After the recent release of a device that records car crashes as they occur, John Harris eagerly awaits the day when he can use this marvellous technology to identify the cause of marital collisions.
Where would we be without computers?
Over the past 25 years, I’ve marvelled at the magical combination of technology and human ingenuity that has delivered the personal computer revolution.
Its most recent wonders include the iPod invasion, the deluge of digital cameras and the percolation of Internet connectivity into every facet of our lives.
Amazing, no doubt, but every now and then comes an advance that really takes my breath away.
I had one of those asthmatic moments last week when the latest breakthrough emerged from the How Did I Live Without That? Department.
The creative folk at Kaiser Baas have come up with a palm-sized device called the RoadRecorder, which acts as a digital eyewitness of dodgy driving behaviour by recording video, audio and location data as you drive.
If you brake suddenly, swerve or encounter an irresistible object, the RoadRunner’s “internal G-force sensors” will turn on the device to record the incident.
In his company’s press release announcing this marvellous new product, Kaiser Baas CEO Evan Kourambas said the idea came from trucking and transport companies that had used similar devices for some time. “We’ve now brought this technology to every driver,” he added.
Mounted on the inside of your windscreen, the RoadRecorder is a little camera that automatically records video when your vehicle is involved in a road incident, allowing you to play back the recording to determine what really happened.
I’m not sure how this helps if your car is rear-ended.
You can view the recording on your vehicle’s in-car video display (unless you drive a vehicle of our family wagon’s vintage); download to a memory stick for playback using your PC’s USB port or directly connect it to your PC.
If a spy camera on your windshield is not enough to make your nerves jittery, the RoadRecorder even tracks how efficiently you drive the car and “encourages” you towards safer driving habits and reduced fuel consumption.
If this digital back seat driver sounds like an irresistible investment, it costs $249 at a home electronics superstore owned by a guy named Gerry.
For mine, I plan to wait for the How Did I Live Without It? Department to release the second generation of this device, which will have a smaller, head-mounted camera.
Called RageRecorder, it’ll be voice-activated with facial recognition software, so it can start recording every time I say something stupid to my beloved wife.
Finally, with that sort of digital brilliance, I can figure out exactly what it is that I say wrong.
John Harris is managing director of Impress Media Australia. Email jharris@impress.com.au.
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