DADSS is a new technology that was invented to help determine whether or not a driver is intoxicated and it works in a way that eliminates the need for a breathalyzer.

This technology is the result of a research partnership between the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety (ACTS), which represents 17 automobile manufacturers, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to assess and develop alcohol-detection technology to prevent impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel.

The purpose of DADSS is to explore the feasibility and the potential benefits and challenges that are often associated with a more wide-spread use of in-vehicle technology to prevent drunk driving.

The new technology that is currently being developed is breath and touch sensors that can determine a person’s blood alcohol level and, in turn, disable a vehicle if the level is above the legal limit of .08.

A study from the NHTSA that was published in March 2014 revealed that 25% of drunk driving arrests were from repeat offenders.

Though that’s an outstanding statistic, there is good news and that is that drunk driving rates are falling in the United States and have gone down 30% since 2014.

Essentially, the DADSS program is centered on researching advanced driver assist technology that will be made available in future new vehicles.

To that note, currently 21 states – including Alabama, Illinois and New York – require the use of ignition interlock, which is a breathalyzer that controls the ignition of a car.

The ignition interlock isn’t fool-proof; however, the DADSS technology is much more effective than the former.

Take a look at this video:

DADSS is showing a lot of promise thanks to its advanced technology. It’s the hope that one day DADSS will be included as an optional safety feature for purchase in new cars.

Copyright Inventionland, 2015

Sources:

https://mashable.com/2015/07/27/schumer-drunk-driving/

https://www.nhtsa.gov/Vehicle+Safety/DADSS

Media:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2826/11064883376_82cb9baf63_o_d.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yykyT4YRw4A

The post DADSS Aims to Hit the Brakes on Drunk Driving appeared first on Inventionland.

With that being said, rain isn’t the only thing that’s pouring; in fact, the invention at the center of today’s blog, the Air Umbrella, is dripping with innovation, too!

The Air Umbrella is exactly what it sounds like- an umbrella made of air. Not sure what we mean? Check it out!

This rod-shaped invention is equipped with a motor, rechargeable lithium battery and a fan blade. So, with everything that we just listed, you might be asking yourself, “How on earth could this keep me dry?”

The answer: The Air Umbrella takes in air below the fan blade and then forces it out with such force that the falling rain around you gets redirected.

As of right now, this invention’s Kickstarter project is available in three varieties, Models A, B and C, which come with an adjustment controller on the bottom of the device that gives the user the ability to adjust the speed of the motor depending on the rainfall.

Each of the three models has their own distinct characteristics. For instance, Model A is marketed towards females and is about 12 inches long, making it compact enough to fit into a ladies handbag. It has 15 minutes of battery life while Model B is around 20 inches long and has 30 minutes of battery life. Finally, Model C is extendable and its length can range anywhere from 20 to 32 inches; it also has 30 minutes of battery life.

Now, the Air Umbrella isn’t the first of its kind; but, it has the potential to be the first one sold on the market.

The verdict isn’t out yet if the Air Umbrella will take the market by storm. However, at its core, this new invention could potentially offer users a better way to stay dry and alleviate the common annoyances that are associated with traditional umbrellas like blowing inside-out due to high winds!

Copyright Inventionland, 2014

Sources:

https://mashable.com/2014/10/14/air-umbrella-protects-you-from-rain-with-nothing-but-air/

https://www.cnet.com/news/umbrella-keeps-you-dry-with-invisible-force-field-of-air/

Media:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/projects/1326670/photo-main.jpg?1413819891

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As wearable technology keeps rising in popularity, Apple took note and invented their very own piece of wearable technology, the Apple Watch.

Swappable bands, a square face, sapphire glass, a heartbeat sensor and inductive charging are just some of the notable features that the Apple Watch has to offer its consumers.

But, that’s not the last of it. We’ve picked up some information along the way and wanted to show you some of the other features that consumers can expect with the Apple Watch!

Five Apple Watch Features:

Fitness- In this day and age, fitness is the focus of many people’s lives. That’s why, along with the various other features on the Apple Watch a fitness function was included. It’s almost like a personal trainer on your wrist. It tracks your calories and calculates how much you need to burn in order to meet your daily goal and it will do this by using GPS technology and an accelerometer to track the user’s activities, whether it’s a walk, jog or bike ride. In addition, it’ll also be like you have your very own fitness cheerleader, because the watch will encourage its users to meet basic fitness requirements, like 30 minutes of physical activity a day or even standing up for a short period of time each hour.

Now, the question arises, “Is this feature a threat to other fitness trackers like Fitbit and Jawbone?” It’s uncertain at the moment; however, Apple’s real-time feedback of all physical movements and not just steps could be useful for those who want instant, personalized advice and not merely raw data like the other trackers offer.

Money- The “I forgot my wallet” excuse will be a thing of the past, thanks to Apple Watch’s Apple Pay. This service will allow a person to make purchases through a simple press of a button on their Apple Watch. Through their Near Field Communication technology, the watch will be able to work with payment systems at participating retailers by using a person’s credit card information that is already linked to their iTunes’ account.

So, what retailers are onboard? So far, McDonald’s, Macy’s and Staples are the first companies to accept Apple Pay.

Directions- The days of fumbling for your phone to find directions to the latest restaurant are over. The Apple Watch includes the Map app that puts the world at your fingertips or in this case, your wrist. This feature provides directions in a discreet way, so discreet in fact, that the person will feel a vibration on their wrist when they need to turn. But, how is the person to know whether to turn right or left? Different vibrations mean different directions, and so, the vibration for a left turn is different than the vibration for a right-hand turn.

Siri- Looks like Siri has some new digs as she found her second home with the Apple Watch! Siri’s latest home allows her to continue her duties as your very own personal assistant by asking her various questions about local attractions. These requests and Q & A sessions with Siri are all done through voice commands that Apple Watch responds to.

Time– Last but certainly not least, perhaps the most basic, but classic feature of any watch, the Apple Watch can tell time!

Although these are just five of the many features that the Apple Watch has to offer consumers, this new Apple invention won’t be available until early next year; so, for now, we eagerly wait for the much anticipated launch of this futuristic piece of wearable technology!

Copyright Inventionland, 2014

Sources:

https://time.com/3313126/apple-watch-features/

https://www.mtv.com/news/1925484/apple-watch-what-you-need-to-know/

https://www.sfgate.com/health/article/Apple-Watch-is-a-big-threat-for-Jawbone-Fitbit-5746799.php

Images:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Apple_gray_logo.png

The post What’s New with the Apple Watch? appeared first on Inventionland.

The idea behind this new technology is that it can turn any object into a musical instrument. How so? By converting the vibrations that are made as a person touches it into sound.

Here’s a quick rundown of this latest invention. Let’s say you place the small sensor onto the surface of a cereal box. Once you connect this sensor to your smartphone, an app will begin running on your phone that both detects and analyzes the vibrations and transforms them into musical notes. You can either keep your musical cereal-playing talents to yourself or you can hook up your smartphone to speakers for everyone to hear; and, depending on your musical skills, this could or couldn’t be a good thing for your neighbors!

The best thing about this invention is that the sound that a person hears is actually coming from the object!

So, who can we credit for this invention? The answer is a music technology researcher by the name of Bruno Zamborlin, who offers a better explanation for his invention:

“It’s a principle called physically inspired sound system. When you play a real instrument, like a guitar, the sound is created by the combination of an exciter and a resonator. The exciter is the plectrum in your hand that hits the strings, and the resonator is the combination of the strings and the body of the guitar. Mogees works in a similar way: everything that is picked up by the sensor — your gestures, the object itself — is the exciter, and the resonator is emulated through the software. We just modify the signal to respect musical rules. We augment it.”

This invention’s app is very hands on and gives the user the chance to select the musical notes and tones that they want to be associated with their gesture. If a person makes the same gesture more than once, they will get the same sounds, thanks to the invention’s functionality.

If you can’t quite picture how this invention works, take a look at this trailer:

We must admit that this “sounds” like one very cool invention!

Copyright Inventionland 2014

Sources:

https://www.cnn.com/2014/09/03/tech/innovation/mogees-make-music-from-anything/index.html

Media:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPMqAEIBfJM#t=48

The post This Invention Can Turn Any Object into Music appeared first on Inventionland.

That is until Manuel Linares, a former physicist turned cook, invented an alternative for the classic summertime treat. Through his invention, when a person takes a lick of their treat, it changes colors.

The additive known as Xamaleón, which is Spanish for “chameleon,” changes from periwinkle to pink once it touches the tongue. So, how does this curious invention work?

This ice cream, in particular, is made with natural ingredients like almonds, vanilla, bananas and strawberries. Linares then sprays the ice cream with what he calls the “love elixir,” to accelerate the reaction.

The trick of this treat relies on both reactions to acids in the human mouth and changes in temperature. But, that’s all the public will ever know about it, because Linares isn’t giving up any more details about his secret until he secures a patent for his invention. As of late, his patent is pending.

Earlier this year, Linares opened his own ice cream shop in Spain and is working on inventing more exotic ice cream flavors in the future.

Only time will tell what other innovative concoctions Linares will invent! But, for now, the world waits to be able to enjoy this color-changing invention!

Copyright Inventionland 2014

Sources:

https://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2014/08/01/physicist-invents-color-changing-ice-cream/#.U9_VQ_ldWoM

Media:

https://cnet4.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/r/2014/07/30/84c86d37-f53e-460e-8a23-88d80d028e69/resize/770×578/19a17eaa4e73ef86a09f006d8f9a2b61/xameleon.jpg\

https://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/var/plain_site/storage/images/publications/food-beverage-nutrition/foodmanufacture.co.uk/manufacturing/colour-changing-ice-cream-invented/9204209-1-eng-GB/Colour-changing-ice-cream-invented_strict_xxl.jpg

The post Check Out This Color Changing Invention! appeared first on Inventionland.