Ubukata offers up compact smoke / earthquake detector

While we've seen detectors from nearly every angle imaginable, Ubukata Industries Co. is helping us all to consolidate just a bit by cramming two of the most important sensors into a single, compact device. The multi-tasking earthquake detector and alarm comes in a variety of colors and is compact enough to mount on a ceiling without drawing too much unwanted attention, and it also features built-in lighting to brighten your way in case you lose power. Furthermore, this gizmo sniffs out unpleasant drafts of smoke and feels the rumbles of earthquakes with magnitudes of five or higher, setting off a presumably piercing alarm to let you know something's going down. Of course, the price of a twofer doesn't run cheap, as this two-in-one emergency mainstay demands ¥14,700 ($124). [Warning: PDF link]

[Via I4U]

[Jeff @ Dec 28th 2006 9:08AM]

Ok, I get the smoke alarm. I can also appreciate the emergency light. I have never been in an earthquake, but if it is above a 5 - does something need to alert you that the ground is shaking?

[Legodude522 @ Dec 28th 2006 9:28AM]

Someone should programme the Wiimote to detect earthquakes. lol

[guyinjapan @ Dec 28th 2006 9:31AM]

You hardly need an alarm to warn you about a 5.0 magnitude earthquake.

[kombizz @ Dec 28th 2006 9:55AM]

Interesting invention.
I am very sure it would be usefull for those people who live on the eathquick area.
I don't mind to buy one when it comes to the market.

[kombizz @ Dec 28th 2006 9:56AM]

Interesting invention.
I am very sure it would be usefull for those people who live on the eathquick area.
I don't mind to buy one when it comes to the market.

[kombizz @ Dec 28th 2006 9:57AM]

Interesting invention.
I am very sure it would be usefull for those people who live on the eathquick area.
I don't mind to buy one when it comes to the market.

[JR @ Dec 28th 2006 10:20AM]

You don't need to be warned that you are in an earthquake. If you can feel it, you're in one. Now if it sounded an alarm because it sensed the pre-wave, that would be useful.

[Alexander @ Dec 28th 2006 10:29AM]

Neat!

[Ken @ Dec 28th 2006 10:52AM]

OMG, it's going off. Am I in a burning building or is the ground shaking? How can I tell?

Does it have different alarms for "burning house" vs "shaking house"?

[Jon Riaso @ Dec 28th 2006 11:48AM]

My bookshelf is a pretty good earthquake detector. It shakes like fcking crazy when one occurs. Or am I missing the point?

[talasian @ Dec 28th 2006 1:04PM]

"You hardly need an alarm to warn you about a 5.0 magnitude earthquake."

obviously you haven't slept through a 7.?? yet have you... i don't wake up unless it is an 8.0 or higher less than 100 miles away. that being said, i wouldn't get this alarm because i don't want to be woken up for anything less than an 8.0 or higher less than 100 miles away. If i'm sleeping...leave me alone...

[Ed @ Dec 28th 2006 3:30PM]

I got woken up by a small 3.5 earthquake last week, I highly doubt I need an alarm that alerts me to a 5. The automatic lighting sounds good, but does this mean it needs to be wired into your electrical system?

[Ebzy @ Dec 29th 2006 5:55AM]

You guy's are right jokers.

A quick lesson in plate techtonics would tell us that when an earthquake occurs there are many types of waves sent, of which P-waves, S-waves are tthe most natable two.

P-waves (primary) move longtitudinally while S-waves (secondary) shear through the earth. The actusl destructive waves are the S-waves which travel at just over half the speed of the p-waves.

The P-waves are what instruments used in early warning devices pick up and raise the alarm giving the locals the necessary few seconds to get to cover/enact emergency earthquake procedures. This is why such instruments are useful.