Eye in the sky, or the roof, or whatever
Part of my nerdy side causes me to find more pleasure in the process than in the product. It’s all about the gear. Means that I collect technology, but knowing what could be done with a piece of equipment is more important than actually doing something.
Today, I sat in on the introduction to school bus camera systems, and I left with a wide smile. Forget what the kids are doing, because now we have reruns, just like TV. Think of a huge Pelican case, with two cameras bolted to the interior surface of the cover. How else to show off the available models. In the other section, a processor with a removable hard drive, locked behind an access cover with two different keys. Along the edge, a series of connectors (Molex, maybe) to allow the addition of various telemetry units. And as a conclusion, some control buttons.
Back to the telemetry. Imagine a way of recording each use of the bus turn signals, door opening, waving of the extensible arm. A tie-in to the speedometer, a GPS recorder, brakes, microphones. Sit down, kiddies; from now on, somebody will see you, hear you, know if you actually got out through the proper exit.
And the GPS also lets the concerned official find out if the driver strayed from the assigned route, or spent too long stopped at the local coffee shop. Control, back where it belongs.
I jest, just a little. I was impressed at how far things have come. The cameras actually “see” things. The ability to record that the flashing lights were flashing when the idiot nearly ran over the debarking passenger; priceless. OK, maybe the system is not for every bus, but isn’t techology cool?
