Across the globe, island nations are impacted disproportionately by natural disasters, limiting their access to emergency aid. While access to aid is still possible, it is limited by the damage to infrastructure, such as shipyards and airports. The critical response window for natural disaster response lasts only 48 hours and according to the World Health Organization (WHO), search and rescue success rate drops to 40%, higher risk of disease spread, and higher chance of long-term PTSD. While this issue exists globally, this project seeks to focus on six key areas especially prone to aid limitations: Indonesia, Papa New Guinea, Taiwan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Haiti. There are no current solutions to bring immediate aid to those in need, and as such the team has worked to develop a unique solution with the insights and statistics provided by Paul Knudsen and the sponsors. Once implemented, UAMs will drastically reduce the impact of delayed aid response following natural disasters by providing critical aid materials within the first 24-48 hours after a natural disaster strike.
Offshore Underwater Aid Modules (UAMs) are proposed solutions to alleviate the effects of natural disasters on island nations. The team will develop a capsule to protect all housed aid materials from the underwater environment, including salt water, pressure, temperature, and biological growth. It must be built from corrosion-resistant materials and allow for simple integration with the anchoring system. Due to the location of the device, it must stay fixed to the bottom of the ocean, between 100 and 200 meters below sea level, for a minimum of three (3) years. The volume of the device, including the thickness of the exterior shell, needs to be 2.1 cubic meters. Upon release from the anchoring system, the capsule must rise toward the surface rapidly and safely, and once it reaches the shore, the emergency supplies must be easy to access via an accessible hatch. Overall, the design must be durable, buoyant and accessible to ensure the capsule performs well under the required conditions.