Something that will always be in flux, similar to the change of seasons, is technology. And, as the weather outside gets a lot less frightful and transitions into what some feel is absolutely delightful, last week Panasonic (News - Alert) debuted its innovative radar technology that will significantly up the ante on traffic safety systems, helping to keep our loved ones completely safe while they get some much needed exercise and stress relief. The radar technology can accurately pinpoint both humans and vehicles within tens of meters.
This millimeter-wave offering has been created from the ground up to locate objects outdoors when it is virtually impossible to see even your hand in front of your face in situations including night, rain, snow, and extreme sunlight.
In fact, when seamlessly integrated into traffic surveillance sensors located at intersections, this technology will enhance automotive safety by alerting drivers where pedestrians and bicycles are in relation to drivers’ blind spots. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, about one-third of U.S cyclist fatalities in 2009 occurred in an intersection, thus this outdoor technology is not only cool, but it will save countless innocent lives that are lost due to drivers not being fully aware of their surroundings.
Company officials commented, “Panasonic's new radar technology enables traffic monitoring sensors at intersections to detect pedestrians and bicycles up to 40 meters ahead even at nighttime and under bad weather conditions that hinder the driver's visibility. By alerting the driver of the presence of pedestrians in the crosswalk or bicycles in blind spots, this technology helps to reduce the driver's burden and traffic accidents.”
They added, “This innovative radar technology has also achieved high detection performance with a range resolution of less than 50cm and an angular resolution of five degrees, which enables to detect pedestrians and vehicles. Furthermore, unlike optical and infrared cameras and laser sensors, whose detection performance can be significantly affected by visibility conditions, this new radar technology will not be subject to such conditions as nighttime, rain, snow or dense fog."
As gas prices continue to rise astronomically, coupled with beautiful weather, all types of people will be definitely feeling the need for speed and hoping on their bikes to go the distance. Entering wheels first into the space, just yesterday Zyvex Technologies and ENVE Composites revealed a joint project that would power a bicycle rim made for downhill mountainbiking in particular that leverages brand new materials made of nano-enhanced carbon fiber. This new rim will give forward thinking bikers a great advantage as it performs successfully and remain intact even while traveling the most treacherous of routes.