A combination of the U.S. Geological Survey’s ShakeAlert system, a magnetic-field architecture and a three-part building foundation system may enable buildings to hover above the ground during an earthquake using electromagnetic fields. The technology could keep the building and what is inside from sliding around during destructive shaking.

Arx Pax CEO Greg Henderson says ShakeAlert system is able to sense an earthquake’s seismic waves several seconds before the shaking begins. His company’s system could automatically decouple from the ground for the duration of the shaking. "One second [of warning] is all we need for our hover system," Henderson says.

The foundation system mirrors the company’s existing hoverboard technology but at a larger scale. The hoverboard incorporates four engines below the board that create a magnetic field enabling it to hover an inch above a copper surface.

The hovering system could be applied to an existing building if its foundation was retrofitted. Henderson says that it would be preferable to include it in all-new construction. He also says that no one has yet integrated Arx Pax’s system into buildings of any kind.