Slashdot Mirror
New Safety Feature Detects Flesh
nmb3000 writes "SawStop has introduced a new safety feature for dangerous power tools such as table and band saws which, if accurate and reliable, could result in a lot fewer people visiting the emergency room due to deadly accidents. Using the difference in electrical capacitance between various substances, the system can stop a blade rotating at 4000 RPM in less than 5 milliseconds after detecting contact with flesh. It's hard to understand just how effective this is until you see the demonstration videos where a hotdog is used in place of a potential victim's finger. The site also gives a brief explanation of how the system works as well as some high-speed videos showing just how quickly the blade stops rotating. I wonder if this same technology might be used to protect you neighbor's cat from your robotic lawnmower?"
I don't see how this is going to work for me. I use my power tools to prepare my BBQ. I use the saw to split the hot dogs and shape the hamburger patties.
It is "features" like this that kill the hobbist market for power tools.
The grass is only greener, if you don't take care of your own lawn.
"Now, Mr. Bond, since you won't talk, you will loose your..."
CHUG.
"...eh? Damn you SawStop"
T.
Who will be the first to "Hack" the saw so you can vary the delay time. Survival of the Fittest may still succeed !
"Yes! I am saved by this power saw that is still miraculously working despite the fiery explosion!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Damn you science!!!"
Honestly, would you like to donate a finger to nick for a video?
Imagine it - 'Ok, cut.', and everyone fall around laughing.
'BandAid him, take 2'
'no no no - another bandaid - take 3'.
I think the hot dog serves the purpose.
T.
I suppose this is finally evidence that hot dogs are made out of the same kind of stuff as flesh.
I know Apu might sell soy-dogs but making one from cows is not a victimless crime.
......
Time to send some of these saws to the abattoir.
Now, if it's a victimless breakfast you want
bring it on
There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
I've developed a heat-sensing technology for robotic lawnmowers in this vein... but it isn't meant to PROTECT the neighbor's cat.
[We ended up passing the exam, with a minor downcheck for not being more delicate about the severed limb with the patient - the hand was in the very back of the room. Apparently none of the other groups even thought to find the limb, and took the patient to the hospital immediately].
How many of the other groups passed? Should I move out of Pennsylvania?
For a moment their I thought there was a new browser feature that bypasses all those annoying flash adverts... Unfortunately I read the title wrong.
"New Safety Feature Detects Flash"
Nick
Electronic Music Made Using Linux http://soundcloud.com/polyp
This needs to be expanded to routers and hand tools.
No kidding! My friggin Linksys took off three fingers.
ich muß mehr Kuhglocke haben
...John Wayne Bobbit had all of his kitchen knives replaced with electric knives sporting the new technology.
Liberty uber alles.
clintp wrote:
>
> The skin grew back, and I've got a rather odd fingerprint there now.
>
I took off a "plate" of flesh from the end of my left thumb while slicing potatoes two Thanksgivings ago. Not only do I now have a puckered blank in the center of my thumbprint, but some touch-sensitive controls (like my iPod's!) ignore the thumb.
On a more positive note, I am no longer asked to help prepare food when visiting my in-laws' house.
Nope, the problem is that cutting yourself with the blade is only one of the *many* ways you can hurt or kill yourself with power tools.
I'm mostly thinking about the fun tendancy of a table saw to fling wood at you if you aren't careful.
Gentoo Sucks