*notcot in tech , 21:00

Ideas For Good: Day 1 Prototyping- 06.03.11

ifg0.jpg YES. They are in fact up on a firetruck. Wow. What an inspiringly energetic day it’s been here in Pittsburgh in a huge Carnegie Mellon Robotics workspace ~ playing with Toyota, Deeplocal, Carnegie Mellon researchers, and the Toyota Ideas For Good winners. What they are trying to achieve this weekend is no easy feat ~ the artists/engineers/makers of Deeplocal promised (before even knowing which concepts the internet would vote to win) to take the 5 winning concepts from the Toyota Ideas For Good contest, where Toyota asked how you would use their vehicle technology in a unique way to “do good,” and along with the winners themselves, turn them all in to working prototypes during the weekend. This would be a challenge even without the time limit… but now add on the frenetic circus of 3 camera crews, media, agency folks, and MORE circulating and flitting about throughout the process! Being part of that chaos watching in fascination, i spent the day trying to stay out of the ways of the engineers and camera crews ~ focusing on the great energy and capturing my view of the impressive productivity everywhere i turned… Inevitably, staying out of the camera crew’s way meant a new found fascination with watching and capturing how they work as well!

Ready for a sneak peek at the progress that has been made? And the reality TV like setting of the weekend? From impressive rubberband/plexi/wood ipad keyboards ~ to a FIRETRUCK ~ to a cute mod shelter that will be cooked in tomorrow… check it out on the next page!

All of the projects have a desk/HQ in this warehouse like workshop… ifg1.jpg

Catch up on Toyota Ideas For Good winners and the competition here ifg2.jpg

Remember the Prius Roller Coaster? That went from ad to reality from Deeplocal/Toyota? Well it’s here! ifg3.jpg

Every scene pretty much looked like this ~ fun to see so much video being shot on 5D MK IIs! ifg4.jpg

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The camera guys popped up steadicam rollers so quickly it was fun to watch… ifg7.jpg

More camera’s and spectators than engineers/designers! ifg8.jpg

Fun top view steadicaming being prepared… ifg9.jpg

… which they controlled by pulling gently with a string! ifg10.jpg

Tim’s winning idea uses the Solar Powered Ventilation System for Pure Air ~ using the prius’ actual solar panel to be like an exhaust fan to remove smoke/etc from impoverished huts where some still cook over fires… here’s the roof of the hut being assembled! ifg11.jpg

Fun to see the cameramen all lying on the ground shooting around the 3 walls of the hut… ifg12.jpg

And the roof goes ON! ifg13.jpg

Cute isn’t it? ifg14.jpg

David’s winning idea is using the touch tracer display technology for a keyboard/mouse ~ this prototype is looking slick already ~ using ipads as keyboards, sensing/showing where your fingers are hovering/clicking on the screen! ifg15.jpg

My favorite is really how brilliantly they’ve attached them with 3M hooks and rubberbands… ifg16.jpg

Stu’s winning idea involves using T.H.U.M.S - Total HUman Model for Safety, which is an advanced injury-simulation software, to create a safer bike helmet… of course this involved much crash simulation testing! ifg17.jpg

There it goes… ifg18.jpg

In testing the fan power ~ you can see how many gathered, cameras on gorillapods on ladders and all… ifg19.jpg

Here it is hooked up… and when not in use, it hooks to the side! ifg20a.jpg

A peek at the “stove” set up… cooking demo to come tomorrow. ifg21.jpg

And perhaps visually the most fun of all… the Firetruck! Fran’s idea for a Automated Firefighting Extension Ladder Guidance System utilizing the Advanced Parking Guidance System ~ mean’s renting a real fire truck, with a fireman on site, and hooking up the guidance system to control the truck and ladder… ifg22.jpg

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And of course… full filming of that process as well as they check out the view from the camera mounted on the ladder from the monitor in the back of the truck… ifg25.jpg

So, that’s pretty much day 1 ~ doesn’t it make you want to run out and MAKE things? Get your hands dirty and see what you can come up with? Tomorrow wil be filled with testing and finishing up the prototypes… more fun to come!

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