Invented by Wang Wenxi from China, the bed transforms into a tiny survival chamber when it senses an impending earthquake
Invented by Wang Wenxi from China, the bed transforms into a tiny survival chamber when it senses an impending earthquake
What’s scarier — being thrown from your bed in the middle of the night by the rumblings of a massive earthquake Or waking up buried alive in a steel coffin Clearly both options are terrifying, but if you find the first more frightening, Wang Wenxi’s earthquake-proof bed might be just the thing for you.
The Chinese inventor has released a concept video showcasing several bed designs, each of which automatically transforms into a tiny survival chamber when it senses an impending earthquake. The most stripped down version features a mattress atop a metal box. When the ground begins to shake, the top of the box pops open, and the mattress — and sleeper — fall right in.
The more elaborate versions, meanwhile, look a little like canopied beds, with a roof that can slide down to create a tiny, sealed off chamber. It’s unclear whether Wenxi has actually constructed any of these beds. The concept video shows animated mock-ups, not real-life prototypes. But it’s clear these earthquake chambers are built for a true disaster scenario rather than for comfort.
While they come with a bit of storage space for food and water, the idea of being trapped under rubble in a tiny steel box still seems pretty terrifying. Wenxi’s design is certainly creative, though whether the beds could be of use in actual earthquake-prone zones remains to be seen.
