driving technology

QinetiQ North America has developed a system for cars that measure the amount of alcohol that’s in a driver’s blood. Sensors that test breath are installed in the cabin and take respiratory samples from the air, and sensors on the steering wheel and door locks analyze whether a drivers BAC from skin samples will allow the driver to start the car.

While the politics of this type of technology may be explosive, I believe most Americans agree that drunk driving is a bad thing. Its most promising attribute is that it can keep a person from developing a driving habit that becomes a way of life. For a moment let’s extend the logic. Since alcohol usually involves all sorts of bad decision-making, what about bicycles or roller-skates that can’t be used when the BAC is above a certain level. These items and others that benefit from this type of technology don’t have to be mandatory, but could be an option for parents and others wanting this type of assistance. Blaming things on the” ac, a a ac  alcohol” doesn’t always need to be an option. For more on this type of technology, go to http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/

The ability to produce a prototype of a design, something that can be seen and touched would be an enormous benefit to designers and manufacturers of products. Well thats exactly whats now possible with 3D printing. 3D printers actually build a model of your design using ABS plastics. The costs of products can be drastically reduced because flaws can be detected early in the design phase before lots of money is spent on creating prototypes.  One company needed to outsource a design that would build products for the disabled, spending around $23,000 to a machine shop to build a metal movable arm prototype, using the 3D printer the company made 8 prototypes for around $3000.
3D printing uses ABS plastics to produce a model one layer at a time from computer files. Repeating this process until all layers are constructed.
A company called Desktop Factory is planning to bring a 3D printer to market for under $5000. This is probably going to be big. Lots of 3D printers that need to be maintained and repaired, sounds like a job for someone with a computer background.
 http://www.outputlinks.com/html/Columnists/Basiliere/Basiliere_061008.shtml
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article1839765.ece

about "me"

Hi, My name is Terry Boone and this is my emerging technology blog. First I would like to thank everyone who's visiting and encourage everyone who participates. Let me share some background information about myself. I am from a small town in North Carolina named Enfield, where I graduated from the local high school. From there I matriculated to N.C. A&T State University, then transferred to UNC-Charlotte where I obtained my degree in Criminal Justice. Then moving to Atlanta, Ga. I worked for a airline catering service, specifically catering international flights out of Hartsfield Airport, but the area I have worked the most would be in automobile manufacturing where I was involved in rear seat building primarily as a employee of Lear Corporation, a first tier supplier for Ford Motor Company. I was able to make a good living, and even invest in a few houses for supplemental income, but in 2006 Ford shut down its Atlanta operations putting thousands out of work.Upon moving back to North Carolina, I entered Edgecombe Community College to pursue a skill set in computers and information technology. I am interested in a computer career, but also in making technology useful to those of us that are not technically proficient, so as you post, keep this in mind. The learning experience is better served by bridges rather than fences.