Philips proposes laser-projecting lampposts to get motorists' attention

Apparently, lampposts really don't get enough credit for all they do, as not only do they provide a crucial light source for us night-owls, but we've got them to thank for WiFi hotspots, surveillance checkpoints, and if Philips has its way, on-road warning signs. The oft overlooked street lamp could be getting a bit of an upgrade according to a recent patent application from Philips, as the company envisions a "traffic information system" designed to convey messages to drivers without requiring them to look away from the road ahead. By installing a high-powered "laser" and matching it up with movable mirrors, the firm hopes to divulge pertinent information such as upcoming hazards, weather conditions, or other random tidbits of knowledge onto the pavement for drivers to view. Moreover, the units would be RF / IP controllable in order to change the messages nearly on-the-fly, giving motorists a quick heads-up about recent traffic changes or detours. Still, the premise of beaming warning signs on the road ahead sounds perfectly viable if you're on a rural two-lane at 2:00AM, but we can't imagine things being very legible when it's beaming messages onto hoods of angry commuters in your average city.

[Via New Scientist]

[patsy @ Feb 8th 2007 11:29AM]

RSS reader, anyone? Coupled with RFID, so the news would always be just ahead of you. ;-)

[NHAnimator @ Feb 8th 2007 12:04PM]

Oh what a hacker's dream!

[littlegreenguy @ Feb 8th 2007 12:32PM]

Already been done by someone from the 'underground' and generally spammy forum and bbs totse.com (with pics):

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.990185.0.rude_awakening_for_dawn_drivers.php

[Carbonize @ Feb 8th 2007 12:14PM]

Wouldn't it make more sense to display the message on the road rather than the pavement ???

[Shadyman @ Feb 8th 2007 4:29PM]

Pavement == Asphalt == Road

[Cypek @ Feb 8th 2007 12:17PM]

I am sure Google will come up next with a patent to display/burn local adverts on the windscreen/(driver's retina) after some updates to this method.

[patsy @ Feb 8th 2007 12:31PM]

In England Google could couple adwords with the microphones in the surveillance cams to display ads relating to what passers-by are talking about. Not creepy at all!

[Joel @ Feb 8th 2007 12:29PM]

...and just think of all the fun messages hackers could put on there!

[eskimo @ Feb 8th 2007 12:48PM]

All it takes is one hand-held mirror on the dash, and someone loses an eye.

"Hey honey, would you hand me my compound? Hey, what's that sign up there sa-- OH GOD MY EYE! I'M BLIND!"

Okay, not the most overly plausible thing in the world, but it's still speculation.


You know, it'll only take a few years for people to develop signs like this that tap into a car's GPS system finding out who owns it, their license and registration numbers, whether they paid the phone bill this month, how many kids they have, etc. And tailor ads for them. Minority Report, anyone?

[Poem58 @ Feb 8th 2007 1:14PM]

yeah some curious kid looks up to see where the message is coming from...BAM Instant Eye Damage/Blindness....it'd be nothing more than more or more powerful laser pointers and current low power can hurt your eyes.

[strider_mt2k @ Feb 8th 2007 1:06PM]

Heavy fog warning?

[Shane @ Feb 8th 2007 1:41PM]

Or alternatively, in heavy fog, instead of crappy email warnings about your mother upset about her computer not working (tell me you haven't gotten those, how did she send the damn email?), it instead lights up the lines for the lanes so you can still see them in the worst conditions.

[eskimo @ Feb 8th 2007 1:57PM]

Or if the fog was thick enough, there'd just be this eery, displaced red glow in the cloud that makes you want to stop in your tracks like a dead horse.

[thesawzall @ Feb 8th 2007 1:59PM]

"warning signs on the road ahead"...
there's a lot of people saying we'd be better off dead

Sorry, I just had to.

[K @ Feb 8th 2007 3:08PM]

If they're going to throw high-powered lasers at drivers, could they at least throw in free drive-by LASIK?

[mj @ Feb 8th 2007 3:16PM]

You know, I have one simple request. And that is to have LAMPPOSTS with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads!