Michael McDaniel: Cheap, effective shelter for disaster relief

Translator: Joseph Geni Reviewer: Morton Bast

翻译人员: xueling Sun 校对人员: dahong zhang

So, I'm going to start off with kind of the buzzkill a little bit.

好吧，我的开场可能有点让人扫兴

Forty-two million people

四千两百万人

were displaced by natural disasters in 2010.

在2010年因灾成为无家可归的人。

Now, there was nothing particularly special about 2010,

不过，2010年可没有什么太大不了的

because, on average, 31 and a half million people

因为，平均来说，每年因为各种自然灾害

are displaced by natural disasters every single year.

而流离失所的人数达到了三千一百五十万之多。

Now, usually when people hear statistics or stats like that,

通常，人们听到这方面的统计数据的时候，

you start thinking about places like Haiti or other kind of

都会想到海地或者是其他国家

exotic or maybe even impoverished areas, but it happens

或者是贫困地区，但事实上

right here in the United States every single year.

类似的事情在美国每一年都在发生着。

Last year alone, 99 federally declared disasters

仅去年一年，就有99起官方证实的灾害

were on file with FEMA,

被联邦应急管理局(FEMA)记录在案，

from Joplin, Missouri, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama,

发生地点从密苏里州的乔普林、阿拉巴马州的塔斯卡卢萨、

to the Central Texas wildfires that just happened recently.

到最近刚发生在德克萨斯州中部的森林大火。

Now, how does the most powerful country in the world

那么，世界上最强大的国家

handle these displaced people?

是怎么安排这些无家可归的人呢？

They cram them onto cots, put all your personal belongings

他们把灾民塞在简易床上，所有私人物品都被塞进

in a plastic garbage bag, stick it underneath,

一个塑料垃圾袋，然后扔在床下面，

and put you on the floor of an entire sports arena,

然后大家都挤在一个体育场里，

or a gymnasium.

或者体育馆里。

So obviously there's a massive housing gap,

所以临时住房短缺问题很明显，

and this really upset me, because academia tells you

这让我很失望，因为学术界认为

after a major disaster, there's typically about

在一次大灾难过后，一般需要

an 18-month time frame to -- we kinda recover,

经过18个月的时间，

start the recovery process,

才会开始重建的进程，

but what most people don't realize is that on average

但是大部分人都没意识到

it takes 45 to 60 days or more

一般要经过45到60天甚至更多时间

for the infamous FEMA trailers to even begin to show up.

那些声名狼藉的的联邦应急管理局的拖车才会开始出现。

Before that time, people are left to their own devices.

在那之前，人们只能靠自己。

So I became obsessed with trying to figure out a way

所以我开始很专注于找到一个方法来

to actually fill this gap.

填补这个空缺。

This actually became my creative obsession.

这项创造性的事业使我十分痴迷。

I put aside all my freelance work after hours and started

几个小时后，我就把我所有的手头兼职工作抛到一边

just focusing particularly on this problem.

开始全身心投入到这项工作中。

So I started sketching.

画草图是第一项工作。

Two days after Katrina, I started sketching and sketching

卡特里娜飓风过后两天，我开始一遍遍的画草图

and trying to brainstorm up ideas or solutions for this,

尽己所能想方设法的来找到一个可行的方案，

and as things started to congeal or ideas started to form,

当我的构思最终成形后，

I started sketching digitally on the computer,

我开始用电脑上进行设计，

but it was an obsession, so I couldn't just stop there.

当然这终究还是图纸，所以我不能就此停下。

I started experimenting, making models,

之后我开始做实验，做一些模型，

talking to experts in the field, taking their feedback,

展示给这个领域的专家们，倾听他们的反馈，

and refining, and I kept on refining and refining

并进行改进，我一遍一遍的改进

for nights and weekends for over five years.

这个过程持续了五年多。

Now, my obsession ended up driving me to create

最终，这个使我着迷的计划有了一个结果

full-size prototypes in my own backyard — (Laughter) —

那就是在我家后院的全尺寸原型产品（笑声）

and actually spending my own personal savings on

它们花光了我所有的积蓄

everything from tooling to patents

包括购买工具到付专利使用费

and a variety of other costs,

以及其他各种各样的费用，

but in the end I ended up with this modular housing system

不过最后我还是成功做出了这个模块化房屋系统

that can react to any situation or disaster.

它可以应付各种情况和灾难。

It can be put up in any environment,

它可以被安放在任何环境中，

from an asphalt parking lot to pastures or fields,

从沥青停车场到牧场或农田，

because it doesn't require any special setup

因为它不需要任何特殊的基础建设

or specialty tools.

或是特殊的工具。

Now, at the foundation and kind of the core

这套系统的基础和核心

of this whole system is the Exo Housing Unit,

是外挂式房屋模块，

which is just the individual shelter module.

那是一种独立的避难所模块。

And though it's light, light enough that you can actually

它非常轻，轻到你用手就可以

lift it by hand and move it around,

轻易的举起来并且来回挪动，

and it actually sleeps four people.

这屋子能睡4个人。

And you can arrange these things as kind of more

你可以随意摆放它们

for encampments and more of a city grid type layout,

例如像露营一样，或按照城市街区来规划摆放，

or you can circle the wagons, essentially,

或者你可以先把一些售货手推车围成一个圈，

and form these circular pods out of them,

然后把这些房屋围到外面形成帐子，

which give you this semi-private communal area

这样一个半私密性的公共区域

for people to actually spill out into so they're not actually

会让住在里面的人们愿意出来走走

trapped inside these units.

而不是一直呆在这些屋子里。

Now this fundamentally changes

所以这项发明从根本上改变了

the way we respond to disasters,

我们对灾难的反应，

because gone are the horrid conditions

因为之前那种很多人躺在小床上

inside a sports arena or a gymnasium, where people

挤在体育场或体育馆里简易床的场景

are crammed on these cots inside.

已经一去不复返了。

Now we have instant neighborhoods outside.

现在大家都成了新的邻居。

So the Exo is designed to be simply, basically

这个房屋系统被设计的很简洁，基本上

like a coffee cup. They can actually stack together

很像一个咖啡杯。它们可以摞在一起

so we get extremely efficient transportation

所以我们可以非常高效的运输

and storage out of them.

和储存它们。

In fact, 15 Exos can fit on a single semi truck by itself.

事实上，一个半挂卡车可以装15个这样的屋子。

This means the Exo can actually be transported and set up

这就表明这种房屋比目前世界上其他任何住房系统

faster than any other housing option available today.

都能更快的运输和安装。

But I'm obsessive, so I couldn't just stop there,

我对这个项目很着迷，所以我并不止步于此，

so I actually started modifying the bunks where you could

接着我就开始设计床铺，你可以从墙壁上

actually slide out the bunks and slide in desks or shelving,

把床滑出来然后耨把桌子和柜子滑进去，

so the same unit can now be used

这种设计也可以被用为

for an office or storage location.

办公室或者储藏室。

The doors can actually swap out, so you can actually put on

房屋的门是可以拆换的，所以你可以

a rigid panel with a window unit in it for climate control,

换一个带窗户的门来调节气温，

or a connector module that would allow you to actually

或者装上连接模块，就可以让你

connect multiple units together, which gives you

把多个房屋连接起来，这样生活空间

larger and kind of compartmentalized living spaces,

就会变大而且可以分成不同区块，

so now this same kit of parts, this same unit

因此同一个屋子，

can actually serve as a living room, bedroom or bathroom,

可以被当做起居室，卧室或浴室，

or an office, a living space and secure storage.

或是办公室，居住空间和安全储藏室。

Sounds like a great idea, but how do you make it real?

这听起来很不错，但是要怎样才能让这些成为现实？

So the first idea I had, initially, was just

我最初的想法是

to go the federal and state governments and go,

找到政府部门并且跟他们说，

"Here, take it, for free."

“这个送给你们，拿去吧 。”

But I was quickly told that, "Boy, our government

但是我很快被告诉，“亲，我们的政府

doesn't really work like that." (Laughter)

根本不会这么做的。”（笑声）

Okay. Okay. So maybe I would start a nonprofit

好吧，好吧。我或许应当创立一个非盈利的机构

to kind of help consult and get this idea going

来使这个想法能得到政府的支持

along with the government, but then I was told,

但之后我却被告知，

"Son, our government looks to private sector

“亲，我们的政府还指望

for things like this."

私营企业来做这样的事情呢。”

Okay. So maybe I would take this whole idea and go

好吧。我也许应该把这个主意

to private corporations that would have this mutually shared

交给那些能共同获利的私营企业

benefit to it, but I was quickly told by some corporations

可接着我很快收到一些公司的答复

that my personal passion project was not a brand fit

他们认为来源于我自己倒腾出来的项目和品牌形象不符

because they didn't want their logos stamped

他们不愿意让自己的品牌

across the ghettos of Haiti.

沾上 海地贫民区的痕迹

Now, I wasn't just obsessed. I was outraged. (Laughter.)

那时，我就不止是着迷怎么简单了。我愤怒了。（笑声）

So I decided, kind of told myself,

于是我对自己说，

"Oh yeah? Watch this. I'll do it myself." (Laughter)

“ 是嘛？等着瞧吧，我自己来做。” （笑声）

Now, this quickly, my day job sent me to work out of

很快，因为日常工作的缘故

our Milan office for a few months, so I was like,

我会有几个月不在米兰，有时候会迷惘

what will I do? So I actually scheduled sleep on my calendar,

我要去做些啥啊？而实际上我忙着调整我的睡眠时间呢

and spent the 8-hour time difference on conference calls

把多出来的8个小时时差用在联系

with material suppliers, manufacturers and potential customers.

那些供应商，制造商和潜在客源的电话会议上

And we found through this whole process, we found

在这过程中，我们找到了

this great little manufacturer in Virginia,

位于弗吉尼亚的这个伟大的小制造商，

and if his body language is any indication,

如果说他的肢体语言是想说明什么的话

that's the owner — (Laughter) — of what it's like

就是老板—（笑声）— 那他的样子就形象的再现了

for a manufacturer to work directly with a designer,

当制造商和设计师共事的时候，会是一副怎样的场景

you've got to see what happens here. (Laughter)

正如你们现在所看到的这样。（笑声）

But G.S. Industries was fantastic.

不过G.S. 工业公司实在是太棒了

They actually built three prototypes for us by hand.

他们为我们做出了3个手工的模版

So now we have prototypes that can show that four people

我们现在有了模版，能容纳四个人

can actually sleep securely and much more comfortably

还提升了睡觉的安全度和舒适度

than a tent could ever provide.

这比帐篷可好多了

And they actually shipped them here to Texas for us.

他们还为我们把模版装运到了德克萨斯州

Now, a funny thing started happening.

接着，有趣的情形出现了

Other people started to believe in what we were doing,

其他人开始认同我们的所作所为

and actually offered us hangar space, donated hangar

给我们提供或捐赠机库以便工作

space to us. And then the Georgetown Airport Authority

乔治敦机场官方还愿意帮忙

was bent over backwards to help us with anything we needed.

竭尽所能满足我们的任何需要。

So now we had a hangar space to work in,

现在我们有了工作的地方

and prototypes to demo with.

还有了制造的样本

So in one year, we've negotiated manufacturing agreements,

接下来的一年内，我们又和制造商商议了生产协议

been awarded one patent, filed our second patent,

申请到了我们的一个专利，接着又申请了第二个

talked to multiple people, demoed this to FEMA

和很多人交流，向联邦应急管理局和他们的顾问展示产品样本

and its consultants to rave reviews,

联邦应急管理局的咨询师给了很高的评价

and then started talking to some other people who requested

之后又开始答复一些前来咨询的人

information, this little group called the United Nations.

联合国的这群家伙

And on top of that, now we have

正是在名单的最上端

a whole plethora of other individuals that have come up

联系我们的人实在是太多了

and started to talk to us from doing it for mining camps,

从矿区营地到移动青年旅舍

mobile youth hostels, right down to the World Cup

甚至还有世界杯

and the Olympics.

和奥运会

So, in closing, on this whole thing here

那么，在结束之前，我要说的是

is hopefully very soon we will not have to

所幸我们很快就将不用再像原来一样，

respond to these painful phone calls that we get

在灾难发生后，接到的令人痛心的电话

after disasters where we don't really have anything

却只能告诉他们

to sell or give you yet.

我们现在还没有现成的东西帮助你。

Hopefully very soon we will be there,

所幸我们很快就会达成目标

because we are destined,

因为我们命中注定，而且

obsessed with making it real.

执着于把它变成实现

Thank you. (Applause)

谢谢大家。（掌声）