Germany has experimented with an unusual solution to protect homeless people from freezing temperatures: solar-powered emergency sleeping pods known as Ulmer Nests.
The project began in 2019 in the German city of Ulm.
These specially designed shelters were created for people who cannot or do not feel comfortable staying in traditional homeless shelters, including individuals who prefer sleeping alone or have pets they cannot leave behind.
The pods are constructed using steel and insulated materials to protect occupants from freezing temperatures, rain, wind and moisture.
Solar panels provide electricity for their technical systems, while sensors monitor conditions such as temperature and ventilation.
When someone enters and locks a pod from the inside, sensors notify the local support organisation.
A social worker then checks on the occupant the following morning, offers assistance and provides information about available housing and support services.
