http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 9:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 12:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 8:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 9:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/
This would be great in Liberty..., I mean, New York City.

]]>Apr 22nd 2008 9:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 10:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/

light cannot protect anyone...unless its high intensity laser light that shreds cars passing through it.]]>Apr 22nd 2008 10:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/
That'd stop the fuckers running red lights.]]>Apr 22nd 2008 11:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 2:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 9:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 1:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 9:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 9:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/
Another point is, emergency vehicles and such. Emergency vehicles can run a street light. This red wall might limit one's ability to react in time to slow down.

Anyone else think of something else]]>Apr 22nd 2008 9:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/
I'll give you emergency vehicles, though. However I'd imagine that these vehicles (which have entirely valid reasons to be running a red light) would be able to disable that wall when their sirens/marquees are on.]]>Apr 22nd 2008 9:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 9:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/
Welchb, as for emergency vehicles disabling the banner/wall when they approach, would that not signal to the waiting drivers that they can suddenly go? If they've been trained to always stop for the red banner and suddenly it disappears (as it does when they are allowed to enter the crosswalk area and to turn right on red), would that not be very similar to the traffic light turning green when a firetruck approaches? Maybe not exactly the same (the light itself would still be red), but it seems like the last thing an approaching emergency vehicle wants is to have the traffic in front of it feel like it can suddenly start moving. ]]>Apr 22nd 2008 10:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 10:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/
Now my question is: how will the wall of light be seen? It'll obviously have to be some kind of reflected light from something in the air...such as moisture. Green laser pointers are already visible as paths of light, even during the day, but they can damage your eye. How would you prevent someone from crossing the barrier of light and looking into the sources? Or a car passenger? Perhaps I'm missing something that was already explained by the post. ]]>Apr 22nd 2008 10:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/
]]>Apr 22nd 2008 12:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/
We already have a method for letting people know when they should or should not cross.]]>Apr 22nd 2008 9:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 9:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 9:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/
Solution: Some motorists that don't stop when humans are in front of them will stop when a harmless beam of light is.

Umm...k?]]>Apr 22nd 2008 9:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/2. Most of the pedestrians would also dally to jump back and forth through it. You'd have a bunch of blinded, flattened children in no time.
3. Expensive. Cities have lots of cross-walks.
4. How do you turn right on red?
5. Ruins the view of the city and blocks other's advertisements.

Interesting tech, stupid concept.]]>Apr 22nd 2008 9:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/2. True
3. True
4. You don't; you drive like us in England (i.e. you STOP on red!)
5. True

NB: We don't have 'jaywalking' here, Elaine, so feel free to come on over and cross wherever you like. See we've adopted Darwinism :P]]>Apr 22nd 2008 9:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 9:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 10:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 9:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 9:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 9:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 10:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/
]]>Apr 22nd 2008 11:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 10:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 8:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 10:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 1:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 10:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 10:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/
That said, you could just have the lasers point directly into the drivers' eyes so they can't see. Certainly they'll stop then.]]>Apr 22nd 2008 10:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 11:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 10:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Ken]]>Apr 22nd 2008 11:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 11:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 11:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 12:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 12:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 12:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 1:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/22/virtual-wall-concept-protects-pedestrians-livens-up-crosswalks/Apr 22nd 2008 10:28PM