[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/6417\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EInflatable, self-sustaining and extendable \u2013 the new breed of emergency shelter \u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen disaster strikes and people scramble to safety or search for loved ones, they may not immediately notice a lack of power. But as night closes in they can soon struggle to find shelter, prepare food and call relatives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThanks to a host of new materials and technologies, however, emergency facilities are getting smarter \u2013 and they don\u2019t have to be hooked up to the electricity grid to do so.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETake the self-sustaining, inflatable shelter with integrated solar panels designed by the EU-funded uLites project. Normally, inflatable shelters require a power source to maintain their shape and ensure they do not deflate over time. The integrated solar panels on the uLites shelter provide this energy, meaning they can be deployed in areas that are completely cut off.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe shelters are composed of a series of airtight inflatable tubes that can be folded for easy transport, as well as a separate sheet of solar panels, one for each tube, that are fastened to the shelter via rope.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018When you fold the shelter it occupies very little space, so you can bring it inside a truck or inside a plane or helicopter if it\u2019s necessary to reach difficult areas,\u2019 said Carles Estruch, head of research and development at Spanish company Buildair, who coordinated the project.\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe shelter is built by extending the tubes on the ground and allowing them to inflate into their natural arced shape, which usually takes about 30 minutes. The solar cells, which are embedded onto a flexible textile, are then raised onto the shelter.\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-bg-bluelightest tw-p-12 tw-my-12 tw--mx-16\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\u0022tw-font-sans tw-font-bold tw-text-blue tw-uppercase tw-text-lg tw-mb-8\u0022\u003EThe Issue\u003C\/h3\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-inline-block tw-w-1\/6 tw-h-1 tw-bg-blue tw-mb-8\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EThe EU\u2019s External Action Service has multiple procedures for emergency response, including a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/eeas.europa.eu\/crisis-response\/what-we-do\/eu-situation-room\/index_en.htm\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u2018Situation Room\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019 which continuously monitors for humanitarian disasters around the world 24 hours a day.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe EU is the highest donor of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/echo\/what\/humanitarian-aid_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehumanitarian aid\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in the world with almost EUR 1 billion aiding some 120 million people annually. Around 19\u0026nbsp;% of this funding went to providing shelter in disaster areas in 2013.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnder the Horizon 2020 funding programme the EU supports projects that are working to \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/programmes\/horizon2020\/en\/h2020-section\/secure-societies-%E2%80%93-protecting-freedom-and-security-europe-and-its-citizens\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ekeep people secure\u003C\/a\u003E, including\u0026nbsp;in the face of natural and man-made disasters.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe uLites project focused on making their tubes as airtight as possible to reduce the energy needed to keep them inflated and ensure they could rely on solar power.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018By measuring this correctly, we could charge a battery with the energy of these cells,\u2019 said Estruch. \u2018This battery stores the energy to be used when the pressure of the structure goes below a threshold.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat\u2019s more, each tube is designed so that the shelter can be extended. \u2018If you need more length, you add more,\u2019 said Estruch. \u2018And they are independent so you can bring as many tubes as you need.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother project, called S(P)EEDKITS, created a backpack kit that can be given to victims by aid workers and includes a quickly deployable shelter, known as Clever Roof. This can not only be assembled in different configurations depending on the terrain, but can further be equipped with a solar panel with a USB socket and a magnetic connection so that it can be attached to the outside of the shelter.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The main reason for that is that nowadays \u2013 even if you have let\u2019s say relatively poor countries \u2013 most of the people do have some electronic devices, typically a mobile phone, and so it\u2019s very important afterwards that people can communicate,\u2019 said Guy Buyle, the project\u2019s coordinator.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Of course it depends a lot on the climate, but in principle if you have it the whole day on the tent you should have more than enough energy for a couple of hours LED light or to charge your phone.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cfigure role=\u0022group\u0022 class=\u0022@aligncenter@\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cimg alt=\u0022The solar panel that can be attached to the outside of the Clever Roof shelter allows people to power an LED light or charge a mobile phone. Image courtesy of S(P)EEDKITS\u0022 height=\u0022454\u0022 src=\u0022\/research-and-innovation\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/shelter_socket_picture_large.jpg\u0022 title=\u0022The solar panel that can be attached to the outside of the Clever Roof shelter allows people to power an LED light or charge a mobile phone. Image courtesy of S(P)EEDKITS\u0022 width=\u0022799\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022tw-italic tw-mb-4\u0022\u003EThe solar panel that can be attached to the outside of the Clever Roof shelter allows people to power an LED light or charge a mobile phone. Image courtesy of S(P)EEDKITS\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe recently completed project, based at Belgium\u2019s Centexbel research centre, worked to find new ways to deliver faster and longer-lasting resources.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018There is a big need to get a lot of material in a short time to the place of emergency,\u2019 said Buyle. \u2018We have two important boundary conditions, the speed and the seed.\u2019 This means that not only should supplies be able to get to an affected area as quickly as possible, but they should also be useful for a longer term than just the days following a disaster.\u003Cspan style=\u0022font-size: 13.008px; line-height: 20.0063px;\u0022\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u2018There is a big need to get a lot of material in a short time to the place of emergency.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EGuy Buyle, Centexbel, Belgium\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team has also developed a premade biogas bag that can turn waste or manure into biogas. Microbial digesters within the bag use this waste to produce a gas that can then be safely used by people, for example to cook food.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey also designed a shipping container specially fitted with medical equipment and called the Hospitainer that can be used for maternity care or even for performing surgeries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor the increased energy demand, the containers rely on generators, though a small amount also comes from solar cells. The containers can also be joined together to make larger medical centres if needed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter collaborating with international organisations such as M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res and the Netherlands Red Cross, the team has seen their kits deployed in Senegal, while the Hospitainers have also recently been sent to Sudan and Syria.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-1hvqokxuwurmhn8p2optefaglzdresdhnsu6zbukg-0\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-1hvqOkXuwURMHn8P2oPtefagLzDREsdhnSu6zBUKg-0\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]