I.F. Robots | sqaudrons, swarms

 Robots and Automation

flagging requirements for maintenance of permanent or semi-permanent nature

detection of problems not visible to unaided eye, eg. electric wiring problems underground

general regular maintenance against weather such as snow

engagement interfaces for monitoring and adjustment, etc

novel configuration of workforce and crews with mobility and diverse expertise

I.F. Urban power grids

Power grids remain relevant

Return of excess electric energy into grid for collection and redistribution

Distributed input eg. home solar panels result in a feedforward grid   < req research

I.F.: The Highway

 New Highways:

solar energy collection via friction and weather resistant disks where electricity is collected and fed back into the linear grid to be collected and redistributed or used to power features as tolling stations

irrigative management of rain and snow where runoffs are managed through processing possible 

accommodation for autonomous vehicles including large cross-country trucks as well as augmented vehicles and segtors of performance highways for high-performance vehicles

scaled and regular charging stations (towards commercial, requiring public-private coalition) or in-motion charging roads (see Stockholm)

material of greater endurance and being smoother with less friction: varied material in spirit of prototypical ventures: novel or enhanced material or material combination

highly efficient overhead lighting with configurations w/ motion sensitivity where appropriate (and or possibly backlit lane partitioning) and intelligent lighting systems incorporating such as wi-fi, notification loudspeakers, weather monitoring, emergency incident monitoring and transmission

advancement of wireless transmitting signage, suitable for transmitting to receivers in human driving cars and to self driving vehicles; also adaptable for traffic and violations monitoring

support V2V, V2N, V2X transmissibility across new vehicles to speed communicability of incidents and conditions on highways

call for new designs for roadway waystations and lookout-observatory microports

new forms of roadways forming new types of connections between new types of nodes

greenaries to be cultivated at locations like vicinity into townships

campsites are possible for observing the dark sky

ev charging lots with amenities

various attributes:

    smart systems: flooding detection and adjustment, driver wrong side detection, etc

    kiosks: emergency or roadside assistance dispatch signaling, vending, waste disposal and recycling etc. 

    locii: weather and condition monitors

    motion-sensitive lighting: for less used segments of roadway

points for consideration:

vicinity to urban places - eg. transfer of energy from solar energy collection

 

commercial or private enterprises offering vehicles on sharing-economic principles 

  

From Office of Infrastructure: History of Highways link

after a century: “Secretary Gallatin urged, ‘shorten distances, facilitate commercial and personal intercourse, and unite, by a still more intimate community of interests, the remote quarters of the United States.’”

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“…spectacular transcontinental trip made by Dr H. Nelson, a prominent surgeon, from Burlington, Vermont, in a 20-horse power Winton touring car, which he purchased from a private owner in San Francisco… the first to complete the cross-country journey in a motor car, Dr Jackson left the Golden Gate City on May 23, 1903, accompanied by…”

“In 1913 no State, nor probably any county, could boast a complete highway system. As the motor vehicles rolled from the assembly lines and out into towns and through the countryside in growing numbers… The Lincoln Highway.”

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1893 Good Roads Movement > Office of Road Inquiry, Dept of Ag, from Statute: “To enable the Secretary of Agriculture to make inquiries in regard to the systems of road management throughout the United States, to make investigations in regards to the best systems of road-making, and to enable him to assist the agricultural college and experiment stations in disseminating information on this subject, ten thousand dollars.”

Federal Aid Road Act, Woodrow Wilson, 19160711