ARV

10 Weeks | Fall, 2023

Credits

ARV is an airship concept centered around supporting a 6 person team with the intent of analyzing disaster data on the fly.

Special thanks to the designers at TEAGUE for their guidance and feedback.

Airship Research Vessel

Time

Professor - Jason Morris Design - Madi Fassioto Design - Keith Forsyth Design - Elise Batten

Design By

Madi Fassiotto

Primary Focus: VR Concept Testing | Illustration

Secondary Focus: Research | Visualizations

Keith Forsyth

Primary Focus: Research | Spatial Design

Secondary Focus: Rhino Modeling | VR Visualization

Ray McVicker

Primary Focus: Collaboration | Visualizations

Secondary Focus: Synthesis | Illustration | CAD

Elise Batten

Primary Focus: CMF

Secondary Focus: Visualization | User Synthesis

Flooding impacts more people than any other environmental disaster.

source: BBC

Improving early warning systems and disaster response

How might we enhance mitigation and response to flooding through advanced research and on-scene observation?

On the Job

Dedicated individuals supporting those in need.

Red Crescent, Red Cross, NOAA, USGS & more
Providing resources, medical assistance, search and rescue, infrastructure, and logistics.
Ground support personnel can be better informed and supported through enhanced communication with informed aerial observations.

Driven By Research

Tom - Registered Land Surveyor

“Situational awareness is everything”

Liz - Whatcom Emergency Manager

“It is a teamsport, it isn’t as much about what you know but who you know”

Gray - Pilot

“I could see an airships innate qualities being well suited for data collection”

GIS mapping is a technology that allows users to create, analyze, visualize, and manage geographical data.
This article helped us gain an understanding of systemic issues associated with disasters as well as current challenges and perspectives.
“Factors that have inhibited the response to disasters in the past include, lack of a national-level plan policy, absence of an institutional framework at the center / state / district level, poor intersectoral coordination, lack of an early warning system, slow response from the relief agencies, lack of trained / dedicated search and rescue teams, and poor community empowerment.”
-Kalpana Srivastava written for the National Library of Medicine
OceanXplorer: Inside the world’s most advanced research vessel
New York Times: New Data Reveals Hidden Flood Risk Across America
NSSL: Severe Weather 101
CBO: FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund

image: LTA Research

Tethered to reality and future possibility

Lighter than Air Research is developing the next generation of airships focusing on advancing humanitarian aid.
The Pathfinder 1 is a proof of concept vessel LTA is currently developing. An airship designed for disaster response, leveraging its strengths of endurance, low airspeed, and hauling capacity, is a promising concept.

Research Synthesis

Survey answered by marine, search and rescue and research professionals.

ARV

A human-centric interior design of an airship gondola supports a dynamic team in understanding an affected area’s needs, resources, and allows them to better record insights to improve future response.

Current scenario

Current specialists are often far from disaster site, limiting situational awareness.

When a flood is predicted, the community and rescue teams are alerted.

Specialist work together, tho often from different locations and lack in person collaboration.

A holistic view of the scenario can be difficult when access is limited.

Approach

Interior design supports connection between team and provides space for team work.
Real-time visibility of disaster benefits specialists’ understanding of disaster data and informs analysis.
Open sight lines throughout ship boost onboard communication. Multiple external transmission methods creates efficient communication with stakeholders on the ground.
In-person communication and situational awareness assists in prompt, informed decision-making.
Flexible work space enables specialized teams to adjust space to fit their needs.