Following the tragic Air India disaster, engineers have unveiled a peculiar AI prototype designed to create a ‘crash-proof’ plane.
On June 12, Air India Flight 171 took off from Ahmedabad Airport, heading to London, but crashed into a medical building shortly after takeoff, about 30 seconds into the flight.
This unfortunate event resulted in the loss of 241 passengers and crew members, along with several casualties on the ground.
Remarkably, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British man, emerged as the sole survivor, seated in 11A during the catastrophic event.
Investigations revealed that both switches responsible for supplying fuel to the engines were inadvertently turned off, leading the aircraft to lose altitude.
In response, engineers have developed an unconventional yet seemingly life-saving concept aimed at preventing such disasters in the future.
This new concept combines artificial intelligence with a familiar safety mechanism seen in vehicles: airbags.
Unlike traditional airbags, these are designed to deploy externally, encasing the plane to mitigate crash impacts, triggered by advanced AI systems.
The proposed design, featuring external airbags, might appear unusual, but the project, named Project REBIRTH, is a finalist for the esteemed James Dyson Award, honoring inventions with transformative potential.
“Project REBIRTH is an AI-powered crash survival system using airbags, smart fluids, and reverse thrust to reduce impact and save lives when all else fails,” the description reads. “Born from tragedy, built with purpose.”
The system relies on five smart technologies to anticipate potential crashes.
According to the creators, AI monitors crucial flight parameters such as altitude, speed, engine functionality, direction, fire, and pilot response. If a crash becomes imminent below 3,000 feet, the system activates airbags in under two seconds, cushioning key areas of the plane.
These airbags form a protective cocoon around the fuselage, which the designers believe could transform ‘fatal crashes into survivable landings’ by absorbing most impact force.
Should the aircraft start to fall, the system is designed to slow its descent and, in the event of engine failure, deploys gas thrusters to decrease speed.
These features are expected to stabilize the plane by eight to 20 percent.
To minimize injury, the aircraft incorporates ‘non-newtonian fluids’ in its seating and walls that adapt their hardness upon impact.
Post-crash, the plane transforms into a ‘bright orange shell’ for easy location, equipped with GPS, infrared beacons, and illuminated exits.
Eshel Wasim and Dharsan Srinivasan, hailing from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Dubai, UAE, were driven by the Air India flight tragedy to innovate this design.
“Project REBIRTH was born not in a lab, but from a moment of heartbreak,” they expressed, recalling the haunting feeling of ‘helplessness.’
If their project secures the award on November 5, they stand to receive over $40,000, paving the way to establish their business and realize their innovative vision.