December 29, 2010 (Press-News.org) Wisconsin Engineer's Text-Blocking Device Aims to Reduce Distracted Driving Accidents
Distracted driving is a daily menace in America. Last year alone, the carnage included 5,474 deaths and 450,000 injuries in motor vehicle accidents linked to driver distractions.
To be sure, cell phone conversations and text-messaging are not the only forms of distraction. Personal grooming, eating and CD-changing are among the others. But texting while driving can be particularly distracting. Indeed, there is research indicating that it may be even more dangerous than drunk driving.
Not surprisingly, then, states are experimenting with various types of texting restrictions. Wisconsin joined the ranks of these states on December 1. Drivers caught writing or sending texts can be fined up to $400.
Role of Text-Blocking Technology
As the law attempts to address the dangers posed by new technology, efforts are also underway to use technology itself to reduce or eliminate those dangers. One such effort involves text-blocking technology, which may make it possible to prevent cell phones from working while a motor vehicle is in motion.
This emerging technology was discussed at the Distracted Driving Summit in Washington, D.C. last fall. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has said that his department is assessing the evidence on the effectiveness of the technology and its role in reducing car accidents.
A Wisconsin engineer named John Looby is one of the inventors and product developers at the forefront of the text-blocking movement. Looby is a 42-year-old electronics engineer who has developed a prototype text-blocking application. It plugs into a vehicle's below-dash diagnostics port and uses a wireless signal to prevent texting, as well as phoning, while the car is moving. Looby points out that his device is far less expensive and easier to use than two now-standard safety features: seat belts and air bags.
Competing Text-Blocking Applications
Looby's prototype is one of several text-blocking applications on the market. Ford Motor Co. offered a "Do Not Disturb" feature on two of its 2011 models. Ford's system mutes the cell-phone ringer and automatically sends messages -- both voice and text -- into a queue. There are also smart-phone applications such as txtBlocker that rely on GPS navigational technology to monitor the speed at which the phone is moving, and close down the capacity for texting when certain speeds are reached.
Which of these systems may end up making the greatest contribution to reducing distracted driving accidents remains to be seen. No system is perfect. The developers of txtBlocker, for example, acknowledge that using GPS technology to disable phones can be too intrusive when the phone's user is riding on public transportation or as a passenger in a car.
Looby's text-blocking device is not yet patented, but he has filed a patent application. He has also formed a start-up company, Tomahawk Business Systems LLC, and begun approaching car and head-set manufacturers about licensing his technology. His pitch is that he is the first to integrate cell phones with a car's built-in diagnostic system by using wireless.
Conclusion
Even as text-blocking becomes more widely used, it's important to remember that taking personal responsibility for safety remains crucial. As Secretary LaHood has pointed out, safety involves an interaction of effective law enforcement, appropriate technology, and a commitment to using common sense out there on the road.
Article provided by Aiken & Scoptur
Visit us at www.plaintiffslaw.com
Wisconsin Engineer's Text-Blocking Device Aims to Reduce Distracted Driving Accidents
Text-blocking technology, which may make it possible to prevent cell phones from working while a motor vehicle is in motion.
2010-12-29
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Pennsylvania Pedestrian Injuries
2010-12-29
Pennsylvania Pedestrian Injuries
Recently, a man walking on I-80 in Stroud, Pennsylvania was hit by a motor vehicle. He was flown to the hospital in critical condition. Another pedestrian accident occurred in Brookline, Pennsylvania when a pedestrian was fatally struck by a van.
These two incidents highlight the issue of pedestrian safety in Pennsylvania. In 2008, there were 137 pedestrian fatalities in Pennsylvania and 4,378 nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Although nationally this represents a 16 percent decrease ...
Understanding the New Export Control Attestation Requirement
2010-12-29
Understanding the New Export Control Attestation Requirement
Help for U.S. Employers of Foreign Nationals
Effective December 23, 2010, the new Form I-129 (Petition for Non-Immigrant Worker) requires employers bringing foreign national workers into the country to take an extra step.
The new export control attestation applies to the employers using H-1B, H1-B1, L-1, and O-1A non-immigrant visas for foreign employees.
In part six of the new form, employers must review the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations ...
The Effects of Marijuana on Driving Abilities
2010-12-29
The Effects of Marijuana on Driving Abilities
Does driving while under the influence of marijuana make the roads more dangerous? According to researchers at Yale University, the answer to that question is a bit more complex than you might expect.
Certainly, marijuana affects an individual's responses and technical skills as a driver. When under the influence of pot, an individual's perception of time and speed are altered, attentiveness is reduced and motor coordination is affected. The New York Times notes that researchers G. Berghaus and B. Guo concluded that pot ...
Carbon Monoxide: the Odorless Killer
2010-12-29
Carbon Monoxide: the Odorless Killer
With winter's chill in the air, it's easy to take shortcuts with safety to stay warm. By doing everything from letting the car warm up in the garage to moving the grill too close to the house, we sometimes put our own and our family's safety at risk.
Carbon monoxide (CO) exposure affects the health and safety of many every year, especially in the winter months. CO is an odorless gas that is contained within combustion fumes. CO is a danger to humans because it bonds to blood cells quicker than oxygen, and in doing so, puts our ...
Spartanburg Hotel Near Wofford College Offers Nearby Lodging to Fans Attending Wofford Terriers Men's Basketball
2010-12-29
Hampton Inn Spartanburg - North I-85, a premier Spartanburg hotel, offers nearby accommodations to Wofford College Men's Basketball games this season. Basketball games are played on campus at Benjamin Johnson Arena. Upcoming Wofford Terrier's January, 2011 home games are:
- Thursday, January 6 verse The Citadel at 7:00pm
- Saturday, January 8 verse College of Charleston at 6:00pm
- Thursday, January 20 verse Chattanooga at 7:00pm
- Saturday, January 22 verse Samford at 2:00pm
- Monday, January 24 verse Furman at 7:00pm
- Saturday, January 29 verse Western Carolina ...
The Majestic Photobooth Company Opens New Photo Booth Rental Location in Philadelphia
2010-12-29
The Majestic Photobooth Company, a photo booth rental company, has expanded its service area with a new office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The new Philadelphia photo booth warehouse, located close to downtown, joins The Majestic Photobooth Company's Atlanta photo booth rental headquarters, New York photo booth showroom, and other locations across the country.
"Philadelphia is great city, and we're very excited to have a presence up there now," remarks Zach Brown, owner of The Majestic Photobooth Company. "We know that the fun loving people of Philadelphia will love ...
The Secret Society of Happy People Announces the Happiest Events and Moments of 2010
2010-12-29
The Secret Society of Happy People announces its 13th annual Happiest Events and Moments of the year:
5. The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear lead by Jon Stewart and in-character Stephen Colbert served as a much-needed reminder that most Americans are still moderates.
4. President Obama signed into law the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell allowing all military personnel to serve with integrity.
3. Social media shows its influence as Facebook fans revive Betty White's career by petitioning for her to host Saturday Night Live ... and Mark Zuckerman graces the ...
Unique Gifts and Decor Celebrates a Successful Debut Christmas Season
2010-12-29
Uniquegiftsanddecor.com announced that its first holiday selling season was very successful and increased its online presence as a destination site for truly unusual and special gifts and home decor products.
Don Oppenheim, vice president stated: "For a site that just went live in mid October of 2010, we did extremely well. Above all we met our goal of excelling at customer service."
Unique Gifts and Decor was established to provide consumers with a one-stop place for finding gifts and home decor items that are not easily found.
"My son and I both like things that ...
A New Generation of Industrial Electronic Crane Scales with Enhanced Electronics is Now Available from Measurement Systems International
2010-12-29
Measurement Systems International (MSI) announces a new generation "MSI-3460 Challenger 3" Digital Crane Scale with an enhanced electronics package and larger display readout, complimenting their full line of crane scales and other weighing products.
"The MSI Challenger series was first introduced to the industrial marketplace in 1985 and has since become a world-renown standard for digital crane scales," according to MSI National Sales Manager, Tim Carroll. Now in its third generation, the Challenger 3 crane scale incorporates a newly developed and highly integrated ...
www.USSelfStorageLocator.com -- Locate. Save. Rent - Self Storage Anywhere, Anytime
2010-12-29
USSelfStorageLocator.com today launched a state-of-the-art search engine-rental website which allows consumers the ability to easily find the best storage facility nationwide that fits their needs. Equipped with the newest web technology available in the industry, USSelfStorageLocator.com's marketing presence will predictably benefit owner/operators immensely.
Finding self-storage and comparing facilities with ease is now available thanks to USSelfStorageLocator.com (http://www.USSelfStorageLocator.com). As the website name indicates, this visually attractive and ultra ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Deforestation could account for over a third of heat deaths in areas of tropical forest loss researchers find
Innovative backpack enhances stability for people with ataxia
Mapping the heart of volcanoes when they wake up
Cosmic butterfly reveals clues to Earth's creation
Phone snubbing more damaging to insecure partners, study finds
Treating heart failure patients with anti-obesity medication reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves clinical outcomes
Cardiac arrest in space: New research shows that automatic chest compressions are more effective for CPR when both rescuer and patient are floating in microgravity
Older age and low fitness levels are associated with heartbeat abnormalities that increase future cardiovascular risk
‘Built for cutting flesh, not resisting acidity’: sharks may be losing deadly teeth to ocean acidification
Study reveals beneficial effects of diet and exercise on alcohol-related adverse liver health
Making the weight in four years
AI review unveils new strategies for fixing missing traffic data in smart cities
Scientists discovered hopfion crystals – which are flying in spacetime
For bees, diet isn’t one-size-fits-all
How a malaria-fighting breakthrough provides lasting protection
Cognitive Behavioural therapy can alter brain structure and boost grey matter volume, study shows
Largest ever study into cannabis use investigates risk of paranoia and poor mental health in the general population
Most US neurologists prescribing MS drugs have received pharma industry cash
A growing baby planet photographed for first time in a ring of darkness
Brain’s immune cells key to wiring the adolescent brain
KAIST develops AI that automatically detects defects in smart factory manufacturing processes even when conditions change
Research alert: Alcohol opens the floodgates for bad bacteria
American Gastroenterological Association, Latica partner to assess living guidelines using real-world evidence
University of Tennessee collaborates on NSF grants to improve outcomes through AI
New technique at HonorHealth Research Institute uses ultrasound to activate drugs targeting pancreatic cancer
Companies 'dumbed down' cryptocurrency disclosures in good markets prior to reporting standardization, Rotman research finds
MSU study: What defines a life well-lived? Obituaries may have the answers.
Wind isn’t the only threat: USF-led scientists urge shift to more informed hurricane scale
Study: Fossils reveal reliable record of marine ecosystem functioning
New Simon Fraser University–University of Exeter partnership fast-tracks path to become a lawyer
[Press-News.org] Wisconsin Engineer's Text-Blocking Device Aims to Reduce Distracted Driving AccidentsText-blocking technology, which may make it possible to prevent cell phones from working while a motor vehicle is in motion.