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Next-Gen Windshield Wipers To Be Based On Jet Fighter "Forcefield" Tech

Posted by samzenpus on from the rain-rain-go-away dept.

cartechboy writes "It looks like the old-school windshield wiper is about to be replaced by new technology — but not until 2015. British car-maker McLaren is apparently developing a new window cleaning system that is modeled from fighter jet tech. The company isn't revealing exactly how it will work, but the idea comes from the chief designer simply asking a military source why you don't see wipers on jets as they land. Experts expect McClaren to use constantly active, high-frequency sound waves outside the range of human hearing that will effectively create a force field across a car's windshield to repel water, ice insects and other debris. Similar sound waves are used by dentists to remove plaque from teeth."

5 of 237 comments (clear)

  1. Or... by msauve · · Score: 3, Informative

    You could just buy a bottle of Rain-X.

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
  2. Re:Bugs and Dirt by sjbe · · Score: 4, Informative

    I am curious as to how it will "fix" the bugs getting smeared on the windscreen.

    Heck I've never found a set of windshield wipers that truly solves this problem. Usually they just end up smearing bug guts all over.

  3. Re:Ice insects? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Nice comment, but that wasn't an Oxford comma, it was simply incorrect.

    Article (incorrect): "to repel water, ice insects and other debris."

    Standard comma: "to repel water, ice, insects and other debris."

    Oxford comma: "to repel water, ice, insects, and other debris."

    I should know, I'm at Oxford.

  4. Re:What they didn't say... by Talderas · · Score: 4, Informative

    I believe jets do indeed land at 10,000+ feet. There are 13 commercial airports with an altitude of 10,000 feet or higher. That's not including any military airports.

    --
    "Lack of speed can be overcome. In the worst case by patience." --Znork
  5. Re:Rain X by Valdrax · · Score: 3, Informative

    If pilots are doing 500+kts at altitudes reachable by grasshoppers, I'd be worried about the dents caused by trees. And small children.

    You may have heard of locusts before. All a locust is is a grasshopper in its migratory phase. Many species of grasshopper can fly quite well.

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    If it's for-profit but free, you're not the customer -- you're the product (e.g., the Slashdot Beta's "audience").