With today’s rapidly shifting environments, it’s important to have all the data we can get in order to prevent or lessen the impact of natural disasters. One of the most hostile environments on the planet is the mighty volcano, the incredible heat of which prevents most close range observation. Luckily, with this new device, we won’t need to get anywhere near the molten core to get a good look at it.
Startup company Sensor Driven, Ltd. has patented a new device for studying volcanic environments and activity. Aptly named “Dragon Eggs” for their resistance to heat, these little boxes are dropped in a volcanic zone via drones. With a complex array of sensors, the Eggs get a baseline on heat and seismic activity, and then go dormant, using next-to-no power. When abnormal volcanic activity is detected, the Egg reactivates and hatches (metaphorically), becoming a relay station for current info on the volcano and transmitting to a base station via satellite. With this technology, scientists could receive nearly immediate updates on volcanoes and, in the event of an eruption, arrange an evacuation in a fraction of the time.
The Dragon Eggs are set for their first field test at the Stromboli Volcano in Italy. If they don’t immediately burst into flames upon contact with the ground, I’ll call that a victory.
