wonder to yourself; "Why didn't I think of that?!"

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

1.   How much does it cost ?

2.   Where would you park it ?

3.    How would you take it with you --  to work, travelling, visiting people and places, shopping..

4.     Would it only be good for you if you're home and close to it ?


IF I were organising rescue and disaster relief teams, people using these pods would automatically go to the bottom of the list --  after all, they are both protected, and largely self-sufficient..

ALSO, Most of those areas suffering from tsunamis, earthquakes and cyclones are (a) relatively poor, and (b) heavily populated -- the very areas that can't really afford such technologies  !        


I RECKON that article has actually missed where the target markets are more likely to be..

Getting this on the tube would be fun lol

Having said that, as something bought for at home, it could be a life saver, espcially in places that do have a high risk of natural disasters.

Actually when you think about it, nature is our enemy, as its chaos and the saviour of life itself. An earthquake, a tornado, a tsunami, a volcano eruption etc and yet it sheilds us from the most harmful radiation from the sun. In the concept of good and evil, it would represent both.

Good invention though

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

1.   How much does it cost ?
2.   Where would you park it ?
3.    How would you take it with you --  to work, travelling, visiting people and places, shopping..
4.     Would it only be good for you if you're home and close to it ?
IF I were organising rescue and disaster relief teams, people using these pods would automatically go to the bottom of the list --  after all, they are both protected, and largely self-sufficient..
ALSO, Most of those areas suffering from tsunamis, earthquakes and cyclones are (a) relatively poor, and (b) heavily populated -- the very areas that can't really afford such technologies  !        
I RECKON that article has actually missed where the target markets are more likely to be..

Necessary guestions to be sure ...and as a feasible safe zone for school's - I just don't see the appliction; affordability VS number of humans per pod would place them out budget range for any schools - and they're not bullet proof so that restricts their use for even private use - and if a F-4 tornado is able to pick up and relocated heavy construction type equipment, this POD would pose no problem for those 80+ MPH winds - 130+ MPH winds. 
But the safe cave's designed to be buried in our back yards (tornado caves) have a hazard of becoming a pool and trapping those very same humans tat went in there to escape the tornado bearing down on them are now going to drown as the 'cave' is filling up with ground water from the numerous rains and debris has blocked their only men's of egress!    
But I'm sure some one will purchase these pods ...someone with loads of 

I wonder how it does against hard impacts and drops? That would be needed for it to work against tornadoes.

Ben Reilly wrote:I wonder how it does against hard impacts and drops? That would be needed for it to work against tornadoes.

Interesting point if the ball is thrown and carried at speed, as it will impact
So some tests would have to be carried out but again how based on such natural powerful events?
How would you replicate them?