The TIDES project (Transportable Infrastructures for Development and Emergency Support) is a research effort to encourage information sharing and develop Communities of Interest to support populations in stressed environments. ...TIDES is one part of a broader effort called STAR (Sustainable Technologies, Accelerated Research). Phase I of TIDES included demonstrations in Oct-Nov 2007 at the National Defense University (NDU) and the Pentagon’s center court.

STAR-TIDES promotes affordable, sustainable, support to stressed populations—post-disaster, impoverished, or post-war, whether in a domestic and foreign context for a short- or long-term operation, with or without involvement of the military. It is an international research project to promote unity of effort among diverse organizations where there is no unity of control. As such it seeks to build bridges across boundaries between business, civil society and government stakeholders who are working toward common goals. The principal means are: (1) trust building and social network development, (2) sharing information and “sense-making” approaches and (3) low-cost logistic solutions.

STAR-TIDES focuses on seven infrastructures: shelter, water, power, integrated solar and combustion cooking, cooling/ lighting/heating, sanitation and information & communications technologies (ICT). The project aims to provide reach back “knowledge on demand” to decision-makers and those operating in the field. Medical support will be added in the future. All information collected will be made available in the public domain, with the goal of building the broadest possible communities to suggest innovative solutions to support those who are dealing with real world situations.