Call them airplane bags.
In the wake of the tragic Air India crash, engineers have designed a new AI-powered safety system to prevent future in-flight mishaps. What they came up with seems just plane ridiculous — an aircraft equipped with outside airbags — but it apparently could save lives.
The Michelin Man-esque anti-crash concept, dubbed Project REBIRTH, is a finalist for the prestigious James Dyson Award, which spotlights inventions that can change the world.
“Project REBIRTH is the first AI-powered crash survival system,” reads the description of the pillowy protective measure on the site. “It deploys smart airbags, impact-absorbing fluids, and reverse thrust mid-air — turning fatal crashes into survivable landings.”
AI sensors can reportedly detect when a crash is about to happen, prompting airbags to deploy and cocoon the fuselage, evoking a giant piece of popped popcorn. In theory, this protective padding ensures that the landing isn’t deadly or violent, regardless of the plane’s velocity.
The designers, engineers Eshel Wasim and Dharsan Srinivasan of the Birla Institute of Technology and Science’s Dubai campus, were reportedly inspired by the tragic Air India Flight 171 fiasco in June.
The 787-8 Dreamliner reportedly crashed in Ahmedabad — a city of about 5 million people — just 30 seconds after taking off en route to London, UK, killing all but one of the 242 people aboard.
“After the June 2025 Ahmedabad crash, my mother couldn’t sleep,” one of the creators wrote. “She kept thinking about the fear the passengers and pilots must have felt, knowing there was no way out. That helplessness haunted us. Why isn’t there a system for survival after failure?”
The inventors added, “That emotional storm became hours of research and design. REBIRTH is more than engineering — it’s a response to grief. A promise that survival can be planned, and that even after failure, there can be a second chance.”
The state-of-the-art AI system works by keeping tabs on the altitude, speed, engine status, direction, fire, and pilot response, so it can make an informed decision should an emergency be imminent.
If a crash is “unavoidable below 3,000 feet,” the airbags activate automatically — although the captain can still abort their deployment at this point.
The James Bond-evoking collision cushions, which are made of layered fabric, shoot out “from the nose, belly, and tail in under 2 sec,” absorbing impact and protecting the plane’s body.
This sky-high straitjacket isn’t the only aspect of the REBIRTH system. “If engines work, reverse thrust slows descent. If not, gas thrusters activate,” they write. “This reduces speed and stabilizes the plane by 8–20%.”
Meanwhile, impact-absorbing fluids behind the walls and seats “stay soft but harden on impact to reduce injuries” like a safety-preserving shapeshifter.
The jet-setting engineers say that the airbags can be added to existing planes or installed in new ones and that they plan to “partner with aerospace labs for crash sled and wind tunnel testing.”
A release date for this groundbreaking safety measure is unclear, but the engineers wrote that they want REBIRTH to be “tested, approved, and used in real flights.”
If Wasim and Srinivasan win the James Dyson Award, the winner of which will be announced on November 5, the duo will get over $40,000 and the chance to start their own business.
However, the team claims their ultimate goal isn’t fame or financial glory.
“This competition is our first step in bringing our vision forward—not for recognition, but with the hope that one day, it may help save lives when all else fails,” they wrote.
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