After catastrophic wildfires in southern California late last year, the Israeli start-up Watergen sent in devices that pull clean water out of the atmosphere for firefighters and relief workers.
The machines, which have been deployed in other global disaster areas, were among the technologies on display at the CES gadget show to highlight innovations that can be used in various kinds of relief efforts.
“We clean the air, because it’s much easier to clean air than it is to clean water,” said Watergen USA president Yehuda Kaploun, who was demonstrating the device at the annual Las Vegas extravaganza, which ended on Friday after showcasing futuristic innovations.
Photo: AFP
‘TECH FOR GOOD’
Watergen claims that its technology — offered in a commercial-size Gen-350 and a consumer version known as Genny — has many applications for emergency response and helping the many millions who lack potable water.
The exhibits showcased a broad array of “tech for good” services that use robotics, drones, artificial intelligence and the like.
The show’s “Resilience Marketplace” included technology assisting with emergency preparedness and response, and panel discussions at the event also addressed these issues.
AIDING RESILIENCE
CES this year also included a conference panel on how technology can help “create more resilient communities” by tackling problems including poverty, health, education and sustainability.
“Disaster recovery and public safety is an area in the drone industry experiencing exponential growth with a multitude of real-world applications,” said Ben Marcus, chairman of AirMap, which allows operators to manage drones for emergency response.
“When used for public safety, drones are cheaper, faster and more effective at keeping people out of harm’s way,” Marcus said.
TAIWAN’S UUPSAFETY
Taiwan-based start-up Uupsafety won a CES award for its technology that monitors firefighters with smart wearables that connect to command centers.
Japanese automaker Honda showed its prototype autonomous work vehicle that could be used in a variety of situations including search and rescue, firefighting and snow removal.
“We’ve been testing [the vehicle] in real-world scenarios to demonstrate the value and capabilities of this unique machine,” Honda executive Pete Wendt said.
Honda said it has tested the vehicle in Colorado wildfires, relieving the physical strain of firefighters carrying supplies and water, and using a mode that allowed it to autonomously follow the crews.
ULTIMATE MOBILITY
South Korea’s Hyundai went a step further, unveiling a vehicle with robotic legs to let it walk or crawl over treacherous terrain.
Hyundai billed its Elevate as an unprecedented “Ultimate Mobility Vehicle” that combines technology from electric cars with robotics.
“What if a car designed with robotics could save lives in disasters?” said Hyundai executive John Suh, who heads the company’s Cradle arm devoted to innovation.
The concept vehicle can drive at highway speeds with the legs retracted, but if needed, can climb over a 1.5m wall, in what the automaker called “a new paradigm of mobility.”
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