Technologies
While Japan is struggling to recover from the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit exactly one year ago, one company has developed a new method to protect homes from strong shaking as a result earthquakes, providing homes with giant airbags that will allow them to “swim” during fluctuations.
The technology has already been implemented all over Japan, or to be more precise, in 88 homes. The method developed by Air Danshin Systems Inc. is radically different from commonly used shock absorbers and seismic isolation systems. When an earthquake strikes, this activates the sensor at the base of the house, and as the pressure increases, the house rises 3 cm and shakes gently, being protected from the tremors below. Home owners can also balance the house by using an internal air valve. When the shaking gradually decreases, the house returns to its previous state.
So far, the system has been used in 88 homes across the country, but it is also going to be used for larger structures, including government buildings, high-rise office buildings and statues.
In addition, the company emphasizes that their invention is a less expensive alternative to earthquake protection. On average, the cost of such a device is only one third of the cost of other systems and requires minimal maintenance.