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Centro de Investigación en Diseño Industrial de
Productos Complejos - FADU / UBA
(The Industrial Design Research area for Complex Products FADU/ UBA).

Presentation / Vehicle for Disabled Persons / Mechatronic bed
Emergency unit / Kitchen for Disabled Persons / Robotics


M.D.R.U. (Mobile Relief Disaster Unit)

-Investigation and designing of a Mobile Relief Disaster Unit. We are working together with The Design Center for Global Needs.

Theoretical Framework:

The basic design of the M.D.R.U consists of a mobile, expandable, transportable unit as a container, according to the I.S.O conditions of dimensions and corners whose measures are (2438 X 2991 X 2438 h).
It can be used in areas affected by natural disasters for carrying land, air, etc (it can be ejected from a helicopter or plane to the affected areas).

Functions: health unit, protection unit, transitory shelter, others.

This Project is being developed by the C.I.D.I (Industrial Design Research Center for Complex Products ) -Buenos Aires University- Argentina- and the DESIGN CENTER FOR GLOBAL NEEDS whose members are (San Francisco State University and U.C.L.A. (California University/ Los Angeles / U.S.A.) and the Buenos Aires University (U.B.A) represented by the CIDI.

What is next on this Project?
In March 1993, the DCGN asked the C.I.D.I to develop the conceptual design of the Mobile Relief Disaster Unit.

At the moment (1998)
Nowadays, the DCGN has a local sponsor and is now developing the prototype of the Unit.

Once it is finished, it would be offered to the different international organizations such as The Red Cross, UNICEFŠ
Prof. Dr. Mario Mariño is Director of the C.I.D.I and Director of the Investigation and Development area of the DCGN. Prof. Ricardo Gomez is Director of the DCGN and Prof. Brian D ´Onelly is Director of Design of the Manufacturing process.

What is the Design Center for Global Needs?
The Design Center for Global Needs is an International center based in San Francisco State University (U.S.A) it is committed to providing solutions on the design to global problems such as Emergencies, Health, and the Elderly people.

When was our relationship with them born?

In 1992, Prof. Dr. Mario Mariño was invited to conduct the "Design for Society Workshop" in the SFSU, where the concepts and models in scale of the MDRU (Mobile Disaster Relief Unit) were developed by a group of interdisciplinary students. (Sponsor: Naka / Lef Foundation).

Due to the role performed by Prof Dr Mario Mariño in the workshop, the San Francisco State University (SFSU) has created the "Design Center for Global Needs" (DCGN) whose members are The University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA)- U.S.A and the Buenos Aires University (U.B.A) represented by the Industrial Design Research Center for Complex Products" (CIDI) of the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism (FADU).