Technology often accompanies the essential needs of life, and this “floating house” model by Japanese engineers is no exception.
Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan experiences some of the highest frequencies of significant earthquakes in the world, leading to unpredictable damage to infrastructure and loss of life.
From past disasters, scientists and engineers from the “Land of the Rising Sun” have dedicated decades to researching earthquake-resistant house technologies. Their primary goal is to protect the lives of Japanese citizens and, subsequently, their homes and infrastructure. Among these innovations is the “floating house” technology developed by Air Danshin.
Illustration of earthquake-resistant floating house.
This product is the brainchild of inventor Shoichi Sakamoto, who envisioned a design that would “lift” the entire house during an earthquake. To realize this idea, engineers at Air Danshin constructed a house with a foundation made of earthquake-resistant concrete, while the upper structure is not entirely “fixed” to this foundation. A system of airbags and compressors is installed between the main house and the foundation. High-sensitivity vibration sensors surround the house to detect geological changes before an earthquake.
Upon detecting an earthquake, the sensors will activate the compressors, inflating the airbags beneath the house and causing it to “float”, quite literally. Once this process is complete, the entire structure will be elevated approximately 3-4 cm off the ground, according to a representative from Air Danshin.
The main house is not “fixed” to the foundation.
Not stopping at theoretical research, this Japanese company conducted an experiment on a real house model placed on an earthquake simulator. The test house contained volunteers, some furniture, and even a few glasses of wine. At the end of the experiment, the volunteers reported that they could not perceive any shaking throughout the “earthquake”; remarkably, not a single drop of wine was spilled.
After inflation, the house will be approximately 3-4 cm off the ground.
However, this technology is still in the experimental stage for minor earthquakes and will need further improvements to withstand more intense vibrations. Nevertheless, this innovation highlights how technology is making our lives easier and safer.
