Safety

"FORE!! Three - Two - One - Fire!" called Doug Frost, inventor of Rocketry Golf and Manager of the Rocketry Golf Organization. Then he launched his ball (on the nosecone of a model rocket) from the tee of the par-five 433-yard first hole at the Ridge Golf Club in Auburn, California. Not fazed by the uphill approach shot to the green, he placed his tee shot...err...launch... only 23 feet from the hole. Unfortunately, Doug isn't much of a regular golfer, and two-putted in for a birdie. Frost's rocketry golf replaces your golf clubs with a selection of rockets and a putter. The rockets are used to launch the ball onto the green, where the traditional putter comes back into play.  Read More

Any motocross racer knows how important it is to wear a helmet. In order for a helmet to withstand high-speed impacts, however, its ability to soak up low-speed impacts is somewhat compromised ... and low-speed impacts, even though they don’t sound quite so nasty, can still cause concussions. The ATR-1 helmet by 6D uses a series of elastomer shock absorbers to handle those hits, while reportedly still providing adequate protection against the big ones.  Read More

If there are two things cyclists have to worry about, they would be the weather and making sure cars can see them. That's why the designers at GeoSpace Studio set about building a vehicle to resolve both issues. The FireFly is a recumbent tricycle outfitted with an LED-lit dome that keeps the rider visible and protected from the elements.  Read More

Rather than awkwardly jutting out from somewhere near the front forks on a motorcycle, Jon Ostojic has created a set of turn indicators that attach to ends of the handlebar. Undeniably stylish, the MuzaMoto Turn Signals provide all-round visibility thanks to front-, rear-, side- and bottom-facing LEDs. A bolt-on version is also available for front or rear mounting.  Read More

Boeing has announced improvements to the lithium-ion batteries for its 787 Dreamliner. A series of modifications to the batteries and their casings were made in response to battery fires in mid-January aboard two 787s in Boston and over Japan that resulted in all 50 of the planes delivered to customers being grounded. According to a company press release, the modifications along with improved testing regimes should prevent a repeat of the incidents.  Read More

Workplace safety is a major concern, but training to avoid accidents often involves little more than reading manuals and watching videos before getting behind the controls of a potentially dangerous machine. University of Buffalo spinoff Tactus Technologies’ 3D Forklift Trainer uses gaming technology and software to produce a virtual environment, where beginner forklift drivers can practice without racing about a warehouse in a very heavy vehicle with prongs on it.  Read More

According to a recent study by the American Automobile Association, seven out of ten drivers admit to text messaging while driving. Combine that with a study by Virginia Tech, which concluded that texting drivers are 23.2 times more likely to be involved in an accident, and you begin to see how big of a problem it is. ORIGOSafe is one of the latest products designed to stop texting-and-driving – it won’t let your car start unless your phone is plugged into the device.  Read More

Working on arctic oil rigs and similar sites doesn't just mean putting on a jumper and a scarf. It’s arduous, exhausting and dangerous, and requires careful judgment at all times to deal with the hostile frozen environment. To make this a bit less hazardous, the Scandinavian research organization SINTEF is developing clothing equipped with sensors to monitor temperature and activity, with an eye on helping supervisors to determine when it's time for workers to stop work and return inside.  Read More

Driving under the influence is far from a rare occurrence, with an estimated 112 million people getting behind the wheel while over the limit in 2010 alone. Breathometer aims to lower that figure by providing a simple and convenient method of keeping track of your blood alcohol concentration (BAC).  Read More