G.R.U.V. Project: Introducing the Global Rescue and Utility Vehicle
Nicolas de Peyer
Department of design arts
Abstract
The Global Rescue and Utility Vehicle (G.R.U.V.) uses a fully modular design that is flexible and adaptable. This versatile design allows the vehicle to address a multitude of disaster situations ranging from floods to catastrophic earthquakes. Designed from the ground up, every aspect of this vehicle's design has been carefully thought out to take in to consideration the variety of harsh conditions it will have to operate in. There are three main components that make the G.R.U.V. Truly Unique: It is a High Speed Amphibian, it uses the Unit Load Device (ULD) standard for its cargo transport ( these ULD's could be specially designed for emergency situations) and with a special attachment, it has the ability to fly short distances. The G.R.U.V. is like the Swiss army knife in the arsenal of disaster relief vehicles; it is small, highly mobile, and can take on a variety of tasks and do them quite well.
Bio: Nicolas de Peyer is a Senior at Lehigh University majoring in design. He is an Eckardt scholar and G.R.U.V. Project is his senior thesis project. After spending his first two years at Lehigh as an active member of both the theatre and design departments at Lehigh, Nicolas studied abroad in Paris for two years at Créapole ESDI, where he honed his skills in transportation and product design. Nicolas currently works as a graphic/ multimedia designer at the IMRC at Lehigh and is one of the architects of Lehigh Island in Second Life. Nicolas intends to continue working in the design fields to realize his dream of working as an automotive designer.
