Solar Kiosk
The world’s first solar powered kiosk is helping developing nations to develop renewable energy while growing sustainable small business. This solar powered kiosk, designed by GRAFT Architects of Germany, opened in Lake Langano, Ethiopia. The small store provides local residents access to goods and offers power for battery charging. The kiosk has photovoltaic panels on […]
Liter of Light
The project, Liter of Light offers a sustainable alternative to kerosene lamps traditionally used in homes in developing nations. Kerosene lamps are dangerous and they emit toxic gases and large amounts of CO2. MIT student Alfredo Moser, envisioned an alternative lighting system made of recycled plastic water bottles, functioning as solar lamps. Illac Diaz, a […]
Blizzard Survival made easy
The company, Blizzard Survival has redesigned the emergency blanket adding a new honeycomb-like structure that reflects and traps heat, in order to keep the user warm. This technology is called Reflexcell. Reflexcell products offer protection from blizzards, avalanche and in any cold-climate during both emergency and non-emergency situations. Reflexcell blankets and products are made of […]
Rescue with The Ruins Catheter
The Ruins Catheter, designed by Idan Raizberg, is a device made to rescue people from collapsed buildings or debris. The rescue device could be used after earthquake or in response to any collapse. The design is inspired by a medical balloon catheter, used to expand arteries. “At the start of the project, I outlined for […]
GiraDora – self-powered washing
The Art Center College of Design’s social impact design department, Designmatters, with the Environmental Design department, led a special educational studio called, Safe Agua Peru with the aim to create designs that help to relieve water poverty. The project efforts were focused on the area of, Cerro Verde, a 30,000-person slum [asentamientos] in Lima, Peru. […]
Earthquake-Proof Table for schools
It is common to teach schoolchildren to take refuge under their desks in the event of an earthquake. However, these structures are not always been designed with the task of protection in mind. The Earthquake-Proof Table is specially designed to function both as a normal school desk and as protective shelter during an earthquake. The […]
BioLite provides warmth and power
There are many things that an individual or a community needs during the aftermath of disaster. Two essential needs are a way to heat water and food and a way to communicate with the outside world. The BioLite stove offers a way to meet both of these needs. BioLite works as both a stove and […]
AirBurr stumbles – but is unstoppable
Robots capable of flight in cramped and cluttered environments have many advantages over their ground-based counterparts, but most current systems suffer from the same fundamental problem: any contact with obstacles has catastrophic, mission-ending results. What if instead of avoiding collisions, a flying robot can become robust to them, and even take advantage of contact with […]
iOS 6 rings on emergency
In compliance with a National Alerting Program Apple devices running iOS 6 will be able to receive U.S. government alerts during an emergency or disaster. “Government Alerts” will be a part of the iOS 6 operating system, which means that Wireless Emergency Alerts can be provided to Apple mobile device users. Author Rick Wimberley said Apple’s adoption […]
OpenRelief
OpenRelief is a project to design open, modular, information solutions for disaster relief. OpenRelief was inspired by difficulties encountered by the founders, when trying to map the Tohoku disaster area in Japan during March 2011. It was hard to see through the “fog” of disaster, so we decided to create tools to clear the fog. OpenRelief was […]
