close this window
Bumblebees for Crash Avoidance
Engineers at Nissan creating a buzz with their ‘Safety Shield.’
Back in the 20th century, seatbelts and crash resistant materials were critical components of auto safety. Now engineers at Nissan Motor Company are implementing a bigger-picture approach by mimicking the world’s 
best collision avoiders, bumblebees. By integrating the oval-shaped personal space used by bees, Nissan’s “Safety Shield” technology is being developed to allow vehicles to instantly change direction when a crash is imminent. Its testing mechanism, 
a robotic mini-car known as the BR23C, rotates much like a bee does to dodge barriers and obstacles. Moreover, it imitates the insect’s compound eyes thanks to its laser range finder that can detect obstacles within a 180-degree radius six feet in front of it. While it may be several years before a full-size car can maneuver like this robot, drone-inspired designs may one day help reduce traffic fatalities.
word on the street
more in this section
Gender Wage Gap Skewed By Survey Flaws
‘Orcas as Slaves’ Argument Sinks
The Perceived Delicacy of the Female Conductor
Prop Planes: The Future of Eco-Friendly Aviation?
House Puts Transportation in Partisan Crossfire
A Perennial Epicenter, Now for Same-Sex Marriage
Prop 8 May Be Same-Sex Couples’ Least Worry
EarthScope: A Seismic Shift in Data Gathering
Pressure to Conform Can Inspire Creativity
Learning to Read When a School System Falters
also by this author
Arnie CooperArnie Cooper, a freelance writer based in Santa Barbara, Calif., covers food, travel and popular culture, as well as architecture and the sustainabili...
Conservation’s Earnest Message Could Use LevityLions, gorillas, and wolves, oh my! Two on-the-ground proponents of saving the tropics think a great way to both engage and enlighten the West is to deploy a dollop of satire.
Simon Johnson Critiques Democracy vs. FinancializationThe former chief economist for the IMF discusses the unfairness of the existing American financial infrastructure and the complex policy prescriptions that seek a remedy.
Obamacare: No Friends in Free-Market, Single-Payer CampsIt’s the president of the free-market-minded Galen Institute versus a pediatrician/activist for a single-payer system in spirited debate on improving American health care.
Solutions to Water Supply Issues Surface in the WestIn the quarter-century since Marc Reisner issued a grim prognosis for water in the American West, various entities have made efforts to reverse what once seemed inevitable.
Water Shortages Threaten the American West LifestyleWhile not every dire prediction has come true, amid swimming pools and thirsty crops, the hard truth remains that the American West cannot maintain its spendthrift ways of using fresh water.
Receive 1 year (6 issues) of our print magazine for just $14.95. Miller-McCune features polished, in-depth reports on research and solutions across the policy spectrum — from health care, education and energy to international affairs, poverty and the global economy. It's a must read for well-informed and solutions-driven individuals.
follow us on:
join our newsletter:
from the source
A lot of people say they watch the Super Bowl mostly for the ads. But it turns out a good game surrounding those ads makes them seem better.
After decades of obstacles hindering the voting process, new laws will allow overseas and military voters to submit their votes in time for the 2012 election.
World health leaders announce coordinated push to eradicate or control neglected tropical diseases.
A survey of award-winning children’s picture books from 1938 to 2008 suggests our increasing estrangement from the natural environment.
Rather than moaning about too many cars on the road, the Ridesharing Institute says the real key to battling traffic congestion and pollution is filling empty passenger seats.
