VendO Wheel generating Energy
Monday, May 16, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Parc. Bench is essentially a green parcel in the urban environment, potentially as small as a single tile in the sidewalk. Surrounding and enclosing the parcel is an object that is basically a piece of urban furniture; together they serve to nurture and protect both the human life in the city and the plant life contained within.
In its normal state, the object serves as a neutral protector, both of the plant life within and the people outside. The arms open and adjust themselves to nurture the plants, while still shielding them from their surroundings. Light sensors tell the object when to provide shade where it's needed. The gentle movement of the arms creates a sense of urban vibrancy, attracting people and letting them know that the area is safe.
When proximity sensors detect someone approaching, the object closes its arms, enclosing the plants and providing comfortable seating for pedestrians. When they leave, it opens again, ensuring that the green parcel is not suffocated by the urban life it is meant to protect.
Particulate, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and radiation sensors constantly monitor the quality of the nearby environment; when the surroundings become unsafe, the arms open completely in every direction, creating a zone around the parcel that people can not enter and signaling to people that they're in danger. The arms remain open until the environment becomes safe to enter; if the environment remains unsafe for people over a long period, the plants begin to grow and spread along the arms, essentially enlarging the green parcel in the process.