Nanotech and Wireless Guard Against Earthquakes

Roland Piquepaille writes "Two separate efforts using technology to protect people from earthquakes have recently been in the news. At the University of Leeds, UK, researchers will use nanotechnology and RFID tags to build a 'self-healing' house in Greece. The house's walls will contain nanoparticles that turn into a liquid when squeezed under pressure, flow into cracks, and then harden to form a solid material. The walls will also host a network of wireless sensors and RFID tags that can alert the residents to an imminent earthquake. Meanwhile, another team at the Washington University in St. Louis is using a wireless sensor network to limit earthquake damages."

So, after an earthquake in Greece...

[Anonymous Coward]

People will have houses of strange bulging shapes with upper floor overhangs which are now glued into position and cannot be altered?

I welcome our new earthquake reigion overlords dwelling in surreal melting houses!

or:

1) build house
2) have earthquake
3) charge people $1.50 to view strange 'Leaning House of Athens'
4) ??
5) Profit!

The perfect position title...

[breadboy21]

"Shirley J. Dyke, Ph.D., the Edward C. Dicke Professor of Civil Engineering and director of the Washington University Structural Control and Earthquake Engineering Laboratory" http://news-info.wustl.edu/tips/page/normal/8961.h tml [wustl.edu]

Could make for interesting DIY

[ray-auch]

turn into a liquid when squeezed under pressure, flow into cracks, and then harden to form a solid material

I can see that being really helpful when you're trying to drill into the wall...

Sorry Miss

[Anonymous Coward]

your husband is stuck in the gone-to-liquid-back-to-solid walls of your house. But we'll get him out when we get an aftershock