Humanity pines for flying cars. Science fiction has inundated us with the prospect of automobile technology taking us from driving down the street one minute and flying off to grandma’s house the next. But we’re failing to realize that we’re skipping a huge, more practical step in car technology – the self-driving car.

“Cars that can drive themselves, a staple of science-fiction, have started to appear on roads in real life. Google’s self-driving vehicles are the best-known, but most carmakers are also developing them. In 2011 BMW sent a robotic car at motorway speeds from Munich, the German carmaker’s hometown, to Nuremberg, about 170km away (with a driver on board just in case). Audi got a self-driving TTS Coupe to negotiate 156 tight curves along nearly 20km of paved and dirt road on Colorado’s Pikes Peak, with nobody behind the wheel. Proponents say that driverless cars would reduce road deaths, ease congestion, reduce fuel consumption, improve the mobility of old and disabled people and free up time spent commuting.” – The Economist

The benefits of self-driving cars go far beyond the pleasure of telling your friends “look, no hands.” Self-driving cars would give our nation’s disabled citizens the freedom to travel with ease. One would have to assume that drunk-driving accidents would flat-line, and these cars would grant a society hell bent on multi-tasking the freedom to do work, watch “Game of Thrones” and even discipline the kids without having to hold onto to a wheel and watch the road.

How does a self-driving car work?

According to the article from The Economist:

“In many ways self-driving cars are a logical extension of existing driver aids such as lane-keeping systems (which follow road markings and sound a warning and correct the steering if a vehicle starts to drift out of its lane), adaptive cruise control (which maintains a constant distance from the vehicle in front, rather than a constant speed), auto-parking systems (which can reverse a car into a parking space), emergency braking (which slams on the brakes if an obstacle, another vehicle or a pedestrian is detected in front of the car) and satellite-navigation systems. Computerized control of a car’s steering, acceleration and braking is already possible under some circumstances, in other words. For a car to drive itself, these systems must all be tied together using software, and supplemented with a set of sensors so that the software can tell what is going on around the vehicle.

“Accordingly, today’s self-driving cars are covered with sensors. Mapping nearby features, spotting road edges and lane markings, reading signs and traffic lights and identifying pedestrians is done using a combination of cameras, radar and lidar (which works like radar, but with pulses of light rather than radio waves). Ultrasonic detectors provide more accurate mapping of the surroundings at short range, for example when parking. Gyroscopes, accelerometers and altimeters provide more accurate positioning than is possible using global-positioning system (GPS) satellites alone. Google’s cars scan their surroundings to build a detailed 3D map of features such as road edges, signs, guard-rails and overpasses. Each time a car follows a particular route, it collects more data to update the 3D map.”

So don’t hold your breath for flying through your neighborhood and coming to an even more awkward 4-way, mid-air stop sign. The immediate future has more practical plans in store for automobiles.

Photos:

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/10/self-driving-cars/

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/08/google-sees-self-driving-cars-in-3-5-years-washington-insurers/

Source:

http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2013/04/economist-explains-how-self-driving-car-works-driverless

Undoubtedly, you’ve gone to the bathroom countless times.  We’d even venture to guess that, while there, you never gave a thought to how the toilet holds fast to the floor… but, we’re betting you’re glad that it does.

Now, many historians give all the credit to the man who invented the toilet.  Rumors have swirled that it was Thomas Crapper (not a pun); but, the first toilet actually dates back to around 1596 with Sir John Harrington.

Other than total necessity and obvious convenience, what made that flushing toilet “stick” – in place that is?

Just look down the next time you’re in the bathroom.  Do you see dingy, exposed bolts at the base of the toilet bowl?  Perhaps a disheveled cap that may be half on the bolt, but barely covers it?  Or, do you see a neat, barely noticeable cap that securely covers that ever-important bolt?

Enter Gary and Ruth Frazer, the masterminds behind Twister Caps, the “why didn’t anyone think of that before” answer to exposed or clumsily-covered toilet bolts.

Like most people, the Frazer’s didn’t think much of their existing toilet caps, until they saw their son’s dog running around with one in his mouth.  It was then that they came up with the idea for Twister Caps, a threaded, screw-on toilet bolt cap that fits all toilets – thanks to careful engineering.

The Davison team helped the Frazer’s invent the cosmetically-appealing cap that’s made of high-impact plastic, threaded on the inside and is very affordable.

Twister Caps easily screw onto 1/4″ or 5/16 ” toilet bolts.  Injection molding is the manufacturing process that creates the mass-produced Twister caps affordably.

While the thought process behind Twister Caps and their installation may be quite simple, a lot of work went into creating those convenient toilet caps so they would fit every toilet.

And, thanks to Twister Caps’ unique threading, they won’t easily lift off.  Their success, however… has skyrocketed!

Millions of Twister Caps have sold nationwide at stores like Ace’s, Lowe’s and Home Depot.

So, thank you, Gary and Ruth Frazer, for noticing something so small that many of us just flushed it out of our minds.  Way to make a splash!

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

Before $50 per checked bag, screaming babies and drunk passengers, before endless security lines and delays, there were two men with the dream to fly. In 1903, Orville Wright piloted the first powered airplane 20 feet above a wind-swept beach in North Carolina. The flight lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet. Three more flights were made that day with Orville’s brother Wilbur piloting the record flight which lasted 59 seconds and covered a distance of 852 feet.

You can celebrate one of humanity’s greatest accomplishments at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in beautiful North Carolina. According to the park’s website, visitors are treated to a full-scale reproduction of the 1902 glider, a full-scale reproduction of the 1903 flying machine, an engine block from the original 1903 Flyer, and a reproduction of the Wright’s first wind tunnel. Additional exhibits, movies and educational programs are available in the Centennial Pavilion.Visitors can also climb Big Kill Devil Hill for a breathtaking view of the area from sound to sea. Atop the Hill, stands the 60 ft. Pylon — the site where Wilbur and Orville conducted their glider experiments. A large granite boulder marks the spot where the first plane left the ground.

Much like the current state of American flight, you probably left the memorial hungry and unfed. Lucky for you, Wilbur and Orville picked not only a scenic location for their first flight but a region teaming with delicious seafood options. Nestled in the Outer Banks, I Got Your Crabs Seafood Market & Steam Bar offers a full eat-in menu packed with appetizers, sides and beverages, along with crabs to go from one peck to an entire bushel.

After seriously contemplating the skill and craft that it took to build the first working aircraft, you’re going to need some levity. Check out The Comedy Club — the longest running seasonal comedy club in the nation. “Our history includes having hosted such internationally renowned artist as Ray Romano, Drew Carey, and Sinbad when they were simply plying their trade on the comedy circuit. Make some vacation memories with us. This is your chance to see nationally touring comedians who have appeared on shows such as Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, and HBO. Many of our comedians are headliners in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and on the cruise lines! Shows are approximately ninety minutes long and include an emcee, a feature comedian, and a headline comedian.”

Before you retire for the night, you’re going to need dessert. Check out The Belgian Chocolate Company, which specializes in handmade bon-bons and truffles that are visual and mouth-watering delights. Truffles are generously filled with an assortment of flavored chocolate ganache ranging from Latte Macchiato to Viennese Amaretto to Grand Marnier.

The beauty of the North Carolina coast is enough to keep you entranced with Kitty Hawk, and by adding any of the surrounding area’s sun-soaked entertainment spots like those mentioned above, your trip is sure to take flight.

Sources:
http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/index.htm
http://igotyourcrabs.com/
http://comedyclubobx.com/
http://thebelgianchocolateco.com/

Since May is National Bike Month, we thought this would be a good opportunity to look into the history of a very important safety device—the bicycle helmet. Bicycles have been around since the 1860’s, when a machine known as the Velocipede came on the scene. But this bike wasn’t a big success due to its barrel-stave like metal tires which made riding on the cobblestone roads of the day a bone-jarring experience, to say the least.

By the 1870’s, the High Wheel Bicycle became popular because the solid rubber tires and long spokes of the large front wheel provided a much smoother ride than its predecessor. But because the rider sat so high above the center of gravity, if the front wheel hit a rock or crack in the road, the entire machine rotated forward on its front axle, and the rider was dropped unceremoniously on his head. In fact, the term “taking a header” comes from bike riders. As head injuries began to climb, it became apparent that something had to be done.

By the 1880′s, riding clubs were becoming more and more popular and, as their members saw that head injuries were a problem, they began to advocate the use of helmets. At first, they used pith helmets. Pith is a plant material that is easily crushable, but was likely the best material available at the time. Although it would probably break up on impact, riders only needed protection against a single impact to know the helmet saved them, and know it was worth buying another helmet.

At the beginning of the 20th century, it was apparent to racing and club bicyclists that the worst injuries and the most fatalities came from head injuries. Racers began to use helmets formed of a ring of leather around the head and a wool ring above that. Then the style evolved and the ring of leather was supplemented by strips of leather arranged longitudinally on the head. These offered a little better protection than the pith helmets, but still more was needed. Over the coming decades, helmets were developed with hard exteriors and foam liners, but they tended to be either heavy or ineffective in a crash, and sometimes both.

By the 1970’s, a group called the Snell Foundation began comprehensive testing of bicycle helmets and found that none of the helmets on the market were really effective, so they established some basic criteria for head protection, which coincided with the bike boom of the 1970’s, when many American adults took up cycling as an exercise and a sport. Then in 1975, Bell Auto parts invented the first real helmet for cyclists. It consisted of a hard plastic shell padded with a foam-like material. This was the beginning of the modern helmet.

In 1984, The American National Standards Institute introduced standards for helmets that were widely accepted. This helped to remove ineffective helmets from the market and raise the quality of all helmets. Soon a foam liner made of expanded polystyrene was invented, and by the 1990’s a thin hard shell was added to the polystyrene foam helmet for durability.

Today’s helmets are even lighter, more streamline, and have multiple vents for comfort and adjustable straps to make them more secure and easier to wear. As statistics reinforced the drop in head injuries with the increasing use of helmets, many states in the U.S. have made it mandatory to wear helmets while riding a bicycle—a move supported by medical and road safety organizations. Most parents today teach their children to never ride their bikes without a helmet, putting on a helmet should become as natural as wearing a seat belt and as easy as, well, riding a bicycle.

Photos:
http://www.feministe.us/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/old-bike.jpg
http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/items/269408/helmet-bicycle-brown-leather-circa-1930-1939

Sources:
http://www.helmets.org/history.htm
http://www.pedalinghistory.com/PHhistory.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/351378-the-history-of-the-bicycle-helmet/
http://www.trails.com/facts_36413_history-bicycle-helmets.html

Benjamin Franklin was a true Renaissance Man. His expertise spanned a significant number of subject areas: publisher, statesman, nation builder, postmaster, scientist, and musician. Franklin was also a prodigious inventor. Among his many creations were: the Franklin stove, an odometer used in horse-drawn carriages, a musical instrument made from glass, and bifocal glasses. His most famous discoveries and inventions were on the subject of electricity. In fact, the story of him flying a kite in an electrical storm—to prove lightening was electricity—is standard reading for every school child across America.

Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706.  As a teenager, Ben worked in his brother’s print shop, composing pamphlets and setting type. Though too young to get himself published in the local newspaper, Ben began writing letters to the editor and signing them with the name of a fictional widow, ‘Silence Dogood.’ These letters were not only published, but became very popular to the Boston citizenry, as they were filled with advice and were usually very critical of the Boston power structure. But once his ruse was found out, Ben and his brother found themselves at odds with Boston’s powerful Puritan preachers, and Ben left for Philadelphia, seeking a new start in a new city.

During his early days in Philadelphia, fires were a very dangerous threat to towns and cities. Many buildings were being struck by lightning and burned down because they were mainly built of wood. Franklin thought this was a preventable tragedy, and he set about trying to fix the situation. His first step was to organize Philadelphia’s first fire company to fight fires.

But, as we all know, Franklin believed that: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Therefore, he began to become interested in understanding the cause of these fires, and this lead him to take a closer look at lightning and the effects of electricity. Although not the first to suggest a correlation between electricity and lightning, Franklin was the first to propose a workable system for testing his hypothesis. While most scientists of his time were trying to fix the lightning problem by avoiding lightning, Franklin took the ‘thinking outside the box’ approach of attracting lightning.

Franklin had developed the theory behind his lightning rods invention several years before his reported kite experiment. He postulated that an iron rod—about 8 or 10 feet long with a sharp point at the end—placed on top of a building would safely redirect a lightning bolt:

“The electrical fire would, I think, be drawn out of a cloud silently, before it could come near enough to strike….”

Franklin spent the summer of 1747 conducting a series of groundbreaking experiments to prove that lightning was electricity, and in true altruistic fashion, also wanted to protect people, buildings, and other structures from lightning. In mid-1752, Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous kite flying experiments and proved that lightning is electricity. The lightning rod became a staple tool for preventing fires all over the world.

So on top of all of the wonderful things Ben Franklin did, his invention of the lightning rod probably saved tens of thousands of lives and prevented millions of dollars of property damage due to fires. And to top it off, Franklin also helped found the Philadelphia Contribution for Insurance against Loss by Fire so those who did have a fire were not wiped out financially. Ben Franklin was one of those rare people who could focus on the fine details of a subject while at the same time, understand how his finding fit into the big picture and the real world; and that ability alone, made him quite a remarkable man.  Not only did Ben Franklin prove that lightning was electricity, in true altruistic fashion, he also was able to protect people, buildings, and other structures from its devastation.