Traffic Technology Worldwide * USA - Sensors expected to help forecast backups

Researchers say the system has worked well for several months, and is ready for broader testing

San Francisco,CAL,USA -The San Francisco Chronicle. by Michael Cabanatuan -April 12, April 2011: -- A new traffic information system peers into the future, sees traffic jams before they happen and alerts commuters about possible trouble before they step out the front door. It could soon tell them whether they can save time by taking transit or simply surrender and work from home... IBM, Caltrans and a UC Berkeley transportation research center this morning will announce the collaborative project to help commuters steer around congestion by warning them of anticipated troubles on the road and predicting trip times... Researchers developed the traffic-prediction system by taking historic data from Caltrans' network of road sensors, which calculate traffic volumes and record speeds, and putting it into IBM analytic software to determine what happens to traffic in certain conditions. Real-time traffic conditions are plugged into that model and trip times calculated... The next step is to integrate transit and parking information, already collected and analyzed by UC Berkeley researchers, and offer trip planners that display not only driving times but also transit alternatives... Information from the traffic-prediction tool can also be used to improve the timing of traffic signals and metering lights, officials said, and could help planners better manage the transportation system and cope with growth... (Image from delivery.superstock: Rush hour on the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California, USA)

* USA - Can Wind and Solar Energy Power Traffic Lights?

Lincoln,NBR,USA -Government Technology, by Colin Wood -April 12, 2011: -- A research team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is preparing to begin the second stage of a three-year green energy pilot project that’s researching the viability of integrating wind and solar power into a municipal power grid to power traffic and street lights... Those working on the pilot have calculated that an effective smart grid for traffic lights and other transportation infrastructure would ultimately save cities money on power costs, increase utility uptime, reduce pollution and reduce reliance on nonrenewable energy. If all 300,000 roadway intersections in the U.S. that have traffic signals were powered by renewable energy on a smart grid, nearly $50 million would be saved each year, according to University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers... (Photo: University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers are testing the viability of traffic signals that are powered by wind and solar power)

* Abu Dhabi - Iteris Awarded $1.3 Million Contract to Provide Traffic Engineering and Planning Manuals for

Santa Ana,CAL,USA -Iteris, Inc. (PR) -13 April 2011: -- Iteris, Inc., a leader in traffic management focused on the development and application of advanced technologies, has been selected to help develop uniform and standardized engineering and planning manuals, guidelines, and procedures for use by the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport (Abu Dhabi DOT). Work on the project is expected to begin immediately... Iteris will work with the Abu Dhabi DOT to develop manuals, guidelines, and procedures tailored to the particular needs of the Emirate based on best practices from around the world. Iteris teamed with TrafQuest, whom they had worked with to develop an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Strategy and Action Plan for the Abu Dhabi DOT, including the development of an ITS Architecture. The joint contract is valued at approximately $1.3 million for Iteris... The City of Abu Dhabi is the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the federal capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a sovereign country of seven Emirates. Abu Dhabi is the largest of the Emirates, and the federal seat of government. The City of Abu Dhabi is the largest city in the Emirate...

energy Bike Will Recharge Your Gadgets When Needed

People use bicycle nowadays to preserve our environment. We saw this bike design as one of finalist entries from Incheon International Design Awardcalled Re:energy. It is not only a bicycle; it’s a generator that can save energy from its wheels rotation. Equipped with a socket, the energy saved at the front wheel can later be used to recharge your portable electronic devices when needed.

Beautiful Bike Deasign by dofft

Green Your Campus + Stella-An Innovative Ecological Awareness Generating System

Going green is one of the most concerned issues in today’s world andindustrial designer Julien Bergignat envisioned the students as a distinguished part of saving the environment through his innovative combination of Green Your Campus plus Stella concept. A survey showed 48% of the students though that “Trashes & Recycling” was the most critical point we had to improve on the campus, against 29% for “Energy Saving” and 23% for “Green Transportation”.

With a view to address that vital 48% of Trashes and Recycling problem, Green Your Campus, an interactive software to integrate virtual world with reality and Stella, the monitor of the student’s activity, has been designed. The Green Your Campus software features a simple and quick interface where students can do different ecological movements through which their profile will get rich. They can distinguish each other with different avatars and several factors are considered to measure their performance such as consuming energy through the computer, number of printing done by the student and spent time on the site. The second phase, Stella, works as a bridge between virtual world and tangible interpretation. This fiber optic pixelglass made frame can be commonly used in all campuses to specify each student as a tangible performance measuring board. The board features LED lights in blue and red color, representing good actions and bad actions of the students respectively.

Design By Dofft

Econology Life Recycle House Should Be Our Future Garbage Facility

Garbage facility is always giving me unpleasant feeling. The smell and the look make me want to get away from it fast. Econology Life Recycle House is a modern complex living facility that will definitely reduce the visual unpleasant feeling. This recycle house creates the sanitary and eco-friendly space by collecting the dispersed waste boxes in the apartment complex ad adding the natural function of a waste collection. The recycling separation system promotes easy and systematic waste separation collection. The roof of Econology Life Recycle House is equipped with sunlight panel to minimize the consumption of electricity. Next to this house, people can find wash stand fountain where they can clean their hands using reservoired rainwater.

Design By Dofft

Innovative Indoor Hydroponic Plant System

Innovative Indoor Hydroponic Plant System

The Hydroponic Plant System is an innovative concept that offers the user a comprehensive gardening facility by implementing efficient and functional technology. It is actually two twisting metal tubes starting from the floor to the roof of the room, where plants can be placed in different arrangements, allowing maximum convenience for taking care of them by reaching them all at once easily. Moreover, this innovative plant arrangement will provide better options to accumulate lights for the plant, which is very much important for their existence.

Design

Outdoor designs and fashion

Wind and Solar Powered Hybrid Street Lamp from Urban Energy

The innovative wind and solar powered hybrid street lamp concept can not only produce light by using renewable energy, also it’s a boost to an everyday object that can operate completely off-grid. This concept was derived from the effort of designers to create a more sustainable future that integrates a range of reusable energy technologies into everyday life objects. These lamps comprise a solar array connected with a wind turbine, and can produce up to 380W of power.

These wind/solar powered street lamps are fitted to locally made, usual galvanized steel poles and can be easily swapped with previous street lamps. The turbines can be either a horizontal axis wind turbine or a 2nd generation 300W vertical axis wind turbine. Two solar panels are mounted on the side of the pole that is capable of producing up to 80W of power.

Designs

Transportations Fashion and design

Pholeum Transportation Unit with Efficient Next Generation Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology

The idea of Pholeum transportation unit concept is based on the living cell tissue structure of a plant that can carry organic nutrients to any part of the plant where required. This vehicle has been designed as a personal mobility unit based on an ideal transportation means for mega-cities, which has made riding this eco-friendly car just equivalent to a bike down the street.

The minimalist interior features control steering pod, a mimicking game like control where brake and gas paddles embedded close to the steering wheel, offering next generation driving environment. The wheels are fully immersed with rubberized tire with independent spoke arrangement that allows the wheels to absorb the road bumps without having used the suspensions. Moreover, the out of the body wheel base has added few extra with the innovative look that the car already has with its clear body shell and green house like design.