| Following the tragic accident in Santa Monica, CA | | | | light would rest on the road at the fold point and the |
| during a blocked off street fair in the downtown area | | | | light would then be on the end near the corner of |
| this issue resurfaced. A concept had been discussed | | | | the upright and now-cross member. In the event the |
| where street poles would shape shift and change like | | | | light pole is near a manhole cover or near an area in |
| many of those miniature plastic robot toys. Much has | | | | which a utility company might park a man-lift truck |
| thought has gone into these toys and the video | | | | the light pole would come down and form a barrier |
| games and cartoons they were modeled after. Such | | | | box around that area. Many utility workers are killed |
| brainpower should not be wasted and today we see | | | | each year when their boom trucks are hit and tipped |
| many research institutes are working on shape | | | | or while working in manholes on ground infrastructure. |
| shifting technologies as new materials emerge. They | | | | All this can be eliminated completely.It is our |
| are applying these studies in the fields of | | | | contention that during road construction, repairs, |
| Manufactured Memory of Materials, Shape Memory | | | | accident first response, emergencies, civic events; |
| Alloy (SMA), Shape Shifting Technologies, | | | | we can provide additional safety and security with |
| Non-Holonomic manipulation, Self Reconfiguration | | | | little additional expense. Cities have streetlights and |
| Robotics, Tactile Sensors and Haptics to solve many | | | | since the cost to put in street lights is already a |
| of problems which plague mankind and providing | | | | given, these cities can upgrade to shape shifting |
| safety and security solutions to our populations. We | | | | designs to solve other issues. In addition our studies |
| can prevent future problems like the runaway car | | | | show that the additional costs associated with boom |
| and street deaths in Santa Monica. Nine people were | | | | trucks to change out light bulbs and minor street light |
| killed and 50 were injured. activate and barricade | | | | repairs can also be reduced and thus the initial capital |
| streets of travel of International Terrorists or | | | | outlay for the slightly higher costs will make up for |
| high-speed chases. These features can protect | | | | themselves over the first four to five years of their |
| patrons of large civic events and parades. These | | | | useful life.We have drawings, concepts and designs |
| barriers can be used in sobriety check-points and a | | | | and are willing to share these with those entrusted |
| multitude of other important endeavors from Utility | | | | to city governments, national security, highway |
| repair crew safety to Earthquake debris | | | | safety, foreign construction re-building, economic |
| avoidance.Streetlights would drop down like a railroad | | | | development, modernizing architecture, utility |
| crossing across a portion of the road. The outward | | | | infrastructure, corporate asset and facility security or |
| branch containing the light would fold in half and the | | | | US Embassy Upgrades and Fortification.Lance |
| light lens would switch from bright white to yellow | | | | Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. |
| and flash as a warning. The folded branch holding the | | | | |