CarAccident
Latest
Panasonic details radar-based technology that can detect collisions in low light
Collision detection for cars? Yeah, scientists are on that. But whenever we read about concepts like this, the accompanying literature is often curiously light on details pertaining to real-life driving conditions; it's often unclear how well the tech will fare if you dredge it up on a foggy day, or in the middle of torrential storm. But in that press release you see down there, low visibility and poorly lit roads are all Panasonic wants to talk about. The company just unveiled its new crash-avoidance system, which, like other concepts we've seen, uses millimeter-wave radar technology to detect pedestrians and bicyclists. Since humans tend to reflect weaker radar signals than cars, Panasonic has designed a new pulse radar code sequence that allows pedestrians to leave a bigger footprint. It's so effective, the company claims, that it can detect bystanders up to 40 meters (131 feet) away, and will work at night and through rain, fog, snow and blinding sunlight. That all sounds promising, of course, but as with other concepts, it's not clear, when, exactly we'll see this system put to good use in the real world.
Roadkill MacBook Pro keeps on keepin' on
Vermont-based blacksmith Jim Fecteau uses his 17" MacBook Pro as a business and teaching tool, and he fully intended to have it handy at a smiths' meeting in Rhode Island... however, one teensy problem, he left it on top of his truck as he drove away from home. Oops. After fruitless searching on the home end, he chalked it up as a loss.Enter Small Dog Electronics, longtime Mac vendor in Burlington, VT. A good Samaritan turned the laptop in and SD contacted Fecteau, who came to pick up the patient. Unfortunately, the laptop had been run over by his trailer, and we all know that's gonna leave a mark. A good chunk of the screen is unusable, and the DVD drive has played its last, but the machine is still operable (!) and could be repaired to full working order. Fecteau would like to go for one of the new Santa Rosa machines, and who can blame him?You can see several more examples of "Mac meets immovable object" physics experiments at Small Dog's 'Maccident' Flickr pool.[via Small Dog Barkings]Thanks Doug
