The Power of Fresh EyesBy Mark Richards, Entrepreneur and Product Developer

The Power of Crises

When a crisis occurs, communities are forced to re-evaluate their process, their organization, their current products. Clearly, something is so wrong because of the crisis, that everything needs to be re-considered. How can we prevent another crisis? How can we improve ourselves?

Earthquake in Haiti, 2010This was a crisis that caused Francisco Aguilar to think creatively

Francisco Aguilar

MIT graduate student at the time

Removed from the situation in, Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Was horrified by the news coverage of the post-earthquake damage

What happened?Rescue teams arrived, but they arrived 48 hours after the earthquake

They had high-tech tools, but they were hard to use

“Despite their valiant efforts, they pulled out a few hundred people, but most of damage was already done,” said Aguilar

Bounce Imaging ExplorerThis is a black probe, the size of a baseball, fixed with an array of sensors and cameras, able to tolerate dangerous environments…invented by Francisco.

How Does It Work?The ball takes panoramic images, senses heat, smoke, and has vibration antennae and then broadcasts these findings back to a mobile device.

Can easily look inside a space to determine if there’s a victim inside of if it’s safe

Good for earthquake situation or even for fire fighters or police officers

Is the situation safe? Is there a need to get inside? Now we can know.

Innovation

Some of the best ideas come from those who are removed from the situation, with fresh eyes

By Mark Richards

Product Developer

Serial Entrepreneur

Has started over 12 companies

Loves helping others turn their ideas into reality

Learn more: http://MarkRichardsCharleston.org