Concept car might lessen the risk of car accidents causes by diabetes
Driving a car as diabetic can be dangerous both for the driver and the other traffic participants. If a hypoglycemic attack occurs while the diabetic is at the wheel it can result in serious accidents if the ill person loses consciousness; sometimes an attack can be felt with enough time in advance, but it’s still risky.
So Medtronic, a company specialized in medical technology, came up with the M-Powered Concept Car, which features an on-board glucose-monitoring system and was presented at the 68th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association.
How it works: the diabetic has to wear a continuous glucose-monitoring system (CGMS), which sends data via Bluetooth to a display in the car dashboard which shows real-time data about blood sugar level. A planned system could also dial a hospital if it detects abnormal levels of blood glucose or if the driver fails to respond to prompts.
However, it is yet unclear if the car will ever enter production or when it will do so.
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Published by AutoMotoGadgets, on Jun 17 2008, in the categories: Auto, Car, Displays
Jump start your car without the mess and trouble
Not all car owners know much about cars. And, as long as there’s people paid to know this stuff, there’s not much incentive to find out. Until you end up with a problem you need to solve and you’re clueless about the way your car works…
The Closed-Hood Car Jump Starter is a very simple solutions for those with little or no car mechanics knowledge, or for people who prefer not getting their hands dirty. Dead battery problems are usually solved with a lot of messing around under the hood, which is neither fun, nor clean. But this jump starter kit makes it as easy as possible: all the unfortunate driver has to do is find someone with a working vehicle and then connect both ends of the cable in the respective cigarette lighter sockets. 5-10 minutes later a green light will go on to indicate the car is good to go.
Published by AutoMotoGadgets, on Jun 16 2008, in the categories: Accesories, Auto, Car
Audi fans now have a phone in the shape of their favorite car
If you’re an Audi fan and can find no new products inspired by your favorite car, we have a suggestion. This Touch Screen GSM Phone shaped like an Audi is… well, it has an Audi theme, though it doesn’t look like the best phone around.
The tech stuff: its most impressive feature is probably the touchscreen. It also has a 2.0 inch color display with 260k colors, a 1.3 megapixel camera, an MP3 player with background play which supports many formats (though they are not specified), a movie player that can play 3GP and MP4 without file restrictions and can go full-screen. And it looks like its wheels are going to poke your head if you try to use it.
But its main selling point is, of course, the shape. You can see more pictures after the jump.
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Published by AutoMotoGadgets, on Jun 13 2008, in the categories: Auto, Car, Mobile Phones
Can’t see the time? Car clock projector comes to the rescue!
I never understood why some car manufacturers put the clock in a position visible only for the driver. Is the person in the passenger seat forbidden to know the time? It’s easier for the driver to see the time if it’s on the dashboard, but that doesn’t mean a second clock isn’t needed.
Since you can’t embed another clock in the car (well, you could but it would be difficult), a viable alternative is the Car Projector Clock. It displays the time and date wherever you want it and can be easily mounted with the double backed adhesive tape included. It’s powered from the cigarette lighter socket and comes with an on/off switch (so be sure you turn it off when you leave the car, or you might find your battery drained…).
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Published by AutoMotoGadgets, on Jun 12 2008, in the categories: Accesories, Auto, Car
Talking teddy bear, the future of GPS?
If you thought you had seen all that GPS devices had to offer, think again. This cuddly thing is not some kid’s toy: it’s the prototype of a talking car navigation system from iXs Research Corporation.
The teddy bear doesn’t have a screen, but it uses its arms to point the way, while also giving voice instructions. It even comes with an alcohol detector in its neck, so if you’ve been drinking you might get a warning from a talking toy, and it includes a sensor to detect reckless driving – if you speed or slam the breaks too fast you will get told off. It can also be useful for those more interested in tourism: when you stoke his head, he gives you info about nearby landmarks.
If you got excited, sorry, there’s no way to buy it yet. It will only (probably) be available next year.
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Published by AutoMotoGadgets, on Jun 11 2008, in the categories: Auto, Car, GPS Devices
The K.A.T. Matrix shows detailed car performance (so you can brag better)
If just knowing how fast you’re going isn’t enough and you want more details about your car’s performance, the K.A.T. Matrix 3-Axis Accelerometer is the thing for you.
This smart little device can measure your braking force, cornering, horsepower, G-force, 0-60 second acceleration and 1/4-mile time/speed and can be mounted on your windshield with the included bracket (just make sure your state/national laws allows it). It’s battery powered, so you won’t have cables in the way, and the included 3 AA batteries will power it for about a year.
So, if you’re really proud of your new car or just curious about its performance, $60 shouldn’t be too much for this gadget.
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Published by AutoMotoGadgets, on Jun 10 2008, in the categories: Accesories, Auto, Car, Gadgets
Anti-sleep alarm doesn’t let you fall asleep behind the wheel
Driving when tired and/or sleepy is a bad idea, but sometimes there’s just no other option. And, if you’re a professional driver, you’re bound to make a few trips while exhausted. The “obvious” solutions like playing loud and energetic music don’t really work, so the Anti Sleep Driving Alarm offers a different and more effective solution: loud, annoying sound.
You wear the device behind your ear and you don’t even know it’s there… until you tilt your head more than 30 degrees, when it emits a high-pitched alarm which will probably jolt you back to the real world. Hopefully before you crash into the can on the other lane.
Obviously, relying on something like this is a bit risky, but it can’t hurt as an extra safety measure, especially since it won’t break the bank at only $14.99.
Published by AutoMotoGadgets, on Jun 09 2008, in the categories: Accesories, Auto, Car, Gadgets
Silly helmet covers help bikers scare old ladies better
If you’ve got an open face helmet which is great, but just doesn’t have that je ne sais quoi, you can try to spice things up a bit. Turn a few heads, scare a couple of old ladies…
The Silly Helmet Covers will certainly make people stare at you. And why wouldn’t they, when you ride past with a spiky helmet that looks right out of Conan the Barbarian? (You might not be Arnold material, though.)
You can see the covers and decide which works best on your helmet on the Silly Helmet Covers website and buy them from eBay for $36 a piece.
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Published by AutoMotoGadgets, on Jun 05 2008, in the categories: Accesories, Fashion, Funny, Moto
New Night View system from Toyota makes sure you notice pedestrians, even in the dark
The new Night View system from Toyota aims to increase road safety for both drivers and pedestrians, by highlighting anyone on foot in the vehicle’s way. While the older Night View system superimposed the road on the windshield, the new version, seen on the Crown Hybrid, displays the road on the LCD meter. The upside is that the windshield stays clear – the downside is that the driver should keep looking up and down to get a good idea about the road ahead of him.
The system employs pattern recognition to identify pedestrians and, when spotted, surrounds their location, as well as the whole screen, with a yellow band. However, conditions such as high speed (over 60km/h), intense darkness or wipers operating during the rain will decrease accuracy.
Although the Night View system can only identify pedestrians now, Toyota aims to add features for recognizing bicycles and animals.
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Published by AutoMotoGadgets, on Jun 04 2008, in the categories: Accesories, Auto, Car, Displays
‘Virtual bike’ simulator aims to improve safety
Research by a team of British students, lead by Dr. Alex Stedmon, could make motorbiking safer for everyone involved.
Using a donated Triumph motorcycle, the Nottingham-based team created a simulator linked to a projection screen to give a realistic impression of being on the road. The motorcycle sways left and right pushed by four pneumatic actuators while a road environment is projected onto the screen in front, but the researchers want to further improve it by adding more features, such as vibration for the bike and road surface, wind effects and more realistic acceleration and braking effects.
When further developed, this project could prove to be an useful tool for training any rider, helping them develop key skills and responses to dangerous situations. Custom situations can be designed for different purposes and the rider’s performance can be measured by specialists, which could provide useful data for manufacturers and road safety organizations.
The simulator should be operational starting this month.
BBC and Daily Mail via Gizmo Watch.
Published by AutoMotoGadgets, on Jun 03 2008, in the categories: Auto, Car, Transport