Solution to Road Kill Problem

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Solution to Road Kill Problem

• How can car manufacturers redesign the car for
  less road kill?

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I assume here that costs are not important but
reaching the goal is all-important ("What would
Croesus Do?")
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Creativity ToolUse Google Image Search to view
various images to generate ideas and associations
in a Brain Storming fashion
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Creativity ToolGeneral idea If we need to make
x equal to y, we can bring x closer to y, y
closer to x, or both.If x lt y and we need to
make x even smaller than y, we can make x
smaller, y bigger or both.
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This Creativity Tool invites us to turn our
problem upside down Where we earlier looked at
it from the perspective of x it allows us to look
at it from the perspective of y.
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Creativity ToolIf normally A is inside B, can
we put B inside A?If normally A is on top of B,
can we put B on top of A?
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1 The Department of Transportation has required
a reduction by 50 of road kill of mammals larger
than three inches long.
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Too small to be concerned about
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In the target group of mammals
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Skunk
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Opossum
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Deer
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2 In any potential car/mammal road kill we can
keep the car away from the mammal, the mammal
away from the car, or make an accident less
severe so that there is no damage or death.
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3 Solutions where we keep to mammal away from
the car scare mammal by adding sound or smell to
the car design.
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4 Keeping mammal away from car by sound
http//www.deerwhistle.com/ http//www.ibmwr.org/p
rodreview/deerwsle.html Clash of Deer and Man
Tests Public Ingenuity
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"Based on the knowledge of ultrasonic frequency
coupled with observed field testing of various
animal species, it is highly unlikely that an
ultrasonic signal produced by the whistle devices
would reach a deer at a decibel level such that
it would be detected even at ten meters, much
less than the 300 to 400 meters claimed."
http//www.ibmwr.org/prodreview/deerwsle.html
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A supervisor for an Arkansas utility came up
with his own plan to scare deer off dark country
roads. He taped the barking of his neighbors'
dogs, rigged an amplified speaker to the front of
his truck and then broadcast the tape as he
cruised down highways. Clash of Deer and Man
Tests Public Ingenuity
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In northern states, the salt-drive phenomenon
also causes deer to frequent roadsides as they
search for residue from winter road-salting
operations. gt Car design cannot carry the
whole load.
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The asphalt surface of paved roads retains heat
and can act as an ecological trap for reptiles
that seek warm conditions to raise their body
temperature. Road-kill of reptiles warming up on
roads has long been recognized as a significant
source of mortality for some populations (Barbour
1944 cited in Harris and Scheck 1991).Harris,
L.D. and J. Scheck. 1991. From implications to
applications the dispersal corridor principle
applied to the conservation of biological
diversity, pp. 189-208, in D.A. Saunders and R.
Hobbs, eds. Natural Conservation 2 The Role of
Corridors. Surrey Beatty Sons.
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5 Keeping mammal away from car On roof,
detection camera with intelligent image
recognition software and high powered smell spray
with mountain lion urine or other deterrent smell
from a predator.
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Volume 34(1), Wildlife Society Bulletin, Role
of Predator Odor in Roost Site Selection of
Southern Flying Squirrels."Squirrels spent
significantly less time overnight in nest boxes
scented with fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) fur,
bobcat (Lynx rufus) fur, red fox (Vulpes vulpes)
urine, raccoon (Procyon lotor) fur, king snake
(Lampropeltis getula), and corn snake (Elaphe
guttata) than unscented (control) boxes."
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"Shake-Away Fox Urine Powder blends the
effectiveness of fox urine with our
patent-pending powder formula, to create the
safest, simplest, most effective, 100 organic
method to keep pesky animals away. Fox urine
powder works longer, smells stronger, and won't
soak into the ground, evaporate or freeze like
liquid fox urine.
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The following images suggest to me that we need
to radically rethink the car, move the bulky
part of it away from the animal so that the
animal can less easily hit the car.
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Result of a deer/car meeting of ways
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Another deer/car meeting of ways
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6 Solutions where we keep to car away from the
mammal put car on stilts so car can step
over animals
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In the next series of images I get better
acquainted with the world of stilts.
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• These two images reminded me of the concept of
  Biomimicry, a new discipline that studies
  natures best ideas and then imitates these
  designs and processes to solve human problems.

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• These images told me that stilts have been used
  by humans for various purposes and gave me added
  confidence that I may be onto something

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• Then I started to view some videos with stilts in
  robotics

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http//www.youtube.com/watch?vdut6jxCiakg
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http//www.engin.umich.edu/alumni/engineer/05S/res
earch/robot/index.html
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Segway
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Carbon Fiber Lightweight Body
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7 Or solutions where we have car hover on a
cushion of air, or using new, unproven,
anti-gravity technology and move around propelled
by heli-blades.
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http//www.maniacworld.com/Fire-Fighters-lift-car-
with-water.html
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Human Powered
Pedal powered hovercraft make great science fair projects for students and scouts as well as competition between schools and other groups. Construction is from bike parts, wood tarp material. Both models can be broken down for easy transportation. Empty weight 75 Lbs. Payload up to 300 lbs.
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8 Or solutions where we make the incident
less severe so that there is no damage or death.
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This is how a car may look with external air bags
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9 Or solutions where we detect wildlife early
to provide time to slow down.
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In-Vehicle Wildlife Detection Devices. The
Cadillac DeVille has an infrared detector called
"Night Vision" that the manufacturer says can
detect wildlife on the roadway ahead of the
vehicle. The driver's "range of sight increases
from 200 yards to 500 yards. The driver is
alerted to the presence of wildlife ahead by
means of a virtual image in the driver's
peripheral vision near the front edge of the hood.
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Image of a small dog taken in mid-infrared
("thermal") light (false color)
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10 Wildlife Friendly Car

• Seating Cabin on two stilts with knees
• Segway Inspired Balance with Flywheel
• Wildlife Infrared Detectors build in Lower Legs
• Night Vision Equipped
• Made of Carbon Fiber, an ultra-light material
• Transformable from walk to ride mode
• Solar electric system

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11 Advantages

• Design allows to get in/out easily
• Walk mode only in animal rich areas
• Steady moving while legs avoid wildlife
• Solar panels makes for no need for refueling