Skip to Content

Shaking It Up

A new device that reproduces earthquake vibrations will be tested today on a two-story, life-size model of a hospital room.
October 12, 2007
Credit: University of Buffalo

Engineers at the University of Buffalo have developed a system that is capable of simulating the effects of the strongest earthquakes. The system, called a Nonstructural Components Simulator (NCS), is scheduled to be tested today in a facility at the university. (The shake test will be webcast here at 3:00 P.M. EDT.)

In the demonstration, engineers will subject a two-story, life-size model of a hospital room fully equipped with beds and medical supplies to the precise floor temblors that would be experienced during an earthquake. The test will simulate how the structural integrity of a building would be affected and how the mechanical and electrical systems would perform.

According to a press release from the university, this is how the system works:

The NCS features a two-story-high, four-column swivel test frame supporting two steel-grid platforms, which together represent two adjacent floor levels in a building. The system replicates two upper levels of a multi-story building through the use of four high-performance hydraulic actuators that push and pull the platforms up to 40 inches in each direction, at velocities of 100 inches per second, simulating in real-time how upper floors move during earthquakes.

A graphic of the NCS.
Credit: University of Buffalo

Keep Reading

Most Popular

Geoffrey Hinton tells us why he’s now scared of the tech he helped build

“I have suddenly switched my views on whether these things are going to be more intelligent than us.”

ChatGPT is going to change education, not destroy it

The narrative around cheating students doesn’t tell the whole story. Meet the teachers who think generative AI could actually make learning better.

Meet the people who use Notion to plan their whole lives

The workplace tool’s appeal extends far beyond organizing work projects. Many users find it’s just as useful for managing their free time.

Learning to code isn’t enough

Historically, learn-to-code efforts have provided opportunities for the few, but new efforts are aiming to be inclusive.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.