Watching footage of the 2011 Japanese tsunami inspired Matt Duncan's design.
Posted 09.19.2012 at 9:00 am
10 Comments
Safety Capsule
Matt Duncan with his four-man Tsunami Survival Pod.
Gold Coast Bulletin
Australian business owner Matt Duncan usually builds steel-hulled houseboats, but he was so affected by last year's devastating tsunami in Japan that he's turned his focus to seaworthy survival craft. His bright orange Tsunami Survival Pod can accommodate four people for two and a half hours.
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DIY, Rebecca Boyle, australian inventor, capsule, escape pods, japanese tsunami, survival gear, TsunamiWithin a few days, he'd designed this safety pod, using the spiral-welded steel he uses for his houseboats. It has crumple zones to absorb impacts; racing-style seats and five-point safety harnesses for four passengers; a flashing beacon to alert rescuers; and hooks for helicopters to grab and lift it to safety. It even has one-inch-thick polycarbonate windows so you don't feel claustrophobic.
He said the pods will retail for $8,500 in Australian dollars, or about $8,872 USD, and they can fit in an average garage. A tsunami usually comes with at least some warning, so someone could conceivably wheel it out and hop in before the water rises. Check out some more images of it here.
[via News.com.au]
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2hrs survival time seems kinda low IMO. Maybe if he jammed an inflatable life raft in there as well so when your time is us you can pop the raft out and get on.
It would seem to me that during a Tsunami one of two things is going to happen.
A) washed out to sea/ocean
B) buried in or under rubble
In the case of (A) I would personally like an option that doesn't involve me running out of air in a tin can.
Too many variables with this device that it may compound hazards during a Tsunami. Id rather be above when the wave hits. Test it on Niagra Falls first.
I agree with Xionanx. This isn't a foolproof plan.
I like a body harness with a helium balloon attachment, micro value adjustment for my later descent, when the tsunami finally passes.
He was beat, it was previously done by deep earth bunkers. There was an episode on discovery.
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/other-shows/videos/doomsday-bunkers-tsunami-pod.htm
http://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Bonk!_Atomic_Punch
They know!
___________________________________________
We progress only at the rate of the slowest
How about buried 20' under and how would they find you?
For $8900, I can put a boat on my roof...
I do like the helium ballon idea, how much helium would you need to lift a 200lb man 100ft in the air for a duration of 20 mins? Can it be deployed rapidly? Interesting.
ok, so it's a prototype. Modifications soon to come.