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