We posted a while back talking about driverless cars that could interact with one another, but what about cars that interact with the roads themselves? The same technology is being looked at as a safer, more efficient form of traffic regulation. We all know how traffic lights work, the light changes based on a timer and we rely on the drivers to obey the signal. Now with the technology being put into cars, they are looking at replacing the standard traffic light with sensors that can "speak" with your car. The car would transmit information about speed, position, etc. the traffic light would then decide to send a signal back to your car that is the safest and most efficient choice based on traffic patterns. So your car may continue driving through the intersection, or the car may begin to slow down, as the light will decide to let another lane of cars through. Now of course this technology can't be implemented until all the cars on the road are equipped with driverless technology, but they estimate in another fifty to sixty years that is the world we could be looking at. The other possibility is to have specific lanes and roadways for driverless cars only, this way this type of travel could be possible even with today's standard of automobile still on the road.
Have you been thinking about getting the new iPhone 6 Plus? Worried it might be a little too big to fit comfortably in your pants pocket? You’re not alone in that fear, the iPhone 6 Plus is pretty large. Don’t fret though; you have some options to consider. Option one, you can get the smaller iPhone 6, but then again why sacrifice all that screen real estate just for the ease of fitting in your pocket? Option two seems much more logical. Option two is you can purchase your phone in China from China Unicom who offers a unique service. The carrier has employed tailors to set up shop at their retail stores, and any customer purchasing an iPhone 6 Plus can get a free “pocket enlargement” to assure a nice smooth fit into those pants pockets of yours. The choice seems obvious to me, enlarge those pockets so you can enjoy a slightly bigger screen on your phone. See you all at the nearest China Unicom store!
For a lot of us biking to work sounds like a great way to save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and avoid a lot of pesky traffic. The problem for some of us though is that it also takes a lot of work. Well, a Boston based start up company called Superpedestrian started shipping a new product earlier this year that takes some of the work out of bike commuting. It’s called the Copenhagen Wheel, and it turns your human powered bike into a human/electric hybrid. The Copenhagen Wheel snaps onto a typical twenty-six inch bike wheel. The wheel is controlled with a simple smart phone app; it also learns about your pedaling style as you ride. When it senses that you are going down hill, it will help you brake and as doing such it will recharge itself and store some energy. Then, conversely, when it senses you’re going up hill, it will kick in that stored energy and assist you going up that hill taking some of the work off you and your legs. The accompanying app allows you to control how the added boost works, maybe you want a constant added push, or a boost just when going up hills, or maybe you want to stay at a constant speed without doing all the work yourself; the app will allow you to do that. So if you’ve considered biking but just think it’ll be too much on your legs, consider looking into the Copenhagen Wheel.
If you could be a police officer anywhere in the world, where would it be? If you said Dubai I’d have to agree with you. Dubai’s police force gets some of the coolest toys and tech in the world when it comes to their issued equipment. As if it wasn’t enough that Dubai police got to drive Lamborghinis and Bugattis outfitted with police light bars as their cruisers, now they also get to rock Google Glass. Dubai police will now wear Google Glass equipped with facial recognition software to help identify criminals in real time without having to call it in, or consult a computer. I guess what I’m saying is that someone else needs to start writing these blogs because I’m going to apply to be an officer in Dubai.
When it comes to green commuting it’s hard to beat a bicycle. There is a new contender hitting the streets however. UK based company Airwheel, and US based Ryno Motors are making unicycles for commuters. My first reaction was that it would never work because if you’ve ever ridden a unicycle they are difficult to ride. These companies have taken the hassle out of it by adding a gyroscope to take care of balance and steering. They have also removed the seat so you can ride it to the bus or train, stash it under your seat and then grab it again to get from your mass transit ride, to your door. The new unicycle works kind of like a Segway; you shift your weight to accelerate and decelerate along with steer. They haven’t made a big showing here in the US yet, but some UK postal services are implementing them for aid in delivering mail. I personally never jumped on the Segway train, but I could get behind this little transportation gadget. No seat, no handles, small and unassuming, it seems like a potential perfect storm for sidewalk commuting.
