DJ Hero Review
A laptop generating a little too much waste heat (Photo: secumem via Wikipedia Commons) Harnessing waste heat to produce electricity
The Snowtunnel - an indoor snowboarding experience. Snowboarding through the summertime: the Snowtunnel
The ECOS Harbinger - a simple, no-fuss electric supercar. The ECOS Harbinger - an electric, Euro-styled supercar for under US$90,000
The nanoscale resonators developed at Cornell can exert relatively strong forces on tiny p... Light resonators used to move nano-sized objects
Nissan's LandGlider Narrow track vehicles - the convergence of the car and the motorcycle
MORE TOP STORIES »

Safety

« Prev 1 2 3 4 5 Next »
MOTORCYCLES

Honda demonstrates V2V communication system for motorcyclists

By Noel McKeegan

20:52 October 22, 2008 PDT

Honda demonstrates V2V communication system for motorcyclists

No matter what your skill level, being aware of what's going on around you is THE most critical safety factor for all road users - if you don't see it coming, you are in big trouble. For motorcyclists, who are simply less visible on the roads and face a much greater risk of death or serious injury in the event that an accident does occur, this factor becomes even more important. In the past, the technology dedicated to inter-vehicle communication has been limited to blowing the horn or perhaps catching a radio report of an accident up ahead, but things are changing fast. This brings us to Honda's latest innovation in the field. The company has debuted a new Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication (V2V) system aimed at reducing road casualties of both motorcyclists and car drivers which links vehicles within a defined radio range via a wireless LAN network to provide immediate access to data on vehicle location, accidents, congestion or other potential threats that lie ahead. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Mercedez-Benz adaptive high-beam assistant

By Darren Quick

22:42 October 19, 2008 PDT

Click to enlarge

We’ve all nearly been blinded and had to flash our high beams at oncoming drivers who have failed to dip their lights, but Mercedes-Benz' latest adaptive lighting innovation could help end of such dangerous incidents by taking driver error out of the equation. The newly developed high-beam assistant system uses a dash-mounted camera to automatically adapt headlamp range to the distance of other vehicles, meaning drivers will at all times benefit from optimum headlamp range by becoming aware of danger spots, pedestrians and other road users more easily and more quickly. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Honda's smarter dummy

By Emily Clark

23:59 October 16, 2008 PDT

Honda POLAR III

Looking like a fresh version of “Buster” from the hit TV show Mythbusters, Honda’s third generation pedestrian crash-test dummy, POLAR III, is the latest tool in the company's quest to enhance safety testing procedures on its vehicles in order to reduce upper leg and lower back injuries which are common in collisions between pedestrians and four wheel drive vehicles and mini-vans. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Ford MyKey lets parents set the maximum speed of their kid’s car

By Emily Clark

18:15 October 8, 2008 PDT

Ford MyKey lets parents set the maximum speed of their kid’s car

Ford Motor Company has announced a new safety feature to be added to its vehicles that will help parents encourage young drivers to be more responsible on the road. MyKey aims to promote safe driving, particularly amongst teens, by encouraging seat belt use, limiting speed and reducing distractions. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Toyota to introduce rear-window curtain airbag

By Noel McKeegan

19:49 September 30, 2008 PDT

Toyota rear-window curtain shield airbag

Toyota has developed a world first rear-window curtain shield airbag designed to protect the heads of back seat passengers in the event of a rear-end collision. The new system is slated for inclusion in the iQ ultra-compact four-seater due on the market next year. Read More

BABY GIZMO

World’s first pure merino baby swaddle

By Jude Garvey

19:15 September 22, 2008 PDT

Cocooi baby swaddle helps keep baby safe and warm

The Cocooi baby swaddle is made from super-fine, unbleached merino fabric which has the ability to regulate a newborn baby’s body temperature, therefore reducing the risk of overheating. The merino fibers used in the Cocooi are extremely fine (just one-tenth the thickness of human hair) and their natural crimp produces millions of pockets in the fabric in which air is captured and circulated. Read More

GOOD THINKING

Create the Future Design Contest: re-thinking the wheel

By Noel McKeegan

22:09 September 18, 2008 PDT

Create the Future Design Contest: re-thinking the wheel

The NASA Tech Briefs Create the Future Design Contest began in 2002 as a platform for encouraging innovation in product design among engineers, entrepreneurs, and students around the globe. The 2008 competition is open until October 17, but already this year's entries have produced some very thought provoking product ideas and we'll be exploring some of the standouts in detail over coming weeks. The first cab off the rank is an attempt, in fact two attempts, to do what else but reinvent the wheel. German student Caspar Schmitz has designed a castor with an additional axis that could see your shopping trolleys glide over bumps instead of grinding to an abrupt halt. Also in Caspar's portfolio is the transformable wheel chair, an application of "the transformable wheel", a concept which allows a wheel made of flexible plastic to take on an ellipsoid shape when circumstances require a lower center-of-gravity. Read More

GOOD THINKING

Storm Safe hurricane shelter

By Emily Clark

17:54 September 15, 2008 PDT

Storm Safe hurricane shelter

Recent horrific weather conditions in Northern and Central America have seen many people displaced, injured and even killed - most recently by Hurricane Ike. While early evacuation is always the best option, it can't hurt to have a plan B along the lines of the Storm Safe, a floating, hexagon-shaped hurricane shelter made from heavy aluminum plate that's designed to protect you in the event of a large storm. Read More

OUTDOORS

Cy-Fi Bluetooth wireless sports speaker

By Noel McKeegan

00:25 September 11, 2008 PDT

Cy-Fi wireless sports speaker

There's nothing like strapping on the earphones and cranking up your favorite tunes to help you through a serious bout of exercise, but in many outdoor scenarios, especially cycling, this can become a major safety risk by preventing you from hearing traffic noise and other potential hazards that might not be visible. This is the thinking that inspired Los Angeles entrepreneur Jeff Lotman to invent the Cy-Fi Bluetooth wireless sports speaker, a palm-sized unit that attaches to a bike or backpack and wirelessly transmits music and phone calls from Bluetooth enabled devices. Read More

BABY GIZMO

Pipila UV portable sterilizer: clean baby’s pacifier safely

By Jude Garvey

23:13 September 7, 2008 PDT

Pipila pacifier sterilizer

The Pipila is a colorful, portable pacifier sterilizer that is said to kill 99.9% of germs on a baby’s pacifier. The unit uses a patented UV/O3 (ozone) sterilizing lamp combination to break down the cell walls of most germs and then destroy the cells’ nuclei, leaving you with a clean dummy in about 6 minutes. The unit will not change the shape of the pacifier teat, won’t leave it smelling like a chemical laboratory and better still, won’t leave a nasty taste in your baby’s mouth. Read More

BABY GIZMO

Hushamok: a stylish, snug and safe baby bed

By Jude Garvey

07:54 August 17, 2008 PDT

The Hushamok hammock

The Hushamok hammock gives new parents the best of both worlds. It is not just an unusual and stylish piece of furniture for the nursery; it is also designed to enable your baby to sleep safely and soundly on their back during those vital early years of life. Read More

ROBOTICS

iRobot Negotiator civil response robot

By Emily Clark

08:46 August 11, 2008 PDT

iRobot Negotiator

Best known to Gizmag readers for its range of home helper bots, iRobot is now expanding its line-up to include the growing need for public safety robots. The new iRobot Negotiator is a low-cost, tactical robot designed to meet the basic reconnaissance needs of public safety professionals, such as police and fire departments, counter-terrorism forces and domestic security experts. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Nissan's All-Around Collision Free prototype

By Noel McKeegan

08:48 August 7, 2008 PDT

Back-up Collision Prevention Operation

Nissan has unveiled an "All-Around Collision Free" system that rolls two new safety technologies in with those already developed under its Safety Shield program. The new additions are a Side Collision Prevention (SCP), which assists the driver when changing lanes, and Back-up Collision Prevention (BCP), which automatically sounds a warning and applies the brakes if a collision is imminent during a reversing maneuver. Read More

BABY GIZMO

Grobag's Egg digital room thermometer

By Jude Garvey

04:19 August 5, 2008 PDT

Grobag's Egg Digital Room Thermometer warns parents if the room is too hot or cold

The Grobag egg is a digital room thermometer with a difference. The egg-shaped unit changes color if the room temperature changes from the recommended guidelines of between 61-67°F (16-20°C) and it also has a clear digital readout which gives the exact temperature of baby’s room. If the room is at the right temperature, the egg will glow yellow but as soon as the conditions change the egg changes color. Read More

GOOD THINKING

Hirsch Electronics' versatile building security solution

By Jude Garvey

17:27 July 14, 2008 PDT

Hirsch Verification Station authenticates identity by smart card, identification number an...

Increasingly, building managers and government organizations are finding they have to adopt more sophisticated security systems to protect their employees, customers and buildings from security threats. Recognizing the need for flexibility on this arena, Hirsch Electronics has manufactured the Verification Station- a high-security, multi-purpose biometric system which allows a building administrator to select and change at will the means of entry to a building if the security situation is heightened. Employees may be required to use smart cards or fingerprints or they may have to use a number of authentication processes, perhaps their finger and smart card or their finger, smart card and identification code. Read More

GOOD THINKING

Reptile friendly tunnel improves road safety for the cold blooded

By Emily Clark

23:23 June 25, 2008 PDT

Tunnel design helps the Common Lizard

A new tunnel designed by multi-disciplinary consultancy firm Scott Wilson will allow reptiles to pass under the road at a UK airport to ensure their safety. The tunnel was created with the reptiles’ biology in mind, providing a warm and inviting space to enter using LED lighting and heating coils. Read More

PET GIZMOS

Halo Pet Safety System for cars

By Emily Clark

20:44 June 19, 2008 PDT

Halo Pet Safety System

Designed in response to a tragic story of two much-loved dogs that died in a car due to heat stroke, the Halo Pet Safety System from Sisters of Invention uses sensor technology and an alarm to keep animals safe. Read More

GOOD THINKING

ProActive smart safety helmet

By Emily Clark

19:14 June 8, 2008 PDT

ProActive safety helmet

A young industrial designer has created a new type of safety helmet for the construction industry that is a little smarter than most. The “ProActive” helmet features a flexible inner layer that remains soft and comfortable during normal use, but immediately becomes hard and shock-absorbent when subjected to impact. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Audi offers SmartBeam headlight system

By Kyle Sherer

18:13 June 2, 2008 PDT

SmartBeam automates main beam use to optimize forward lighting

June 3, 2008 Audi will offer the Gentex SmartBeam system as an option on the A4, A5 and Q7 models, to be released this spring. The SmartBeam High-Beam Headlamp Assist system, or “Fernlichtassistent”, uses a miniature camera to automate a vehicle’s high beams at night. Read More

AROUND THE HOME

Laddersmart: enhanced safety for the upwardly mobile

By Emily Clark

23:45 May 22, 2008 PDT

Laddersmart safety devce

In the UK alone an average of 14 deaths and 1200 major injuries* are suffered by workers each year in accidents involving ladders and stepladders. The Laddersmart safety device is designed to help combat this ongoing problem in relation to rooftop access, locking the top of the ladder firmly into place and protecting the gutter at the same time. Read More

BABY GIZMO

Tummy Shield seat belt keeps mother and baby safe

By Jude Garvey

19:13 May 8, 2008 PDT

Tummy Shield
 Photos: www.tummyshield.com.au

According to a recent study by the University of Michigan, if all pregnant women wore a car seatbelt, approximately 200 fetuses could be saved each year and an estimated 370 fetuses die as a result of car crashes each year in the United States. However, stretching a seat belt across a growing abdomen is not the easiest job, nor is the belt comfortable across your tummy. A team of Australian engineers has come up with a novel seat belt especially for pregnant women. Unlike traditional seat belts which fit across the abdomen, the Tummy Shield is designed to be worn around the thighs, therefore protecting the abdomen from trauma resulting from a car collision. Read More

MILITARY

Demron lightweight, lead-free radiation-proof suit

By Kyle Sherer

18:05 May 8, 2008 PDT

Full-body Demron suit 
 Photo: Business Wire

May 9, 2008 Radiation Shield Technologies has been granted a new patent for Demron, the protective garment that shields users from alpha and beta radiation, gamma rays, x-rays, and other nuclear emissions. The flexible, cool, and lightweight suit provides all the protection of a lead apron with a new level of comfort, and without any dermal or inhalation risks. Read More

AROUND THE HOME

Slim-line designer smoke alarm

By Noel McKeegan

19:43 May 5, 2008 PDT

Size comparison: Silhouette Smoke alarm v conventional model

May 6, 2008 Smoke alarms are an absolutely essential household item, and although we've seen some clever innovations in recent years including units that talk, models that clip onto light fittings and even plans for smell based alarms to aid those with hearing impairments, most designs remain a bit of an eyesore when it comes to complementing modern decor. The Silhouette™ by Kidde is looking to change this impression by virtue of its sleek, low-profile form that aims to better blend in with its surroundings. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Three decades of enhanced vehicle safety: ABS turns 30

By Noel McKeegan

01:38 April 29, 2008 PDT

The benefits of ABS in the wet
 Image: Bosch

April 29, 2008 It's now three decades - and an untold number of near-misses - since Bosch introduced the first-production line electronic antilock braking system (ABS), a safety feature that's almost taken for granted in modern automobiles. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Volkswagen demonstrates fully-automatic reverse parking system

By Noel McKeegan

22:34 April 22, 2008 PDT

Volkswagen's Park Assist Vision system

Minor collisions as a result of parking mishaps are a common, costly and extremely frustrating occurrence and for several years auto manufacturers including BMW have indicated that solutions that take human error out of the equation are on the way. The latest news in the area comes from Volkswagen, which has demonstrated its “Park Assist Vision” system at this year’s Hanover Fair. The fully-automatic, remotely-operated self-parking system lets you get out of the car and watch as it backs itself into even the skinniest of perpendicular spaces, using cameras located in the left and right exterior mirrors to gauge the dimensions of the parking area available and communicate this information to the computerized steering and drive systems. Read More

« Prev 1 2 3 4 5 Next »
 
Editors Choice
Recent Comments