This article was taken from the August 2014 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by <span class="s1">subscribing online.
The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and resulting tsunami wasn't Japan's first -- and it won't be its last. The wave killed thousands living along Japan's coast, so a team of aircraft engineers has designed the Survival Capsule -- a floating tsunami survival shelter in which to ride out a giant wave and endure its aftermath.
Seattle-based Julian Sharpe, a former Boeing engineer who runs aerospace engineering firm IDEA, collaborated with tsunami experts, including Eddie Bernard of the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory. "You combine those worlds and this is the baby you get," says Sharpe, a British expat.
Conceived in 2010, development was accelerated following the 2011 tsunami. The first capsules have now shipped -- a basic model costs around $18,000 (£11,000).
Each capsule is essentially a floating metal sphere, tethered to the ground and fitted with secure seating, air tanks and storage space. Models range from 1.3m to 2.4m in diameter: "You jump inside, strap yourself in, and wait for the wave," says Sharpe, 52.
An aircraft-grade aluminium outer shell ensures the occupants are protected from impacts, penetration, crushing and drowning.
With its low centre of gravity, the capsule remains upright and stable when afloat, and a ceramic blanket wall insulates passengers from intense heat -- fires are common in a tsunami's aftermath. If the basic package is still lacking -- and let's face it, you might be waiting a while to be rescued -- optional extras include a toilet and solar panelling. "We've also put an iPod dock in there," says Sharpe. "You can play Mozart during the worst of it." Sounds like a ball.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
