Safe-D Researchers Return to the Virginia Tech Science Festival

On Saturday, October 27th, the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT) at Virginia Tech hosted its 5th Virginia Tech Science Festival.

This event was an opportunity for various organizations, colleges, and departments at Virginia Tech to demonstrate different types of engineering, science, arts, and design to a large amount, and wide age range, of people from the Blacksburg area.

Safe-D and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) hosted an exhibit called “Technology in Motion – How Computers Move Us” which aimed to teach festival participants about the advancing technologies that are gradually being implemented in the area of transportation. There were several demonstrations for attendees to participate in, which included:

Learning about the different functionalities of instrumented helmets, wristbands, and vests. Motorcycle riders can use the helmets and wristbands, which are capable of collecting real time data, to monitor their performance and behavior and further improve their safety. Construction workers can also use these helmets and vests, which contain dedicated short-range communications (DSRC), in connected work-zones which will enhance communication between workers and vehicles.

Seeing how retroreflective materials are used in roadway signs and markers to improve their visibility for drivers. Festival-goers could use handheld microscopes to look at the glass crystal and bead patterns that make up these signs, and then shine flashlights on the signs to see how they would reflect the light based upon their composition.

 

Safe-D is looking forward to participating in next year’s Virginia Tech Science Festival!