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Smarter speed bump using non-Newtonian liquid

badennova.es

101–110 of 168 posts

Re: Smarter speed bump using non-Newtonian liquid

#101
post #39

From the first video: > “Whether you respect the speed limit or not, your car will suffer from a speed bump regardless.” Can anyone confirm this? I would assume the suspension can handle speed bumps fine at low speeds. That’s what it feels like from inside the car anyway. Couldn’t it be argued that, as we approach a speed of 0 mph, there exists a speed at which no damage is done to the car whatsoever? And, if we plac…

You still have to brake (brake pads and discs suffer for no reason), gear down (transmission suffers) and potentially move off at a low speed (clutch suffers, your wallet suffers if you go over them frequently). Even at minimal speeds (less than 20 km/h), speed bumps feel very unpleasant and I really don't like sounds my car is doing while riding over them.

And also more emissions are released into the atmosphere due to an interruption acceleration cycle that resembles that of a traffic jam. But then I'm not sure even if a viscous speed bump would help there. We need tech that will eliminate the need for speed bumps - of any kind - and speeding tickets.

Re: Smarter speed bump using non-Newtonian liquid

#102
post #43

Speaking to a founder to a competing company ( https://www.edeva.se/en/ ) I found out that there has been many attempts at solving the problems of speed bumps: - Everybody gets bumped, not only high speed vehicles - Emergency vehicles need to slow down - Bus drivers and others can get back problems from speed bumps Most solutions break down because the forces and the wear and tear is so tremendous. The solution from…

I've always wondered what it would look like to tie one of those roadside speed monitoring trailers (they have a sign telling you the speed limit, and your speed) which were in contact with a 'speed bump' filled with hydraulic fluid. The faster you go over the limit, the harder and taller the speed bump :-) If you did this with a camera system you could avoid penalizing emergency vehicles.

The main issue is that everything movable or deformable is going to get absolutely wrecked by vehicles, in short order.

Even old-fashioned speed bumps get severe ridges worn into them by vehicles that go too fast. They need to be repaired after a year or two. And even if that doesn't happen, they experience severe forces from wheels, every single day.

You (and the non-newtonian bump mentioned in the article) suggest basically a rubber bag filled with fluid. Instead of getting ridges worn into them, they're going to get punctured and destroyed.

There's a reason the system mentioned in the article is only shown in parking garages. It only works indoors (because of UV), and it only works at relatively low speeds, where the forces are lower, and the risk of undercarriage hits is very small.

I hate speed bumps, but it's extremely hard to find a workable alternative. Personally, I prefer chicanes.

Re: Smarter speed bump using non-Newtonian liquid

#104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You might be right that they'd be vandalized. I expect you're getting down votes largely for suggesting you'd do it yourself.

What I meant, although I guess it wasn't clear, is that from my own experience a vandal is many times not what you expect him to be. Sometimes, he's some guy with glasses who posts on Hacker News. And sometimes, that vandal is not a he, but a she. I've seen it all. :)

I really appreciate the brutal honesty of your initial comment! Of course there is a vandal in every single one of us and those who say otherwise (or downvote) are in denial.

Re: Smarter speed bump using non-Newtonian liquid

#107
post #72
post #24

Can someone enlighten me on why we need a smarter speed bump? If cars going too fast are going to be damaged either way, there's no benefits on that end. If the motivation is that cars can go slightly faster overall over the bump to reduce traffic... then don't put a bump there!?!? Slow traffic will still be slow?

Because speed bump design varies greatly; many are very hard on your vehicle to go over at very low speeds, the size/shape of the bump has nothing to do with the speed limit, it seems. Often I need to go 5mph over a speed bump in a 25mph zone. It's bad for everyone. Wear and tear, noise pollution, brake dust+emissions pollution from speeding up and slowing down, etc. Sometimes there are big long speed bumps that are…

Some square speed bumps have a square form factor, wedge shaped sides over here so that if you aim with the bump right in the middle of the car, sufficiently wide-tracked wheels are on each side, negating the bump, presumably for emergency vehicles and buses to not be concerned with the bump.

Obviously obnoxious SUVs and the like are impervious to this, obliviously driving over. Conversely, a chat with my local mechanic turned up an issue with unprotected engine underside (like with most cheap to mid-range cars) means there's a sufficiently higher chance to rip the oil drain plug, meaning slightly increased tow-in rates with each new speed bump. Nasty, although more recent cars have undersides now in an effort to reduce drag and improve compliance with emission regulations.

Re: Smarter speed bump using non-Newtonian liquid

#108
post #105

Mercedes has a neat solution for speed bumps as well. "Two cameras located at the top of the windscreen scan the streets and setup the suspension to absorb the bumps." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQsMfHg6jIE

Neat meaning "does not have to slow down and can keep on killing pedestrians"?
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