A US company has developed an umbrella that does more than just keep you dry when it is raining - it tells you when it's going to rain.Ambient Devices, which specializes in integrating Internet information into everyday products, has devised an umbrella with a built-in radio receiver in its handle that receives weather data for 150 US locations from forecasting site Accuweather.com via a proprietary wireless network.
If the forecast is for rain in the next 12 hours, the umbrella's handle lights up. Soft, intermittent pulses mean you can expect light rain while a very rapid, intense pattern signal thunderstorms ahead.
Company spokesman Mark Prince said the Ambient Umbrella showed the ability to embed the intelligence of the Internet into everyday objects.
"You can put this umbrella by the door, in an umbrella stand, and on your way out it'll be telling you if this is the day when you are going to need an umbrella," Prince told Reuters.
2 comments:
I invented one of these years ago but it works on a different principle. It's operated by a timer so the only day it doesn't open up is the second thursday in July. The rest of the year it opens just in case.
I invented a better idea, it's called looking out of the window to see what the weather's like !
Post a Comment