SPEED-SENSITIVE BUMPS
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday February 19, 2010
Imagine going over a speed bump that feels just like the rest of the road - that's what the Bumpfree Speedbump is designed to do.It's supposed to be almost unnoticeable for road users who are travelling at the correct speed, while also reminding drivers to slow if they're travelling too fast, by feeling like a normal speedbump.The clever invention, the brainchild of Newcastle University student Bryce Killen, has been entered in the 2010 Australian Design Awards.Killen describes the Bumpfree Speedbump as dynamic because it allows drivers who are travelling at the speed limit to pass over without a hassle.Without getting bogged down in the technology, the speed bump can tell if you're going too fast because it contains fluids that react differently at different impact speeds.Killen says: "The majority of components used are to be formed using recycled rubber. Its final finish is to be relatively textured [as you would expect a speed bump to be] and suited for its environment." This could spell the end of crawling over speed bumps to avoid ripping off front bumpers. Coming to a road near you. Hopefully.
© 2010 Sydney Morning Herald
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