2019
12 Weeks
Solo Project
12 Weeks
Solo Project
Rather than panic, majority of deaths in building fires are a result of hesitation; people often dismiss emergency messages as false alarms. Safety is hence compromised. While counter intuitive, fear is a natural and powerful defence mechanism that keeps us safe from dangers. Hence, how might we increase the chances of human survival in structure fires by using contextual tension and discomfort to trigger flight and facilitate path finding?
Leveraging Tension & Discomfort
Echo modules complement and reinforce messages broadcasted by existing alarm systems and are triggered after the building’s incident manager has confirmed an actual fire outbreak. When deployed, an inflatable balloon within each module rapidly expands as air is pushed through a connected air pump system. The tension and discomfort associated with the imminent balloon pop innately motivate people to move, a critical, first step to safety.
Guiding People To Safety
Echo modules can also be fitted along corridors to facilitate path finding by blocking and redirecting people away from escape routes that are either overcrowded or lost to fire. In these situations, modules are activated by temperature and proximity sensors instead.
Scaled down working prototype.
Finding The Right Motivation
3 ideas were shortlisted from a pool of ideas for experimentation.
Bubbles
To emulate how smoke engulfs spaces, bubbles were intentionally released to saturate a room and cause physical discomfort, motivating evacuation.
To emulate how smoke engulfs spaces, bubbles were intentionally released to saturate a room and cause physical discomfort, motivating evacuation.
Ribbons
Inspired by deployment of oxygen masks on planes, informative ribbons drop down from the ceiling during an evacuation. The ribbon activation offers an element of surprise too.
Inspired by deployment of oxygen masks on planes, informative ribbons drop down from the ceiling during an evacuation. The ribbon activation offers an element of surprise too.
Balloons
A rapidly inflating balloon threatens to pop, inciting tension and discomfort which triggers occupants to evacuate promptly.
A rapidly inflating balloon threatens to pop, inciting tension and discomfort which triggers occupants to evacuate promptly.
Special Thanks
Dr. Steve Gwynne
Pedestrian Dynamics, Human Behaviour in Fire and Evacuation Modelling
Movement Strategies
Pedestrian Dynamics, Human Behaviour in Fire and Evacuation Modelling
Movement Strategies
Dr. Natalie Van Der Wal
Centre for Decision Research
Leeds University Business School
Centre for Decision Research
Leeds University Business School
Prof. Guillermo Rein
Fire Science at the Department of Mechanical Engineering
Imperial College London
Fire Science at the Department of Mechanical Engineering
Imperial College London
Dr. Enrico Ronchi
Division of Fire Safety Engineering
Lund University, Sweden
Division of Fire Safety Engineering
Lund University, Sweden