Safety
Pepper-spray may deter bears better than guns
March 27, 2008 New analysis from Brigham Young University suggests that those traveling in bear territory may be better off leaving the guns at home and packing pepper-spray instead. The bears, we expect, agree. Read More
CIRT provides more punch for urban search and rescue
Image Gallery (3 images)
Designed for urban search and rescue operations, Raytheon's Controlled Impact Rescue Tool (CIRT) uses concentrated shockwaves to penetrate concrete and rubble far more quickly than drilling, sawing or chipping. In a recent demonstration it penetrated a concrete barrier in 13 minutes, while competing methods achieved a similar result only after 29 minutes.
ArmoRight: buoyancy vest meets lightweight body armor
Image Gallery (2 images)
March 25, 2008 Designed and engineered by a retired Navy SEAL, ArmoRight™ is a lightweight body armor system for use in marine environments that combines protection from from handgun, rifle and shrapnel threats with neutral or positive buoyancy capabilities. Read More
Baby Light & Clip: stress-free nail trimming
Image Gallery (4 images)
March 10, 2008, New parents have enough to worry about without trying to cut their newborn’s tiny fingernails with traditional clippers or scissors. It’s hard enough managing to get hold of their little fingers, let alone stressing about accidents and as baby’s fingernails grow quickly, you’ll have to trim them about once a week. Read More
Nestt: a car seat designed for the 21st century
Image Gallery (12 images)
March 6, 2008 Innovative industrial design company think/thing has designed a car seat which is not only functional but also ticks all the boxes in terms of beauty and design. The colorful egg-shaped Nestt is a safe and easy-to-use car seat for your baby or toddler. Made from a closed cell polymer material that's easy to clean, breathable and soft due to the incorporated air-pockets, the unique shock absorbent design provides side impact protection and features a cast-metal base which snaps into the car’s latch system and allows you to swivel the seat with one hand and rotate it towards the car door. If you’ve ever tried to put a squirming child into a car seat you will immediately see the benefits of being able to swivel them towards you to secure or release them.
Mazda Advanced Safety Vehicle 4 to begin public road trials
Image Gallery (12 images)
February 23, 2008 Mazda has announced it will put new vehicle-to-vehicle safety technology to the test in the Hiroshima area from March 11 as part of the fourth phase of its Advanced Safety Vehicle project. Read More
Kiddo proximity alarm system offers parents peace of mind
Image Gallery (3 images)
February 19, 2008 Smart Target has developed a wireless proximity alarm system designed to boost child safety by helping parents quickly locate wayward young ones and keep them within a pre-set "virtual fence". Read More
Radar car collision prevention systems put to the test
Image Gallery (3 images)
February 15, 2008 British Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre Thatcham has put three of the car industry’s most hyped collision prevention technologies to the test – and they’ve emerged with flying colors. The Volvo City Safety, Mercedes Distronic Plus, and Honda CMBS use radar systems to mitigate and prevent low speed collisions – which, as a category, make up 75% of all motor accidents. Read More
KickTrak counts baby's kicks for you
Image Gallery (3 images)
February 11, 2008 The American Pregnancy Organization recommends that mothers-to- be pay close attention to the inter-uterine movements, rolls and kicks of their unborn child, as this is a good indication that all is well with their baby. If fetal movement changes significantly or there are less than ten movements within two hours it could be an indication of problems. Many obstetricians recommend daily monitoring, particularly from 26 weeks and there is good reason to do so, as stillbirths claim a shocking 70 lives per day in the United States. Read More
Boon's Flo faucet cover offers safety and fun at bathtime
Image Gallery (4 images)
January 29, 2008 The design team from Boon Inc. has developed a multi-functional faucet cover which meets a number of bath time needs: it may help prevent injury, has a cascading waterfall that tots will love and delivers bubbles at the touch of a button. Read More
Dainese tests electronically operated airbag system for motorcycle racing
Image Gallery (12 images)
More than 10 years in the making, the Dainese D-Air Racing system is a new type of rider protection technology that uses a series of accelerometers and electronically operated rate gyros to deploy an airbag mounted in the aerodynamic hump of a leather racing suit when things go wrong on the racetrack. Taking only 40 milliseconds to trigger, the system provides protection for the neck, shoulder and collarbone, cushioning the falling rider before they hit the ground. Airbags have recently appeared into the world of motorcycles with examples like Honda’s airbag-equipped Goldwing and ripcord-operated inflating jackets from Motoair and Hit-Air. The difference with the Dainese system - which is currently aimed specifically at the racing environment - is that it does not require any connection to the motorcycle, kicking-in during front low-side, back lowside or high-side falls. Read More
Ford Mondeo gets Adaptive Cruise Control
Image Gallery (2 images)
January 23, 2008 Ford has announced that its new Mondeo will get Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) technology as an option. The adoption of ACC technology, which has appeared previously in cars such as Volvo's S80 and more recently the new Jaguar XF, provides a significant safety boost by maintaining a pre-set distance from the vehicle in front and automatically decelerating when another vehicle enters this buffer zone. One the pre-set distance is renewed the vehicle then accelerates back to cruising speed. Read More
Calair wildfire protection system
Image Gallery (3 images)
January 17, 2007 Wildfire has long been a difficult and dangerous problem to manage and weather extremes around the globe in recent years have seen have seen large-scale fire disasters effect the lives of people from California to Greece. In Australia, the world's driest continent, where bushfire is a familiar threat, a D.I.Y., from-the-ground-up protection system for homes has been developed incorporating dedicated sprinkler heads for different areas of the house linked to strategically placed, automatic heat sensors.
Blaupunkt debuts micro rear view camera
Image Gallery (3 images)
January 15, 2008 Blaupunkt has announced its first foray into the automotive rear-view camera arena with a tiny unit designed for fast mounting on most vehicles and simple connection to a wide variety of in-car video and navigation display devices. Read More
High-tech doll to assist brain injury research
Image Gallery (3 images)
January 14, 2008 Researchers in forensic medicine at the University of Oslo are learning more about brain injuries in infants caused by shaking with the assistance of a very high-tech doll. Read More
Hand-held lightning detector and storm warning device
Image Gallery (3 images)
January 7, 2007 Looking more like a garage door remote control than any sort of scientific device, this lightning detector from SkyScan has the ability to detect the characteristic electromagnetic emissions from individual lightning strikes actual and determine how far away it is and whether it is moving towards you or away from you. With a 40 mile range of detection, the device gives the user ample time to seek shelter in the event of a lightning storm. Read More
HawkEye drug-recognition tool aids law enforcement
Image Gallery (3 images)
January 5, 2008 The AcuNetx HawkEye law enforcement system, which magnifies and records tell-tale signs of drug intoxication in a suspect’s pupils, has been awarded two separate patents by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The tool is now being used by highway patrol officers and at sobriety checkpoints across the U.S.A. Read More
Self-powered biosensor wins iGEM Environmental award
Image Gallery (2 images)
December 10, 2007 A team of students from the University of Glasgow have designed the world’s first self-powered biosensor as part of the international Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. The device, which took first prize in the Environment section of the awards, would have the ability to detect toxic leaks in environments that are unsuitable for humans and could be used as an early warning system in a range of industrial applications. Read More
QinetiQ trials remote-controlled fire fighting vehicles
Image Gallery (2 images)
December 5, 2007 QinetiQ has developed specialized remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) with fire fighting capabilities that can operate in environments that would be unsafe for firefighters. Currently undergoing a six month trial commissioned by Network Rail and the London Fire Brigade, the vehicles are designed to combat the specific issue of fires close to railway tracks that involve Acetylene cylinders - a problem that has been on the rise in the past year causing major delays to commuters. Read More
New Toyota driving simulator: the world's biggest arcade game?
Image Gallery (6 images)
December 1, 2007 Toyota has unveiled a huge driving simulator designed to recreate realistic driving environments and further the analysis of driving habits and reactions for the development of active safety technology. Read More
Remote controlled, multi-tasking climbing machine
Image Gallery (3 images)
November 21, 2007 Robotics offers the perfect solution for dangerous tasks that can involve risk to life and limb and often impose huge economic costs. Climbing, in a range of scenarios, is one of those tasks and machines are increasingly offering a safe and efficient alternative in a number of industrial situations. Following several field deployments in 2007, International Climbing Machines (ICM) has announced the success of its uniquely designed climbing machines - portable, remote-controlled devices that can scale virtually any vertical or inverted surface - in difficult assignments including remote measuring and climbing the surfaces of C-5 and C-137 airplanes, decontaminating a vessel in a Nuclear Power Plant, and demonstrating the machines’ ability to climb and remove paint from concrete walls for the Department Of Energy (DoE).
Mobile explosives detection system ships to Middle East
Image Gallery (3 images)
November 20, 2007 Reveal Imaging Technologies, Inc., has announced its first shipment of Mobile CT-80 automated explosives detection system (EDS) to a government customer in the Middle East. Read More
Life saving Nebulus floatation device
Image Gallery (2 images)
November 19, 2007 Over 50 deaths per year in the US and Canada are attributed to drowning when snowmobiles and ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) crash through thin ice. In an effort to significantly reduce the risk of such tragedies occurring, the University of Minnesota in partnership with JTW Associates have developed the Nebulus Emergency Flotation Device - a self-inflating shell that deploys quickly and allows a water or ice rescue to be performed by one person without waiting for back up. Read More
Tarsier runway debris detection system in first commercial trail
Image Gallery (2 images)
October 15, 2007 A 24-hour debris detection system that continuously scans airport runways and raises the alarm when foreign objects are detected is undergoing its first commercial trial in the United States. QinetiQ’s Tarsier system is undergoing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tests at TF Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island.
"Lab-on-a-chip" breakthrough for on-site diagnostics
Image Gallery (2 images)
October 1, 2007 A Californian based company has produced the world’s first disposable photonic lab-on-a-chip solution for next-generation water and food analysis, chemical and biological agent detection, and point-of-care diagnostics. The PhotonicLab Platform from Bioident Technology Inc. enables rapid in-vitro diagnostics, chemical and biological threat detection, and environmental testing without the need for off-site lab analysis. This offers greater mobility and sensitivity compared to existing biological and chemical assays and delivers a cost-effective disposable lab-on-a-chip solution by eliminating the need for complex and expensive readout systems. Read More
Volvo to unveil new safety technology at Frankfurt Motor Show
Image Gallery (2 images)
August 29, 2007 World-first driver alertness technology that includes automated lane departure warnings and a new collision warning system with auto braking will be among the innovations unveiled by Volvo at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Read More
GPS platform shoes feature hidden safety compartments
Image Gallery (2 images)
August 23, 2007 These shoes are certainly not going to compete with the likes of Jimmy Choo or Manolo Blahnik in the fashion stakes, but could they be a safety boost for women? With an inbuilt GPS, an audible alarm system and storage for your valuables the Platform 001 sandals could definitely be beneficial in protecting against muggings or to locate ladies in the case of emergency. Read More
Nissan boosts pedestrian protection
Image Gallery (2 images)
August 6, 2007 Every year an estimated 780,000 pedestrians die worldwide in automobile accidents – that’s 65% of total automobile related fatalities. This tragic level of pedestrian injuries affects the GDP of countries by 1-3% and exceeds malnutrition, war, and liver cancer as an international cause of death. With a forecast of 60 million further injuries and six million deaths over the next decade in developing countries, car manufacturers like Nissan are investing in ways to curb this trend such as the “pop-up hood” - a safety measure to be introduced for the first time in the the Skyline coupe scheduled for release in Japan this year. Read More
Handheld safety devices provide emergency-out in car accidents
Image Gallery (2 images)
August 6, 2006 More than 43,000 people died in car accidentsin the US during 2005 – 500 of whom died as a result of being trapped in their vehicle before rescue teams could extricate them. In case of a collision, many buses buses and trains are equipped with emergency hammers, but the average trapped automobile driver has to wait for the Jaws of Life to arrive with emergency services – leaving them vulnerable to further injury from leaking batteries or fuels, unexploded airbags or debris whilst still trapped in the vehicle. LifeHammer and ResQMe are personal devices to cut through seat belts and punch out windows that are designed to form an effective first line of defense in case the unthinkable, but statistically likely, happens. Read More
SANYO car reversing camera improves rear-view perspective
Image Gallery (2 images)
August 3, 2007 Backing up your vehicle is often a "hit or miss" situation and relying on guesswork can lead to expensive vehicle damage or even danger to life and limb. SANYO's new CCA-BC200 rear view backup camera system with AirCam technology is a new rear view camera that employs advanced digital processing to deliver accurate, natural-looking rear view images. Freed from distorted wide angle images and hard-to-interpret "fish-eye" perspectives, the camera is designed to enable drivers to negotiate tight spots and make critical back-up manoeuvres with safety and confidence.
The CCA-BC200 digitally creates visual guidelines that appear on your car's video monitor screen (monitor not included). These helpful guidelines make it easy to align your car while backing into parking spaces or parallel parking. Guidelines include vehicle width and distance indicators at two, four and eight feet.
EU to debate 101mph speed limit for all new cars
Image Gallery (2 images)
July 2, 2007 Could the age of the fire-breathing sports car be coming to an end? With cars like the Bugatti Veyron and Koenigsegg CCX starting to break the 400km/h mark straight out of the crate and governments around the world continually lowering speed limits in an effort to decrease road trauma, high-speed motoring passion is on a clear collision course with road safety and emission control sensibility. This battle is now set to take center stage at the European Union where parliamentarians are gearing up to debate the merits of a plan that would see new cars limited to 162km/h (101mph) top speeds if they want Euro approval. Read More
Bicycle helmets - a road safety hazard?
Image Gallery (2 images)
May 14, 2007 A British scientist has proved that wearing a bicycle helmet actually exposes cyclists to further risk. Overtaking traffic passed helmeted cyclists with significantly less room than unhelmeted cyclists - and the bigger the vehicle, the closer the average passing distance was. As civilised as we pretend to be elsewhere, we consistently act like might is right on our roads. Read More
New table saw can tell the difference between wood and hands
Image Gallery (2 images)
May 7, 2007 Table saws are involved in more than 60,000 accidents every year in the United States alone - an accident every nine minutes, costing US$2 billion before you consider the pain and disruption. Now a small Oregon company is changing woodworking professionals’ jobs with a table saw that only cuts wood – not fingers. The company has invented a table saw that immediately retracts the blade when it touches a finger, making woodworking safer and eliminating painful and very costly medical procedures. When the blade touches a finger (or something else that conducts electrical current), the current drops and engages a brake. As the blade’s teeth sink into the brake, the momentum forces the blade to drop below the table. The entire process takes only three milliseconds, which is a fraction of the time it takes to blink your eye. Read More
Golden Helmet for Italian Dindo Capello
Image Gallery (2 images)
December 14, 2006 Audi factory driver Dindo Capello has received the "Golden Helmet” from Italian motorsport magazine Autosprint, acknowledging the 2006 American Le Mans Series title won by the Italian with the Audi R10 TDI. "In Italy, the ‘Casco d’oro’ is the ‘Oscar of motorsport’, that’s why this award means a lot to me,” explained the two-time Le Mans winner who was handed the trophy in Bologna last Saturday. Read More
BRP BV2S Snowmobile Helmet Concept
Image Gallery (4 images)
August 11, 2006 In the beginning, snowmobile helmets were motorcycle helmets, often failing to meet the injury protection standards of the day, and invariably quite unsuitable for the severe winter conditions encountered snowmobiling. In addition to the extreme windchill factor, the most pressing problem with adapting a motorcycle helmet to snowmobiling is the fogging of the visor, which caused many a heart palpitation as riders attempted to lift the visor to defog it or risked the inevitable of riding with partially obscured vision in what is essentially a sight-response sport. Bombardier Recreational Products has been working in the recreational product field for a long time now and in recent times its inspired recreational machine concepts for 2025 have been a huge hit with Gizmag fans, most notably in the form of the Embrio One-Wheel Concept and recreational watercraft. The BV2S is a helmet system designed to offer an improved experience when riding a snowmobile and represents the best effort so far to tackle the issues of breathing out and maintaining a crystal clear visor. Read More
