Jan 10
Sitting in a parking lot across the street from the convention center was a driving demonstration from Ford. They were here at CES 2014 showing off the Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication technology, … Continue reading
Jan 09
Freezcube Tells You If Food in Your Freezer Has Gone Bad, Though Not if It’s Bad for You
Posted in: Today's ChiliIt’s hard to tell when food in your freezer has spoiled because, well it’s frozen. You can’t always tell by smell. FreezCube is here to help. It is a simple device that tells you how much time you have to safely consume the frozen food stored in your freezer if the freezer loses power.
The device has four compartments, each has an organic liquid with a different freezing point. By seeing which liquid has melted and thus fallen into the lower half, you can determine how warm the freezer became. This tells you approximately how many days the food will keep before it should be thrown out.
If you are worried about bad food in your freezer, FreezCube is available on Amazon for $19.99.
[via Laughing Squid via Red Ferret]
Jan 07
Eton Corporation has updated its outlet-mounted emergency backup flashlight with a built-in carbon monoxide detector that will trigger both an audible and visible flashing alarm when CO levels reach dangerous levels in a room. It’s particularly well suited for home use since it’s best to mount carbon monoxide detectors closer to the ground for maximum effectiveness. And if the alarm happens to go off in the middle of the night, you’ll have a convenient way to navigate the dark.
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Jan 03
If you have to ride your bike at night, there’s no such thing as wearing too much reflective material—after all, you want to make yourself as visible as possible to those with whom you share the road. But a flashing light can ensure a driver spots you well before the headlights of their car do, and with a pair of these glowing LightSpurs clamped to the back of your shoes, you’ll stand out like a sore—but safe—thumb.
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Dec 23
Suggesting that despite the sizable presence of the Tesla Model S in the news as of late for auto accidents, the NHTSA has gone out of their way to reaffirm … Continue reading
Dec 19
Tesla says its product didn’t cause garage blaze while fire department is less certain
Posted in: Today's ChiliTesla’s long run of good luck came to an end earlier this year when one of its Model S cars caught on fire near Seattle, something that was the result … Continue reading
Dec 17
The official charger recall for the HP Chromebook 11 has begun, following a number of overheating reports that saw the AC adapter for the Chrome OS notebook potentially melt. Google has received a total of nine reports of overheating and melting chargers, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, out of around 145,000 units […]
Dec 16
While I’m not all that crazy about the idea of fully-autonomous vehicles, I do think that some of the technology which is emerging from related research and development efforts could definitely help with vehicle safety. Take for example, this new obstacle avoidance system that Ford is working on.
Ford of Europe has been working on an advanced obstacle avoidance system which uses an array of radar and ultrasonic sensors, as well as a camera to help determine if there are obstacles in the road. In the event that a slow or stopped vehicle or other object is in the vehicle’s lane, it not only can alert the driver with audible and visual cues, but it can actually brake and steer the car to avoid a collision. It only takes corrective action if it detects that the driver isn’t doing so already. The system is capable of scanning as far as 656 feet ahead, and has already been tested at speeds in excess of 38mph.
It’s definitely an intriguing technology, and if it could reduce the frequency of rear-end collisions, I would definitely consider having such a system in my car. I guess the biggest question is whether or not it’s smart enough to avoid steering you into another active lane, or worse yet into oncoming traffic. I’d have to assume that the engineers behind the project are working on those concerns as well.
Dec 13
The chance of being able to make voice calls on planes is looking increasingly slim, with the Department of Transportation chief weighing in with his own concerns that in-air chatterboxes may not be in anybody’s best interest. The DOT’s stance is an important one, following an FCC vote discarding a technical ban on voice calls […]
Dec 13
You never know when you might need to leave a bus or a train by window. Accidents could happen. A fire could break out on board. A gun man could be threatening every passenger.
It’s often during times like this (or right after) that people would wish they had come up with something that could’ve helped the people on board out.
Designer Shi Qiang did just that with the Hammer in Hand concept design. It’s essentially a handle that doubles as a sturdy hammer that can be used to break the windows. Since it’s embedded in the hammer, people wouldn’t have to waste precious time trying to look for something they can use to to break the glass.
There would obviously be more handles than there are windows, so most passengers can grab one, break the glass, and exit the vehicle to safety.
[via Yanko Design]
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