Dubai students 3D-print cheap refugee homes
dubai — Five Dubai students hope to solve the Middle East’s refugee crisis by 3D printing inexpensive, interconnected cardboard housing for people displaced by war and disasters.
The students, collectively known as team ‘Pentagon’, have just been chosen among the winners of the Global Innovation Challenge, and in August will present their idea at a summit in Silicon Valley.
“Cardboard is everywhere but it’s often tossed to one side so we thought why not make homes out of them,” a team member told Khaleej Times, adding that the team plans to 3D-print a basic mould, before wrapping it in cardboard. “If you wrap the cardboard around the mould 27 times and coat it in linex, the structure can last about 100 years,” the team added.
According to team Pentagon, the moulds and the wrapping can be done in half an hour using mobile units, making it easily transportable to war zones or disaster-stricken areas.
kelly@khaleejtimes.com
dubai — Five Dubai students say they plan to solve the region’s refugee crisis through cardboard pieces. Using automated 3D printing, they have created an inexpensive, interconnected housing model for people displaced by conflict and natural disasters.
But for those of you a little sceptical, you should also know the boys — collectively known as team ‘Pentagon’ — have just been selected as one of the winners of the Global Innovation Challenge. In August, they will present their project at the Singularity University Global Summit in Silicon Valley, California.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Safwan Mohiuddin, Avinash Pulugurtha, Ivan Thomas, Saad Alam and Abaid Isaac (from Our Own English High School – Sharjah, Boys’ Branch), said their project aims to offer a sustainable solution to the refugee crisis by way of cardboard.
“Cardboard is everywhere but it’s often tossed to one side so we thought why not make homes out of them.”
Explaining the concept using a mini prototype, they said they plan to 3D print a basic mould “measuring 7 metres high and around 2.5 metres squared” before wrapping it in cardboard.
“If you wrap the cardboard around the mould 27 times and coat it in linex, the structure can last about 100 years.”
Although cardboard is biodegradable, over a period of 100 years only “four to five layers” will degrade, leaving the structure more than durable as a habitat.
Using 3D printed units, team ‘Pentagon’ said by operating from mobile units and not factories, they can print the moulds in one hour and wrap them in just 30 minutes — making it easily accessible and transferable in areas of conflict or disaster.
And with the UAE’s plans to welcome 30,000 refugees to the country, team ‘Pentagon’ have a message to the country’s leadership.
“Let us erect our sustainable housing units in the many deserted areas of Dubai. This would save on infrastructure costs to house these refugees and the turnaround time to erect the homes will be a lot quicker.”
Other winners
Two other teams from Gems schools took home the title of Global Innovation Challenge winners on Monday evening.
Solo innovator, 14-year-old Mohamed Haneen from The Millennium School Dubai will be joining team ‘Pentagon’ in Silicon Valley to showcase his product, the PowerShoe. A modified shoe that generates electricity by walking, it can charge your mobile phone in just 500 steps.
“I first got the idea when I was at the airport and the battery on my phone died. I was racing around looking for a power point, so thought, why not create a more convenient one for myself,” he told Khaleej Times.
And the all-female team from Gems Our Own English High School won recognition for their product, AL-ID — a system which instantly disables driving on detecting alcohol in the driver’s system.
kelly@khaleejtimes.com