AI-Robotic Modular Amphibious Homes: A Philanthropic Answer to Climate Extremes

Dr. Hung-Chih Lu unveils a revolutionary solution-resilient, modular habitats built by distributed AI robots to combat rising sea levels and seismic threats.

The immense energy consumption of AI computation is accelerating global warming, a crisis that extends far beyond extreme weather and the inundation of coastal cities. The melting of glaciers and polar ice caps transfers mass from land to sea, increasing the load on oceanic plates and altering crustal pressure. International geologists warn this phenomenon could accelerate tectonic plate movement, heightening the probability of earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.

In the face of these clear and present dangers, Dr. Hung-Chih Lu, a researcher dedicated to self-funded philanthropic innovation, has been developing a series of groundbreaking solutions since 2019. His inventions include the Pixelated Modular Architectural System and a series of Distributed AI Robots, designed to construct buildings through an industrialized, automated process.

The recent spate of building collapses during earthquakes, predominantly affecting reinforced concrete (RC) structures, highlights a critical vulnerability. Many incorrectly assume that open-front ground floors (a arcade-style buildings) are the sole cause of failure. In reality, walls in RC construction are typically load-bearing, designed to distribute the building's overall weight and allow for slimmer columns and wider spans. In contrast, steel-framed buildings with glass curtain walls rely entirely on their structural frame for support. The true determinants of safety are a building's holistic design, material quality, and construction integrity-factors where traditional RC buildings have repeatedly proven vulnerable.

Dr. Lu's series of philanthropic inventions, the Eco-Tech City, offers a robust response to the devastating losses of life and property caused by frequent flooding and earthquakes.
The core of his Eco-Tech City lies in three interconnected innovations: urban planning for amphibious eco-coexistence, a Pixelated Modular Architectural System optimized for robotic assembly, and a series of Distributed AI Robots. This integrated system enables AI robots to handle all aspects of urban construction, maintenance, and services. These robots not only build and maintain homes but also perform disaster relief, search and rescue, home repairs, and daily personal assistance, fostering a harmonious symbiosis between animals, nature, humanity, and AI.

As shown in Figure 1, Dr. Lu's previously unveiled inventions include bee-like Distributed AI Robots (top) capable of both construction and search-and-rescue. The Distributed Fine-Work Architectural Robots (bottom), when their original manipulators are replaced with three-fingered hands and given appropriate training, transform into multi-functional AI assistants. They can assemble houses, renovate rooms, repair furniture, install light fixtures, clean windows, tidy rooms, and even walk the dog.

Figure 1: A demonstration of Distributed AI Robots assembling a pixelated modular building.

Beyond distant crises, recurring urban floods and earthquakes inflict continuous loss. Dr. Lu's amphibious tech-homes are engineered to protect occupants from torrential rains, coastal flooding, earthquakes, and even tsunamis. These structures completely transcend traditional construction, adopting an industrialized and standardized production model akin to that of smartphones, computers, or new energy vehicles. Components are mass-produced by AI, transported to the site, and assembled by the aforementioned Distributed AI Robots.

His latest creation, a cross-disciplinary masterpiece of technology and art titled "The Bloom" (Figure 2), exemplifies this system. The entire structure is built using his Pixelated Modular Architectural System, which consists of three module groups:

•Frame Module Group: Includes column modules, primary beam modules, secondary beam modules, floor slab modules, and staircase modules.
•Façade Module Group: Includes Artistic Optical Modules, Artistic Solar Modules, and glass modules.
•Utility Module Group: Includes piping modules and wiring modules.

Every module adheres to a standardized 1-meter unit dimension-for example, façade and floor modules are 1x1 meter squares, while columns and beams are 1 meter in length. This standardization facilitates mass production, transportation, and assembly, simultaneously reducing costs and enhancing quality.

Figure 2: "The Bloom," an amphibious eco-tech villa built with the Pixelated Modular Architectural System.

For large-scale structures like high-rises, a low-pixelation aesthetic can be directly applied, as seen in Dr. Lu's previous work, "Thriving Music." However, for a smaller villa like "The Bloom," a fully low-pixel approach is impractical.

Consequently, large curved elements, such as the tips of the petal-like forms, are realized using 3D printing. This project represents a deep interdisciplinary fusion, combining traditional villa and glass-house design with floral-inspired installation art, all while maintaining harmony with principles of environmental psychology and science.

To counter earthquakes, floods, and seawater, the architecture adopts an elevated, amphibious stilt-house design. The 130-cm diameter cylindrical columns have their span shortened to 6.5 meters. With no exterior walls, the columns and beams form the primary structure. Each consists of a steel core coated with epoxy resin, encased in High-Performance Concrete (HPC) to form the cylinder, and finished with a final polyurea coating. This results in seismic and corrosion resistance far superior to that of typical sea-bridge piers, for the following reasons:

1.Core Structure:
oAll-Steel Frame System: Features Ø1.3 m columns and a reduced 6.5 m span. The absence of exterior walls minimizes non-structural damage and resonance.
oHollow Steel Columns: High ductility and energy absorption capacity. The interior can house dampers or seismic isolators to enhance energy dissipation during an earthquake. The large diameter increases both axial load and bending moment resistance.

2.Three-Layer Protection:
oEpoxy Resin Coating (First Layer): Provides high adhesion and salt resistance, isolating the steel from moisture and oxygen.
oHigh-Performance Concrete (HPC) (Second Layer): Its high density and low permeability create a physical barrier against chloride ion ingress and resist impacts.
oPolyurea Coating (Third Layer): A highly elastic, waterproof, and abrasion-resistant layer that absorbs thermal expansion and impacts from water currents or debris.

3.Seismic & Corrosion Advantages:
oThe ductile steel core prevents through-breaks. Even if the outer layers fracture, the second and third layers provide failsafe protection.
oSuperior break control ensures high residual load-bearing capacity, preventing catastrophic failure during fault displacement.
oCompared to traditional RC columns, the steel core is better at absorbing seismic shocks, reducing the risk of brittle failure and collapse.

4.Seawater & Tsunami Performance:
oThe multi-layer anti-corrosion system and HPC effectively block saltwater corrosion, surpassing the standards for most sea-bridge piers.
oThe cylindrical shape helps divert water flow and reduce vortex scouring, while the polyurea surface resists abrasion from high-velocity currents and floating debris.

5.Rigidity & Stability:
oThe short 6.5 m span reduces bending moments in the beams and increases lateral rigidity, minimizing deformation during an earthquake.
oThe no-exterior-wall design lowers mass concentration and prevents shifts in the center of gravity, enhancing overall stability.

In normal conditions, the ground floor is left open for plants and animals to thrive without interference, except for clearing trees near the foundation to prevent damage from wild trees growing too large. (Figure 3). During a flood, the access routes for people and vehicles can be navigated by rubber dinghies, allowing life to continue as usual without loss of life or property (Figure 4).

Figure 3: In normal times, "The Bloom" coexists in harmony with nature.

Figure 4: During a flood, "The Bloom" allows residents to maintain their daily lives.

Dr. Lu envisions not just a single house or building, but an entire Eco-Tech City. His Distributed AI Robots would construct, maintain, and service the whole city and its citizens, creating a world where all life coexists in harmony. Given the immense scale of this vision, limited funding, and aging equipment, he is starting with smaller-scale projects and plans to expand incrementally.

He has dedicated his life and personal savings to these philanthropic creations, undeterred by criticism and resistance from the mainstream. At a time when the world is fixated on humanoid robots, he is charting a counter-current path. As he states, "Only a person will replace or even eliminate another person; a tool will not. Your hoe will not run off on its own to eliminate someone. The probability of humanoid AI robots destroying humanity is far greater than that of tool-based AI robots." His Distributed AI Robots are designed to be humanity's true helpers.

The mainstream often follows commercial interests, while truth frequently lies in the counter-current. When Dr. Lu proposed a silicon photonics multi-chip integration solution in 1999, he was met with ridicule; by 2024, silicon photonics became a dominant trend. Today, he once again pushes against the tide with his tool-based Distributed AI Robots, the Pixelated Modular Architectural System, and the amphibious Eco-Tech City.

Because he swims against the current, he has found no support from academia or industry. Refusing to cater to mainstream values means forgoing funding, which is why he has chosen to self-finance his ideals with his life's savings.
Carrying on the spirit of Copernicus and Galileo, Dr. Hung-Chih Lu's fearless pursuit of truth and public good-his willingness to proceed even if it means standing against thousands-sets a true paradigm for what a scientist should be.

postal code: 328015, Taoyuan city, Taiwan

Dr. Lu's Studio
Devoted to the public welfare creations of ecology, technology, and art.

This release was published on openPR.