Hover technology may help your house float during an earthquake

By Krystle Vermes June 12, 2015

Hendo Hoverboards — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Earthquakes are known for ravaging the communities they strike, but what if you had a house that could avoid the devastation? Arx Pax, known for its floating Hendo hoverboard, is working on technology that would allow buildings to hover during an earthquake, according to Business Insider.

The California-based startup has already mastered the art of Magnetic Field Architecture, which involves the use of magnets to give products the ability to hover. Now, it wants to use its technology to lift large structures — such as houses — off of the ground. When weak magnetic fields are combined in a specific way, the can be organized to provide enough strength to lift an object. On a grand scale, they may even be used to levitate structures during a natural disaster, according to Arx Pax.

The startup is working with the creators of ShakeAlert, a software system developed by the U.S. Geological Survey to warn locals of an earthquake before it strikes. When the ground is about to shift, people could deploy Arx Pax’s hover technology within their buildings to prevent damage.

And hover technology for houses and commercial buildings would not only be beneficial in the event of an earthquake. It could come in handy when a flash flood strikes, or potentially curb the impact of rising sea levels.

To levitate a three-story house for approximately 90 seconds (the average length of an earthquake), Arx Pax says that its technology component would cost only about $13. However, there is no price tag on the actual hover-inducing product yet, as it still remains just a concept.

Arx Pax has already seen success with its MFA technology, selling out its first line of Hendo Hoverboards on its Kickstarter campaign page. For $10,000, a group of 11 lucky backers are set to be presented with the hoverboard in October 2015. If the hoverboard price says anything, it’s that the price to earthquake-proof a house with MFA technology may be a bit expensive as well.

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Krystle Vermes is a professional writer, blogger and podcaster with a background in both online and print journalism. Her…

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