The Tsunami Survival Capsule Can Take a Beating
OutdoorHub Reporters 01.23.13
Washington-based company Survival Capsule LLC began rough testing of their signature product this week in cooperation with Systima Technologies. After two powerful tsunamis in the last decade and the failure of ocean barriers, companies like Survival Capsule are looking for a more individual approach. What they came up with was a spherical pod meant to seat 5-6 passengers and protect them from the violent passage of a tsunami. A novel idea, but can the capsule survive the brutal assault of 70-foot high waves, free-flowing debris, and abandoned cars?
That is what Systima Technologies, a product testing firm, intends to find out. According to King 5 News, the capsule was tested with methods used to simulate real world occurrences, such as using a forklift to drop the 300-pound sphere onto a telephone pole. Technicians also tried to penetrate the 1/4-inch thick aluminum shell with rebar, and burned it to test the capsule’s resistance to fire. The survival capsule held up admirably under the rough conditions, which is good news since the company is generating interest overseas. Toho Mercantile of Japan is looking to sell the product in the East Asian market, especially in its home country after lingering concerns remain following the 2011 tsunami.
Survival Capsule will make an appearance at the annual Technology Against Earthquakes Expo in Kanagawa, Japan later this year. The capsules are expected to retail for around $7,000. Learn more in the video from KING 5 below.
