Volvo launch pedestrian cushions.

Lane detection, blind-spot sensors, pedestrian detection system… Volvo has long been synonymous with protecting humans in cars.

Now the Swedish automaker has decided that it’s not enough to just protect drivers; those in the roads and streets around them now also have a cushion that could save life.

Volvo’s pedestrian air bag, launched with the V40 at the 2012 Geneva auto show, will deploy if a pedestrian hits the bonnet. It works with Volvo’s pedestrian detection system but the overall goal is crash avoidance and mitigation.

When sensors in the front bumper detect imminent contact with a pedestrian a section of the bonnet will rise and a U-shaped airbag will deploy across the car’s windscreen. The bag covers about a third of the glass and the bottom of the car’s A pillars to cushion the impact for anybody unlucky enough to be hit.

The V40 also features pedestrian detection and the city safety technology, which automatically stops the vehicle from rear-ending another car at low speed.

Other safety highlights of the V40, borrowed from the XC60, include lane maintenance, automatic road sign detection, active head light technology and parking radar.

Nest – the Learning Thermostat

Visionary Tony Fadell who, back in the day, was in charge of the iPod at Apple *just* launched a brand new product called Nest, the world’s first Learning Thermostat.

Nest learns from your temperature adjustments, programs itself to keep you comfortable, and guides you to energy savings. You can control the thermostat from anywhere using a smartphone, tablet or laptop, and Nest never stops learning, even as your life and the seasons change.

 

Learn more at http://www.nest.com.

Mf, studio, dbda

Minister calls for computer science education “revolution”

The UK minister for culture, communications and creative industry has called for a revolution in the way computer science is taught in our schools. Fearing a future drop in the number of students able to properly write programs (as opposed to those able to simply operate programs such as word processors and spreadsheets), Mr. Vaizey hopes to bring a “stronger” computer science curriculum to secondary schools.

Via EDGE.

Update: Dr. Richard Wilson of TIGA has responded to Ed Vaizey’s comments. (via EDGE)

Functioning Lego greenhouse

“This fantastic greenhouse made entirely of Lego bricks was just unveiled at the 2011 London Design Festival. Designed by Sebastian Bergne, it is made up of around 100,000 Lego bricks. All parts of the greenhouse are made from Lego elements, including, reportedly, the “earth,” which would seem to imply that the very real vegetables growing inside are sustained hydroponically.”

(via MAKE)

How cool is this! Real stuff made of toys

MF, studio, dbda

The Secret Life of Buildings

On last night’s The Secret Life of Buildings, Channel 4, architecture critic Tom Dyckhoff explored the impact the design of buildings can have on us – on our identity and self-esteem, and on relationships, our chances at school, and even our weight and immune system.

“Armed with this new knowledge, Dyckhoff meets and challenges pre-eminent architects including Norman Foster and Zaha Hadid to re-evaluate their creations. He brings them face-to-face with the people who use their buildings every day. He even tries working in their buildings himself while taking part in an experiment to measure the impact on his brain.” – Channel 4

Very interesting to see that some of London’s most iconic office buildings from the outside were in fact rather uncosidered from within, a lovely example of architectural ingenuity from Holland built in the 70s, and a re-structured school in south London that saw massive improvements in both behaviour and exam results after understanding the psychology of a work space to make the students’ environment both stimulating and pleasant to be in.

I would definately recommend this, find it on 4oD here.

MF, studio, dbda

dbda re-brands BMW Education to become BMW Group Education

The Education Programme, which has a long-established commitment to supporting education across the UK, was launched over 17 years ago as part of BMW’s corporate responsibility commitment providing schools with free, curricular-linked and award-winning educational resources covering the themes of Science and Technology (Young Academy), Energy and the Environment (Energised and Clean Energy) and road safety (Safe on the Street).

Read more

SmartBird: improving efficiency in resource and energy consumption.

Festo, developed SmartBird, an avian robot that can take off and fly through the air just by flapping its wings.

An article on the Guardian website says:

‘SmartBird was inspired by the herring gull, Larus argentatus. It’s a bit larger than this gull species, with a two-metre wingspan and a carbon-fiber “skeleton” that weighs 450 grams (a bit more than one pound). Like live birds, SmartBird’s “torso” can flex, providing directional control. But unlike live birds, SmartBird’s movements can be radio-controlled and monitored from afar.’

‘The focus of this research is to learn how to maximise energy-efficiency and conservation of resources.’

“We learned from the birds how to move the wings, but also the need to be very energy efficient”, says Mr Fischer, Festo’s head of Corporate Design.

‘SmartBird technology is providing key innovations and fresh insights that can optimise hybrid drive technology. For example, the minimal use of materials and its extremely lightweight construction are already improving efficiency in resource and energy consumption.’

Gemma O’Brien, dbda

Flying car takes off!

A flying car, called the Terrafugia Transition, has been given clearance for use in the United States according to the Road Safety GB website following an article in the Daily Telegraph.

Wall of Rocker Switches

Valentin Ruhry had the brilliant idea to take 5,000 orange rocker switches you normally see in power strips and transform them into a blank canvas. Oh, the possibilities! (via swissmiss)

MF, studio, dbda

Trail blazer for cycle safety

A safety device that projects a bright green laser image of a bike on to the road ahead – alerting motorists to its presence – could be a life saver.

Developed by Emily Brooke, a student at the University of Brighton in England, the invention has won her a place at Babson College in Massachusetts in the US, on an entrepreneurship programme.

Her innovation, BLAZE, is a small, battery-powered device that is attached to the handlebars of bicycles, motorcycles or scooters, and projects a laser image on to the road ahead.