People tend to approach speed-bumps in one of three ways. They remain at their current speed and drive straight through without a care or thought for the car’s undercarriage or suspension. They slow down to an appropriate speed and glide over the top. Or they slow down so much they cause drivers behind them to brake (and curse) violently. The Bumpfree Dynamic Speed Bump concept could change the way drivers approach a speed deterrent in the future. It will allow drivers who are traveling at the right speed limit to pass over the hump without hindrance but will "remind" drivers traveling above the limit to slow down by creating the same feeling one gets when passing over a speed-bump - but without the usual speed-bump impact.
Like speed-bumps that automatically retract at low speed, the Dynamic Speedbump is designed to reward drivers who are traveling at the correct speed - by offering an almost unnoticeable pass. Internal cells within the speed bump will contain non-Newtonian Thixotropic fluids which will instantly react with the speed at which a driver makes contact with the speed-bump – immediately reminding them if they are going too fast.
Extra details like the double-layer bladder protection will help to ensure a long product life and allow the speed bump to be used in various conditions. Physically-scaled testing thus far has shown promising results using different body constructions, internal fluids and approach speed.
The Bumpfree Speedbump is expected to be most useful in environments where speed needs to be kept at a safe level, for example hospitals, school zones, or where vehicles are entering and exiting with precious cargo or people onboard. It can be placed against a piece of shaped bitumen or be in a bolt down form of plastic. Made mostly from recycled rubber, the dynamic speed humps will be textured and suited for the environment in which they are placed.
Designed by an Australian student from Newcastle University, Bryce Killen, the Bumpfree Dynamic Speed Bump has made the shortlist for the 2010 Australian Design Awards. Drivers with a low-slung undercarriage on their car might be hoping this is one concept that comes to fruition.
On top of all that, because it will have to be made of a flexible bladder that would also mean that it will be slippery, if not when dry then certainly when wet which means that there will be something on the road to disrupt braking and steering in an actual emergency.
Some fluid solutions behave strangely. If you pour them or stir them slowly, they appear thin as water. If you impact them, they feel more like hard rubber. It\'s only the speed that makes the difference. You can easily put your flat hand to the bottom of it, as long as you do it relatively slowly. It you stab it hard with the tip of a knife, you will no way get deep into it. The harder you stab, the sooner it stops.
You can try this out yourself with a cup of water and a few spoons of for example potato flour. Mix quite a bit of the flour into the water. Stir it well while mixing it in little by little to avoid lumps. (This ability may come in handy if you want to cook food for someone you like, but I\'d think of a different \"food\" than this). Do not make it become thick.
You\'ll feel the mentioned effect if you stir it rapidly. Remember: It will be runny, almost as normal water (but white) but if you really attack it, that\'s totally different. If you do use a cup, I\'d be a bit careful in the beginning. Apart from destroying utensils and splashing goo all over, you may also hurt yourself if you go for the knife test I mentioned. Make the solution a bit too thick first maybe, and then gradually dilute it to se the more extreme sides of it.
And eeeeh... No. I have no idea of why and how this works, physically. Probably no mystery. And by the way: Do not blame me for any mishaps you may provoke by testing! :-)
But of course Drew and Ed, there are valid reasons to wonder if it would work in real life. Bikes would be no problem as they can go on the side of the \"bump\" if they wish to go fast, as they frequently can on speed hump designs used now. But durability? Well, it seems like a real challenge. I guess freeze would be no big problem. Water and potato flor is most likely not the actual fluid, but I guess some anti freeze fluid would fix even that. Being a Norwegian, I\'m used to snow. I think it would be close to impossible to make this functional, but still able to tolerate snow plows scraping over them all winter.
But of course, not all ideas work everywhere. This may be useful in areas where snow is not a normal thing. In Norway we all easily walk on water, without at all relating that to being anybody mentioned in the Bible. At the same occations we like to use a fun invention called ice skates. :-) This invention is of course not very useful in Hawaii, even though they do have water there.
Stein
Please leave your ignorance at the door and wipe your feet before treading on Bryce Killen\'s fine, hardwood floor of intelligence.
Stein has it sorted, it\'s the speed (of moving the fluid) which affects it\'s properties. (top post Stein)
Drew since when does a flexible bladder have to be slippery when wet? As opposed to that wonderful grip laden wonder material \"paint\" they liberally apply to EVERYWHERE on the road?