German City Installs Ulmer Nests, Sleeping Pods For Homeless People
The pods, which are made from wood and steel, were put in parks and other places, a spokesman for the city said.
A German city has built a series of pods for homeless people to be able to sleep in.
According to a report, the units, known as 'Ulmer Nest', were installed on January 8 by officials in Ulm, about 75 miles west of Munich, to provide shelter for sleepers during the cold winter months.
Facebook/Ulmer Nest
The pods, which are made from wood and steel, were put in parks and other places, a spokesman for the city said.
To shield the homeless from the wind and cold, the beds have been equipped with thermal insulation. They are also big enough for use by two individuals.
There are no cameras, and when they are in use, sensors are triggered.
Those behind the project, amid some delays, announced that they had eventually been rolled out just as the weather began to take a turn for the worse.
The group wrote about it on Facebook, ¡®Today the two Ulm nests were repositioned - unfortunately due to corona with delay, but just in time for the really cold nights. We hope to repeat last year's positive feedback in order to provide a supplementary measure regarding the existing frostbite protection in Ulm in the long term¡¯.
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Facebook/Ulmer Nest
Talking about the improvements they have inculcated, the group wrote, ¡®We improved thermal internal isolation and took measures to optimize the climate (less moisture + warmer air). The nests are now equipped with solar panels, which allows (at least) energy neutral use during the day. Further energy saving measures are in the works¡¯.
Ulmer Nests are also connected to the Ulmer LoRa-Wan-IoT-wireless network, and the long term plan is to depend on it entirely, so as not to depend on mobile networks.
¡®The locking and the corresponding mechanisms have been completely revised and now offer easier operation and more interaction options for all involved¡¯, the page wrote.
They are extremely easy to use, said Flaco Pross - who built the pods - and that people don't need to fill in any forms to register to use them.
Facebook/Ulmer Nest
The pods were fitted with sensors that pick up whenever they are opened or closed. The next day, if they are still there, someone from the charity goes down to check on the pod and to give the user some assistance.
The charity will also check the pods for any damage caused, restoring them as soon as possible in order to ready them for use again.
The goal is to provide places to stay during the cold nights to sleepers in need, and, hopefully, give the charity the opportunity to initiate contact with them.
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