Revolutionizing Disaster Response: The Tensegrity Sensor

Daniel Lim's Award-Winning Design Offers a New Approach to Emergency Management

Lim's design was inspired by tensegrity structures, a type of stiff beam coupled with many strings that generate tension and can sustain the impact of a collision. This concept was adapted to create a sensor that can be deployed from a height of over 50 meters without the need for additional equipment. The sensor can be dropped into disaster areas where humans are unable to approach, providing vital information to emergency response teams.

The Tensegrity Sensor's unique properties set it apart from other designs. It can be dropped from a drone into multiple locations, providing a range of data to response teams. This data includes auditory or visual alerts from survivors and information about gas leaks, allowing for a more focused response to prevent larger accidents. The sensor modules are made with SLA 3D printing and encase various wireless sensors, while commercial nylon threads provide the necessary tension for the structure.

Each sensor module measures 150 mm x 150 mm x 150 mm when deployed, and 150 mm x 150 mm x 60 mm when collapsed. The design project, which began in August 2021 in Seoul, Korea, and concluded in March 2022 in Berkeley, California, was led by Dr. Alice M. Agogino, with Brian Cera as the Director of controls engineering and Deniz Dogruer as the Director of operation.

The sensor modules are carried in a collapsed hexagonal box attached to a drone. When the drone approaches the point of interest, the bottom panel of the box opens, allowing the sensor module to be dropped. Upon impact with the ground, the module deploys into the fully tensioned tensegrity structure and begins collecting data for the response strategy.

The design is based on extensive research into the tensegrity structure's energy absorption qualities. The design team discovered that rapid response teams often lack the necessary data for their response plans, particularly in large-scale disasters like forest fires. The Tensegrity Sensor addresses this issue by providing a means to deploy multiple sensors to areas in need of sensory input.

The design faced several challenges, including finding the right materials for the string and assembling the module. These challenges were overcome by using a 3D printed jig to hold the component in place during assembly and using nylon threads to provide sturdiness and tension.

The Tensegrity Sensor was awarded Platinum in the A' Product Engineering and Technical Design Award in 2022. This prestigious award recognizes world-class, exceptional, and highly innovative designs that showcase unmatched professionalism, genius, and contribute to societal wellbeing. The award is a testament to the design's potential to revolutionize disaster response and make the world a safer place.