Latest By
Category:
Armor
Artificial
Intelligence
Biology
Clothing
Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Food
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual
Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work
 |
Comments on Shelter After Katrina
Readers wrote in suggesting that perhaps science fiction writers had some ideas that could be of practical use. (Read
the complete story)
| "You left out one important example, Buckley's Dymaxion House. Dymaxion is a compact luxury house constucted of aluminum and designed for low upkeep, energy efficiency, and to cost about as much as a luxury car - about $60 kUS." (Dave P. 9/14/2005 3:18:10 PM) |
| "Or, we can make like Soylent Green and eat them.
I bet Halliburton already has the plans drawn up." (CoMoFO 9/16/2005 5:43:26 PM) |
| "How about a geodesic dome?" (Bucky 9/16/2005 6:42:30 PM) |
| "What about instant shelters(just add water)?http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,66872,00.html" (Dalillama 9/16/2005 8:15:58 PM) |
| "What about old mobile homes? After folks move back to NOLA, we don't have to worry about removing them. When the next hurricane hits it will get rid of them for free." (Jackie Hutsberger 9/16/2005 8:22:38 PM) |
"Thanks to the reader who wrote in about the 'building in a bag' (aka Inflatable Concrete). I had forgotten about that story (see comment below). Here's a picture of the basic idea:
 (Bill 9/16/2005 8:47:03 PM) |
| "Four words: Cajun Flavored Soylent Green." (DGarnett 9/16/2005 8:56:29 PM) |
| "That's a very creepy suggestion. I'm kind of wondering, though; after 911, rescue workers brought out bodies as they searched for survivors. It's been two weeks, and still the work to find bodies is slow. Do they think that gators will take care of the evidence?" (Bill 9/16/2005 9:00:45 PM) |
| "One argument against using places that are too temporary - its been reported that as many as one third of the residents of New Orleans do not plan to return." ( 9/17/2005 5:26:02 AM) |
| "What a shame that you can no longer order a house kit from the Sears catalog. http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0612/p11s02-lihc.html" (ilsa 9/17/2005 4:01:28 PM) |
| "This is dumb. Why not just move out of the below sea level areas and expand north so then the star wars houses can stay in hollywood and people can move on, these people have been through enough to not need to have some experimental houses thrown at them." (Jordan 9/18/2005 8:28:13 AM) |
| "this one i like it is a good idea but you might want to think about solar energy for after or during a cyclone" (bob diaz 9/20/2005 9:20:23 PM) |
| "What about a tent-hut with stiff enough walls to support 50centimeters sand or gravel layer 3 meters high, and textile roof.
------------------------------
There are HESCO barriers and sandbaggings too. Sand insulates heat and sound. The stiff substance that holds the sand in wall shape could be plastic, wood or iron, or some combination.
And what about vacuum insulation with honeycombed walls and roof." (leviret 9/23/2005 9:00:27 PM) |
| "I think housing in areas prone to high winds and/or flooding should resemble an 'escape pod' similar to those on oil rigs, or in "The Spy Who Loved Me":
http://www.lantecgear.com/images/winch_escape_pod.jpg
Like a Futuro House, only water-tight.
http://www.futurohouse.com
http://www.futuro-house.net/
http://home.wanadoo.nl/imagineer/mags/mag10.htm
http://www.popfiction.com/SF2003/city/" (cljohnston108 9/24/2005 8:52:56 AM) |
| "Monolithic Domes (tm) does the inflatable vinyl dome thing, then sprays foam shell, resulting in sheltered workspace to assemble rebar support structure which is then covered with sprayed concrete.
Resulting structure will withstand winds up to 250 MPH.. the outer foam layer is excellent insulation.. low cost per sq. ft., and relatively fast construction time.. " (Drammach 5/22/2006 3:03:38 AM) |
| "I was looking at the articl on the Bigelow Inflatable Space station they were testing and after the earth quakes in India and Jakara that left people living in the streets. Maybe the material could be used to create temprary shelter for people. The main cause of death after events like this is exposure to the elements. They could easly be inflated and fastened together in groups to provide shelter" (Thomas Harsley 7/20/2006 12:47:32 PM) |
| "Cute ideas I like green, the serious ideas also good. I say turn it into Venice of Southern North America. Dredge, fill & wall, waterfront property values & a lot safer. Over time just repeat. Venice has done it for hundreds of years. Best way I think, I would do that if I lived there. Or a giant marina with barge houses, house boats, any kind of boat. Truly the only way to live in sinking marsh & swamp land. Thanks" (Mike Walther, Wash., D.C. 12/25/2007 2:09:32 AM) |
Get more information on Shelter After Katrina
Leave a comment:
Please send your comments to @technovelgy and I'll post them. Thanks!
More Articles
Prairie Madness - And Space Sickness
'Space-sickness is one of the most unpleasant sensations that a human being can experience. Not all are subject to it...'
Can Stratospheric Aerosol Injection Control The Weather?
'...I saw a nice black heavy-looking cloud sailing by just now, and I can get the electrical machine out in five minutes to draw it down.'
SETI Suggests Prospecting The Solar System Without Landing
'From a distance it could resolve the cosmic rays reflected from various substances.'
Wolfram Alpha Mathematica Predicted by Science Fiction in 1948!
'The answer to the dumb student's prayer.'
Cislunar Space And The Space Lanes of Golden Age Science Fiction
'He had travelled the space-lanes of the solar system for the greater part of his life...'
NASA Moonbase Update
'The dinner was excellent. It was completely vegetarian — grown in specially prepared gardens in this Moon base...'
Neuralink Will Allow Humans To Communicate With ... Animals?
'Telepaths had their sensitiveness enlarged to an immense range by the pin-sets, which were telepathic amplifiers adapted to the mammal mind.'
Special Lights For Driverless Cars!
'That light is actually the Anamorphic Equalizer...'
'Old People Began to Cross The Continent In Their Own Cars'
'It was a relief to enter one of the comfortable autos, whisper a direction down the tube, and just know that you would be taken to your destination in the quickest, safest, and cheapest manner.'
Harrison Bergeron, Illustrated And Practiced
'But he didn't get very far with it before another noise in his ear radio scattered his thoughts. George winced...'
Starfall Manufacturing Drugs In Space
'The vast spinning sphere of Factory in the Sky loomed above and ahead of us, gleaming white against the unfathomable jet depths of surrounding space.'
The Solar Oberth Slingshot
'And if it doesn’t work,' inquired Lazarus, 'what does that make us? Sunspots?'
'Maybe The Woman Of Your Life Is Still Under Production'
'The Dillard people had performed a miracle and put all the works in a girl-modeled case.'
'If Anyone Is Watching Earth...'
'Our study of your race has convinced us that you are not fitted to leave your planet in the present state of your civilization.'
Epirus High-Power Microwave Defeats Drones
'...the spreading beam of the deranging ray struck them, and Then one toppled and fell. Then another.'
Cloud Of Space Rubbish From China's Long March Rocket
'Within seconds the material was spread out over fifty yards, in a matter of hours it might occupy several cubic miles of space...'
Biomimetic Tendons From Rochu Robotics
'... the curious parallelism to animal motions.'
Living Human Neuron Biological Compute Rack
'The men are dead, but their acquired wisdom lives on and I am the beneficiary.'
Martha Stewart Approves Ojai 'Living Room On Wheels'
'Young people found the driverless car admirable for petting.'
ESA's Draco To Study Heat Of Reentry
'...a synthetic which air-friction would erode.'
