Engineers have unveiled a strange new AI-powered prototype for a so-called “crash-proof” airplane in the wake of the recent Air India disaster.
On June 12, Air India Flight 171 took off from Ahmedabad Airport bound for London but tragically crashed into a medical building only 30 seconds after departure.
The accident claimed the lives of 241 passengers and crew, along with dozens of people on the ground.
Incredibly, 40-year-old British passenger Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, seated in 11A, was the sole survivor.
An inquiry later revealed that both switches controlling the fuel supply to the engines had been cut off, causing the aircraft to lose power and altitude.
In response, engineers have developed an unusual but potentially life-saving concept they believe could prevent similar tragedies.
The project combines artificial intelligence with a tried-and-true safety feature commonly used in cars: airbags.
The difference is that, instead of deploying inside the cabin, the airbags inflate on the outside of the plane, triggered by AI detection systems.
Although the imagined design—with its giant external airbags—looks somewhat absurd, the initiative, called Project REBIRTH, has been named a finalist for the prestigious James Dyson Award, which celebrates inventions with world-changing potential.
According to its description: “Project REBIRTH is an AI-powered crash survival system using airbags, smart fluids, and reverse thrust to reduce impact and save lives when all else fails. Born from tragedy, built with purpose.”
How It Works
The system is built on five interconnected technologies designed to predict and respond when a crash is imminent.
AI monitoring: Constantly tracks altitude, speed, engine status, direction, fire, and pilot response. If a crash below 3,000 feet is deemed unavoidable, it activates countermeasures within two seconds.
External airbags: High-speed airbags deploy around the nose, belly, and tail, forming a protective cocoon to absorb the impact. The creators claim this could turn “fatal crashes into survivable landings.”
Descent control: In cases of engine failure or rapid descent, gas thrusters and reverse thrust systems slow the aircraft, stabilizing it by 8–20 percent.
Non-Newtonian fluid safety: The aircraft’s walls and seats are lined with special fluids that remain soft in normal conditions but instantly harden on impact, further reducing injuries.
Post-crash survival aids: After impact, the aircraft transforms into a bright orange shell equipped with GPS, infrared beacons, and illuminated exits to help rescuers locate and assist survivors.
Inspiration from Tragedy
The design was created by Eshel Wasim and Dharsan Srinivasan of the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Dubai, UAE. They explained that the devastating Air India crash motivated them to find a new way to protect passengers.
“Project REBIRTH was born not in a lab, but from a moment of heartbreak,” they said, describing how that sense of helplessness “haunted us.”
If the pair win the award on November 5, they will receive more than $40,000 and the opportunity to launch a business to bring their vision closer to reality.
Source: unilad.com
