Japan Creates Levitating, Earthquake-Proof Housing

Typically, I will try not to link to such popular sites where just anyone can read about hot topics but this is just way too cool to keep to myself. You have to see this.

Never before has "anti-gravity" been used in such an innovative way.

Japan Creates Levitating, Earthquake-Proof Housing

What others purposes could such an idea as this be utilized for?

Amazing.. great demo, I would love to see the demo with a house and see if that works as good

Not too useful if a tsunami follows the earthquake.

reply to post by Trueman


There are plenty of places in the world that earthquakes happen where tsunamis that aren't even possible. And not all of Japan gets hit by the tsunami, only coastal regions.

Lol the video in the link gave me a good laugh. That older fellow went for a ride haha.


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Originally posted by strafgod
Lol the video in the link gave me a good laugh. That older fellow went for a ride haha.

He's gonna have one really raw butt when he gets up! He looks so stiff at the end.
You can just barely make out a little whimper right after the ride stops.

If its levitate on air pillow then it cud levitate also on water like a hovercraft .

So, what happens if there is more than 1.8 centimetres of vertical movement?
Still, an interesting, if somewhat expensive, concept.

Originally posted by aorAki
So, what happens if there is more than 1.8 centimetres of vertical movement?

The cushion of forced air separates the house from the foundation. If the foundation moves up or down, the cushion still exists.

The building I'm in right now has a similar idea in the construction - the building isn't physically attached to the foundation. It sits in a steel channel that runs around the top of the foundation, and rests on what are basically ball-bearings. It reduces the shaking substantially.

That seems all well and good until the shaking intensity exceeds gravity...

That is a frightening experience!

It will need a lot of electricity which is a bit uncomfortable when power grid the first what is off.
Still good idea. Japanese are not silly though so they should have a solution.

Actually:



ADVANCED SEISMIC BASE ISOLATION METHODS FOR MODULAR REACTORS

Our ivory tower eggheads are already considering something similar for Gen IV nuclear reactors:

Advanced technologies for structural design and construction have the potential for major impact not only on nuclear power plant construction time and cost, but also on the design process and on the safety, security and reliability of next generation of nuclear power plants.

It's called seismic isolation and there are several methods it can be achieved. The methods discussed in the study I linked include sheer pad that allow for side to side motion used in conjunction wih springs to engage the up and down shaking.

This is all still in the design stages, but does illustrate that the issue is being addressed.

It's air hockey technology, nice attempt but I would not trust my house to an air hockey table.

Originally posted by Razimus
It's air hockey technology, nice attempt but I would not trust my house to an air hockey table.

Oh, I don't know about that. I actually think it could be quite fun. Every weekend the community gets together for life-sized games. You wouldn't even have to get off of the couch. Attach some bottle rockets on the sides... Good times!