Oct 29

Ford’s Driver Alert System keeps you in the right lane, recommends java on occasion

Posted in: automobile, car, Ford, safety, Today's Chili, video

It ain’t the first automaker to do so, but Ford’s taking a step in the ‘stay in your own lane!’ direction with a new technology package for the Explorer. The Driver Alert System is slated to launch in early 2012, and it’ll tout new lane keeping technologies, including a system that can help detect drowsy drivers. The goal here is to keep sleepyheads from destroying lives — be it their own or others — by suggesting that they pull over, rest and have a sip of coffee if they’ve been cruising along for an extended period of time. Furthermore, a camera setup will monitor one’s lane position, and if they drift too far away from the straight and narrow, their steering wheel will vibrate. It all sounds good and well, but the fact that a AAA survey found that over 40 percent of Americans have “fallen asleep or nodded off while driving” makes ‘staying at home’ seem like the sensible choice.

Continue reading Ford’s Driver Alert System keeps you in the right lane, recommends java on occasion

Ford’s Driver Alert System keeps you in the right lane, recommends java on occasion originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 Oct 2011 20:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 26

How to Be a Citizen Journalist Without Getting Killed

Posted in: safety, Today's Chili, top, twitter

Last night, while the local news affiliate was off refueling its helicopter, police fired tear gas into a crowd of Occupy Oakland protesters. Which made citizen journalists, who captured and distributed the action even while being assailed, themselves, suddenly indispensable. More »

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Oct 10

Stylish Motorcycle Helmet Inspired By Fashion Haircuts

Posted in: Accessories and Peripherals, Fashion, safety, Today's Chili

Stay stylish on your bike — right up until you take off your helmet to reveal a mussed mane

When it comes to motorcycle helmets, the most important thing is style, right? After all, who cares if you have a chunk of car sticking out of your forehead if your helmet looks cool?

Not Daniel Don Chang, that’s for sure. Chang’s Luxy helmet — designed for Vespa — looks more like a fancy haircut than a practical protection device.

The open-faced design features a swoosh-shaped cutout above the left eye, inspired by “mod girls and fashion hairstyles.” It also has a similar but smaller flourish around back. And while this front cutout isn’t very big, it still reveals an extra little bit of your delicate noggin to the dangers of cars and street furniture.

What this design forgets more than anything, though, is that the look of the helmet isn’t the biggest fashion problem for stylish bikers. It’s helmet hair. Who cares how awesome you look on the way to your office/date/fashion-shoot if — when you pull off your skid lid — you look less like a mod girl and more like a schoolboy who hasn’t combed his hair?

Luxy Vespa Helmet [Daniel Don Chang via Design Taxi and nmillions]

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Oct 05

Panasonic Cockpit digital dash prototype hands-on (video)

Posted in: camera, car, Cars, ceatec, hands-on, Japan, Panasonic, safety, Today's Chili, video

Sure, we may not see flying cars in our lifetime, but a mainstream digital dash is a definite possibility. The all-glass vehicle dashboard has been conceptualized by other manufacturers in the past, but this year it’s Panasonic’s turn to try its hand at building a multi-display system. The electronics maker brought its Cockpit prototype to the CEATEC floor, causing quite a stir among passersby. The dash itself was little more than a semi-functional mockup, presenting recorded rendered video on the main 20-inch LCD and dual 10.4-inch secondary displays. The main display’s current objective appears to be improving safety, using a series of cameras to eliminate blind spots and alert drivers to other road hazards. Real-time driving stats are displayed atop a video feed, either from the rear camera (when in reverse), or one up front.

We spent a few minutes behind the wheel of Panasonic’s mockup, which consisted only of a pair of (rather comfortable) leather seats, along with a trio of LCDs, which the company claims are currently based on panels used in other Panasonic products, but may eventually utilize custom displays. This wasn’t an actual vehicle prototype — only the “cockpit” was on hand. The main display will (hopefully) focus the driver’s attention away from distractions on those two smaller screens — the one in the center can be used to control standard vehicle settings like climate and entertainment, while a second display positioned directly in front of the passenger seat can play movies and other content.

Are we there yet? No, so you better get comfortable for the long drive ahead. Overall the setup looked like it could have potential, though Panasonic warned us not to expect anything final until the end of the decade (2018 at the earliest). Jump past the break for a Cockpit drive-by.

Gallery: Panasonic Cockpit LCD Dash hands-on

Continue reading Panasonic Cockpit digital dash prototype hands-on (video)

Panasonic Cockpit digital dash prototype hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 09:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 27

Ben Heck cooks up proximity sensor for cyclists, still no substitute for keeping eyes open

Posted in: arduino, mod, safety, Today's Chili

Ben Heck’s been busy — again. In the latest episode of his bi-weekly show he puts his considerable brain power to work on cycle safety. He uses Parallax ping sensors connected to an Arduino to measure whether you’re in any danger from nearby obstacles and traffic. The red and green LED indicators are hooked up to ambient light sensors so they don’t blind you while riding at night — looks like Mr. Heck’s thought of everything. This week’s episode also includes more secrets behind the prolific modder’s Android APK-based baby seat. Check out both projects after the break.

Continue reading Ben Heck cooks up proximity sensor for cyclists, still no substitute for keeping eyes open

Ben Heck cooks up proximity sensor for cyclists, still no substitute for keeping eyes open originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 21:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 23

Toyota demos Prius’ proximity notification system, touts ‘futuristic’ purr (video)

Posted in: car, demo, electric vehicle, ElectricVehicle, ev, hybrid, safety, sound, speaker, Today's Chili, Toyota, video
Silence may be a virtue under most circumstances, but not when you’re driving around a leafy, residential neighborhood in your Toyota Prius. That’s why the manufacturer came out with its very own vehicle proximity notification system last year — a “futuristic,” underhood noisemaker designed to alert pedestrians and the visually impaired to the plug-in’s presence. Now, Toyota has offered more details on its safety system, in a freshly released demo video starring the 2012 Prius V. The car’s artificial engine noise, as the company explains, only kicks in at speeds below 15 miles per hour, allowing it to broadcast its audible heads-up across parking lots or other low-speed zones. The sound itself, meanwhile, emanates from external speakers and consists of a blend of high and low frequencies that won’t be by muffled by background noise or physical obstacles. The vehicle’s pitch shift technology also enables the tone to rise in pitch as the car speeds up and to fall as it slows down, giving others an idea of how fast it’s approaching. Accelerate past the break to see the full video for yourself, while John Kerry nods in silent approval.

Continue reading Toyota demos Prius’ proximity notification system, touts ‘futuristic’ purr (video)

Toyota demos Prius’ proximity notification system, touts ‘futuristic’ purr (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 07:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 13

Volvo unveils Concept You luxury sedan, dripping with touchscreens (video)

Posted in: app, car, interface, luxury, monitor, safety, Today's Chili, touch, touchscreen, video
The Frankfurt Motor Show is underway in Germany, where Volvo has just taken the wraps off the Concept You — a new luxury sedan that features some pretty nifty, touch-based controls. Directly behind the car’s steering wheel lies a monitor that digitally displays your basic driving information, including speed and a map of your trajectory. The wheel also features some sensor enhanced panels, which you can use to adjust your radio or cruise control settings. A touch interface on the center console, meanwhile, uses an infrared sensor to pick up on any hand or eye movements before activating to bring up the system’s infotainment control mode, which boasts an unreleased FreshAir subwoofer from Alpine. From here, you can surf the web, swipe through radio stations, check for safety alerts or control your air conditioning, using only your fingers or customized gestures. Plus, there’s an extra touchscreen placed between the two rear seats, meaning your kids won’t be left out of the action, either. Cruise past the break for an exclusive video of the Concept You’s so-called smart pad technology, along with the full PR.

Continue reading Volvo unveils Concept You luxury sedan, dripping with touchscreens (video)

Volvo unveils Concept You luxury sedan, dripping with touchscreens (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 04:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 05

The Weirdest Things the FDA Thinks Will Kill You

Posted in: safety, Today's Chili, top

At first glance, the FDA’s Flickr stream of recalled products seems a bit ridiculous. But if you’re constantly on Flickr and you care about your health, the life you save could be your own. Or, you, know, the laugh. More »

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Aug 08

6 Tools to Help You Survive a Riot Mob

Posted in: military, safety, Today's Chili, top

London is burning right now as a result of riots. Someday, by some twist of fate, you might find yourself heading towards, or trying to escape from, a riot. Either way, here are 6 tools to help you survive. More »

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Aug 02

Portable device can sniff out anthrax in an hour, won’t bring the noise

Posted in: research, safety, security, Today's Chili

Got some mysterious white powder sitting on your coffee table? A new, suitcase-sized device can tell you whether you’ve got dandruff, or anthrax. Developed by researchers at Cornell and the University of Albany, the detector uses a microfluidic chip (pictured on the left) to collect and purify the DNA on a given sample, before conducting a series of polymerase chain reactions — processes that can quickly identify biological materials. The machine, which has been in the works for seven years, is powerful enough to deliver test results in just one hour (requiring a sample of only 40 microscopic spores), but is slim enough to fit in an airline’s overhead luggage bin. Scientists say their creation could also be catered to pick up on other pathogens, including salmonella, and may even pay dividends for crime scene investigators handling forensic evidence. No word yet on when the device could hit the market, but we won’t touch an ounce of sugar until it does.

Portable device can sniff out anthrax in an hour, won’t bring the noise originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PhysOrg  |  sourceCornell University  | Email this | Comments

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