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Art Lebedev's Transparentius eliminates opacity, improves road safety

Posted December 22, 2009 4:32 PM

From Engadget:

Kudos where it's due: not many design houses use tanks in their illustrations of a new road safety concept. Transparentius, as with most good ideas, is remarkably simple -- you jack a camera onto the front of a truck, or lorry as they're known in some places, and then project that image onto the back of your hulking transporter. The effect of this is to render the truck figuratively transparent for the driver behind, who is enriched with a lot more information about what lies on the road ahead. No word on how the rear projection is achieved or how sunlight glare is overcome, but knowing Art Lebedev, you can bet both challenges are solved in the most unaffordable fashion possible. Anyhow, now that you've got the idea, we're throwing this one over to you dear mod-loving friends -- can you build this without remortgaging the house?

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Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 75
Good Answers: 2
#1

Re: Art Lebedev's Transparentius eliminates opacity, improves road safety

12/22/2009 10:46 PM

I would use the kind of low quality fiber optics the application calls for.

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Guru
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#2

Re: Art Lebedev's Transparentius eliminates opacity, improves road safety

12/23/2009 5:34 AM

And if you get stuck in traffic it could show movies

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#3
In reply to #2

Re: Art Lebedev's Transparentius eliminates opacity, improves road safety

12/23/2009 8:55 AM

You're *almost* correct.

The one reason this thing might come to exist? Paid ads. Imagine being forced to watch commercials while in traffic. Already in "the big city" near me, there are smaller bus-sized vehicles apparently dedicated to just advertising. They have srcolling printed ads mounted on the back and sides. As they travel around, every minute or so the ads rotate out to reveal some new FANTASTIC BARGAIN! at local merchants or restaurants, etc.

I'm sure the marketing madmen would be delighted to have ginormous screens to further entice drivers into a shopping frenzy. At least those who don't get distracted and accidentally veer into a bus full of nuns.

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#4

Re: Art Lebedev's Transparentius eliminates opacity, improves road safety

12/23/2009 1:29 PM

As a motorcycle driver I wholeheartedly endorse this.

Hooker

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#5

Re: Art Lebedev's Transparentius eliminates opacity, improves road safety

01/12/2010 2:07 AM

Brilliant idea...

but I doubt it will work out. It will be more likely that the current revolution of in-car electronics (GPS, maps, etc) will provide a solution.. perhaps the trucks can have cameras, but it simply broadcasts its view locally and is picked up for in-vehicle viewing. I doubt that it will be simple or effective to maintain video technology on the filthy back doors of some trucks. What do you do for tankers etc?

Chris

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