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• I don't understand what's so great about the bus stop light. Solar powered lights have been around forever. Can't they just wave at the bus? Is busses passing people by really a big problem that needs a solution?

  Posted by: Peepsalot on March 22, 2006 at 10:43 AM

• Learning to ride a two wheeler is a wonderful right of passage, skinned knees and all, that doesn't need to be homogenized and neutered by some shiny, injection molded plastic looking would be "engineering marvel"
  I think all of the accolades heaped upon that bicycle are from people who fail to understand that the biggest obstacle to overcome when learning to ride a two wheeler is getting the bike started. Once the wheels are in motion, the centifugal force keeps the rider upright. This thing teaches nothing.

  Posted by: chrisfrelin on March 22, 2006 at 10:48 AM

• Learning to ride a two wheeler is a wonderful right of passage, skinned knees and all, that doesn't need to be homogenized and neutered by some shiny, injection molded plastic looking would-be "engineering marvel"
  I think all of the accolades heaped upon that bicycle are from people who fail to understand that the biggest obstacle to overcome when learning to ride a two wheeler is getting the bike started. Once the wheels are in motion, the centifugal force keeps the rider upright. This thing teaches nothing.

  Posted by: chrisfrelin on March 22, 2006 at 10:49 AM

• Wait a second there.

  Matthew Grossman's bicycle was first developed at Purdue, and designed by Scott S. Shimm.

  I'm not certain if Matthew Grossman got the rights to it, but it would be of interest if anyone else knew.

  http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/2005/050428.Shim.bike.html

  Posted by: jabbey on March 22, 2006 at 11:26 AM

• I've got one of the solar powered bus stop lights on the way home from work and it is neat as all get out. Four Luxeon Star LEDs are employed, three providing a constant on demand white light illumination for people waiting at the stop while a fourth amber Luxeon flashes when a differnt button is pressed. It is great for reading the timetables posted at the stop, and ideal for signalling the bus at night.

  Peepsalot:
  These units are used in areas with poor or no lighting, which makes reading schedules impossible without a light. In the same fashion, you can wave at the bus all you like if and not be seen if there is no light. So if the headlights don't catch you you miss the bus. Allowing the bus and passing cars to be aware of people waiting on the shoulder of the road is also great with regard to safety and crime prevention. The neat technical aspect is the use of luxeon LEDs which are remarkably efficent and have tremendous lifetimes (20,000+ hours) eliminationg many of the problems associated with powering and maintaining such equipment .

  Posted by: monopole on March 22, 2006 at 1:56 PM

• Thanks for the positive feedback on my invention.
  I appreciate it.
  The bus signal is only one device on this system, but I am working on peripherals right now that will do things like:
  Provide two way communication
  Act as a ground based GPS unit
  Provide security surveillence
  Provide real time Audio/Video displays for the disabled
  Monitor air quality
  Augment disaster relief efforts by using a "passive repeater" system during times national disaster
  Facilitate the implementation of the Intelligent Transportation System, as mandated by congress.
  And lots more, because the system is completely modular.

  Posted by: Sean_Westcott on March 22, 2006 at 3:32 PM

• Thanks for the positive feedback on my invention.
  I appreciate it.
  The bus signal is only one device on this system, but I am working on peripherals right now that will do things like:
  Provide two way communication
  Act as a ground based GPS unit
  Provide security surveillence
  Provide real time Audio/Video displays for the disabled
  Monitor air quality
  Augment disaster relief efforts by using a "passive repeater" system during times national disaster
  Facilitate the implementation of the Intelligent Transportation System, as mandated by congress.
  And lots more, because the system is completely modular.

  Posted by: Sean_Westcott on March 22, 2006 at 3:34 PM

• Thanks for the positive feedback on my invention.
  I appreciate it.
  The bus signal is only one device on this system, but I am working on peripherals right now that will do things like:
  Provide two way communication
  Act as a ground based GPS unit
  Provide security surveillence
  Provide real time Audio/Video displays for the disabled
  Monitor air quality
  Augment disaster relief efforts by using a "passive repeater" system during times national disaster
  Facilitate the implementation of the Intelligent Transportation System, as mandated by congress.
  And lots more, because the system is completely modular.

  Posted by: Sean_Westcott on March 22, 2006 at 3:35 PM

• Also, Peepsalot, this system could be used to allow busses to not slow down so much for stops with nobody at them, allowing them to make their rounds quicker, and thus more often. (Or, contrarywise, go at the same frequency while slowing down other trafic less.)

  Posted by: theorb on March 23, 2006 at 4:18 AM

• As Don Norman said of the SHIFT bike long ago, it's rather ridiculous to heap accolades on a design when there is no evidence of its utility or effectiveness.

  Anyone who's studied two wheeled vehicles can tell you the problem with this design: A tricycle turns left when you nudge the handlebar left. A bicycle turns right when you do the same thing. (Go out and try it.) Imagine trying to operate a vehicle that turns left some times and turns right at other times, given the same control input. Sounds like a nightmare to me.

  To design a vehicle so that it switches capriciously from one operating dynamic to another, and then to pitch it towards novice riders (!), is an invitation to injury. I hope this design never sees production.

  Posted by: celeriac on March 26, 2006 at 1:34 AM

• Dogs Rule! What a fabulous yet simple invention. It will make every pet and groomer happy but the styptic makers aren't going to like it! Thanks from our pets and those of us who love them. Good luck.

  Posted by: sosmart on March 29, 2006 at 2:03 PM

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