Transparent body pillars. Free Technical Library News

NEWS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NOVELTY IN ELECTRONICS
Free technical library / timeline

Transparent body pillars

28.08.2017

In modern vehicles, the body pillars in the windshield area can be quite wide, which interferes with the view and creates "blind" spots. And this increases the likelihood of a collision with a pedestrian or collision with another vehicle. The original solution to the problem was proposed by the Japanese corporation Toyota.

The essence of the method is described in a patent application titled Apparatuses And Methods For Making An Object Appear Transparent. The document was published on the website of the US Patent and Trademark Office this month, although the application itself was filed in June last year.

Toyota proposes to use a special system of mirrors, which, as it were, will make the front body pillars "transparent". In fact, the light will go around these pillars, allowing the driver to see objects behind them.

Thus, the problem of "blind" zones in the windshield area will be solved, which should increase road safety. However, the possible timing of the use of the system in commercial vehicles has not yet been reported.

We add that other automakers are also concerned about the large width of the front pillars. Thus, Jaguar Land Rover offered its own solution to the problem - the 360 Virtual Urban Windscreen complex. It is proposed to mount special displays in the front pillars that receive an image from all-round cameras. As a result, the driver will have the impression that there are no racks at all.

<< Back: Found the reason for fluctuations in the brightness of the Sun 28.08.2017

>> Forward: Human sweat is a source of energy 27.08.2017

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

The existence of an entropy rule for quantum entanglement has been proven 09.05.2024

Quantum mechanics continues to amaze us with its mysterious phenomena and unexpected discoveries. Recently, Bartosz Regula from the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing and Ludovico Lamy from the University of Amsterdam presented a new discovery that concerns quantum entanglement and its relation to entropy. Quantum entanglement plays an important role in modern quantum information science and technology. However, the complexity of its structure makes understanding and managing it challenging. Regulus and Lamy's discovery shows that quantum entanglement follows an entropy rule similar to that for classical systems. This discovery opens new perspectives in the field of quantum information science and technology, deepening our understanding of quantum entanglement and its connection to thermodynamics. The results of the study indicate the possibility of reversibility of entanglement transformations, which could greatly simplify their use in various quantum technologies. Opening a new rule ... >>

Mini air conditioner Sony Reon Pocket 5 09.05.2024

Summer is a time for relaxation and travel, but often the heat can turn this time into an unbearable torment. Meet a new product from Sony - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-air conditioner, which promises to make summer more comfortable for its users. Sony has introduced a unique device - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-conditioner, which provides body cooling on hot days. With it, users can enjoy coolness anytime, anywhere by simply wearing it around their neck. This mini air conditioner is equipped with automatic adjustment of operating modes, as well as temperature and humidity sensors. Thanks to innovative technologies, Reon Pocket 5 adjusts its operation depending on the user's activity and environmental conditions. Users can easily adjust the temperature using a dedicated mobile app connected via Bluetooth. Additionally, specially designed T-shirts and shorts are available for convenience, to which a mini air conditioner can be attached. The device can oh ... >>

Energy from space for Starship 08.05.2024

Producing solar energy in space is becoming more feasible with the advent of new technologies and the development of space programs. The head of the startup Virtus Solis shared his vision of using SpaceX's Starship to create orbital power plants capable of powering the Earth. Startup Virtus Solis has unveiled an ambitious project to create orbital power plants using SpaceX's Starship. This idea could significantly change the field of solar energy production, making it more accessible and cheaper. The core of the startup's plan is to reduce the cost of launching satellites into space using Starship. This technological breakthrough is expected to make solar energy production in space more competitive with traditional energy sources. Virtual Solis plans to build large photovoltaic panels in orbit, using Starship to deliver the necessary equipment. However, one of the key challenges ... >>

New method for creating powerful batteries 08.05.2024

With the development of technology and the expanding use of electronics, the issue of creating efficient and safe energy sources is becoming increasingly urgent. Researchers at the University of Queensland have unveiled a new approach to creating high-power zinc-based batteries that could change the landscape of the energy industry. One of the main problems with traditional water-based rechargeable batteries was their low voltage, which limited their use in modern devices. But thanks to a new method developed by scientists, this drawback has been successfully overcome. As part of their research, scientists turned to a special organic compound - catechol. It turned out to be an important component that can improve battery stability and increase its efficiency. This approach has led to a significant increase in the voltage of zinc-ion batteries, making them more competitive. According to scientists, such batteries have several advantages. They have b ... >>

Alcohol content of warm beer 07.05.2024

Beer, as one of the most common alcoholic drinks, has its own unique taste, which can change depending on the temperature of consumption. A new study by an international team of scientists has found that beer temperature has a significant impact on the perception of alcoholic taste. The study, led by materials scientist Lei Jiang, found that at different temperatures, ethanol and water molecules form different types of clusters, which affects the perception of alcoholic taste. At low temperatures, more pyramid-like clusters form, which reduces the pungency of the "ethanol" taste and makes the drink taste less alcoholic. On the contrary, as the temperature increases, the clusters become more chain-like, resulting in a more pronounced alcoholic taste. This explains why the taste of some alcoholic drinks, such as baijiu, can change depending on temperature. The data obtained opens up new prospects for beverage manufacturers, ... >>

Random news from the Archive

Economical Solar Powered Water Purifier 09.02.2017

The lack of drinking water is one of the most important problems in the world, even if in Europe it does not yet feel so acute. Qiaoqiang Gan, an engineer at the State University of New York, and colleagues have developed a solar-powered watermaker that costs as little as $2 per square meter of consumables.

"This will allow people to get their own clean water, just like they get electricity from rooftop solar panels," Liu said. The speed of desalination is of great importance - current devices must have an area of at least 6 m2 in order to supply one person with a sufficient volume of drinking water during the day. The problem is the huge energy losses for heating water.

Therefore, in recent years, two approaches have been used to increase efficiency - either heat only the top layer of water, or use nanomaterials to collect solar energy more efficiently. The second is technically preferable, but orders of magnitude more expensive - nanomaterials cost hundreds of dollars per gram, and there is no one in developing countries to spend that kind of money on desalination for everyone.

The new device has three main components: first, fiber-rich paper (like the one used to make money) coated with a black layer of carbon (this is a cheap powder left after the incomplete combustion of oil or tar).

Secondly, a bar of Styrofoam (disposable coffee cups are made from this material), cut into 25 lightly joined pieces. they all float on the surface of dirty water to prevent the water from overheating in the sun. These sections are covered with the aforementioned paper, the edges of which are lowered into the water. Accordingly, water, due to the capillary effect, rises up the paper and evaporates there.

Thirdly, and finally, it is an acrylic coating that collects evaporating water. From here, the water enters the clean water tank.

Gunn and his colleagues claim that the installation is 88% more efficient in collecting and transferring solar energy into water. As a result, a device with an area of 1 m2 produces 1 liter of water per hour. Now common commercial devices need 4 hours for the same result.

Most importantly, the device is very cheap. Gan estimates that it costs about $1 per square meter - compared to $2 for devices that use lenses to focus the sun's rays. It is enough for a family of four to spend about $1,6 dollars to have the minimum required amount of clean water.

See full Archive of science and technology news, new electronics

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews