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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

The First Humanoido Lab

THE FIRST HUMANOIDO LAB
GOING RETRO: It's interesting to visit the past. The first Humanoido Lab was established in 1955 with the study of science and work in Astronomy and Humanoid Robotics. It was the year Albert Einstein passed away, like the setting of a brilliant sun, a new sun was born.


Typical modern version of 1st Lab
FIRST BUILDING
The first Lab had its own wood house - approximately 12 x 8' in studio fashion, with a picture window, door, wood burning stove and the first small library.

In the summer time, a tent was pitched next to the Lab to provide more space for experiments.

The original building was possibly a chicken coupe from the 1940s which was remodeled into a storage shed and then a club house through the years. It was repainted white. 

Original photos will be posted from the 1950s photo album when they are accessed. For now, the supplied photo shows the approximate size. The roof was probably one slope towards the back of the building.


Similar wood stove
The wood stove was added specifically for Lab function during the cold winters. In the winter, small pieces of leftover construction wood were hatchet cut to fuel the stove for heat. The wood scraps probably came from a deck project which was constructed around the same time. The wood stove was a very small steel drum. It was designed as a camping and ice shack fishing warmer. Hatchet cut wood was trimmed into even smaller pieces to fit the small stove, lit with crumpled newspaper. A pile of wood fuel was made and set next to the Lab building for the winter. Unfortunately, late into the winter at the coldest peak, the tiny stove could not keep up, and it overheated at the metal pipe roof stack connection and caught fire on the wood shingles. The slow amber burn of the surrounding few wet shake shingles was immediately put out with handfuls of snow and the building was fine, but it was the end of using the small uninsulated stove for safety reasons.

PERSONELL
The Lab was run by at least four people, inclusive of the founder/ director, a military mechanics specialist and technician, and at least two investors.

FIRST LAB STUDY FIELDS
The first lab experimented with and studied in the fields of Marine Biology (Brine Shrimp & fish), Botany (plant species), Entomology (Insects), Astronomy (Telescopes, Planets, Moon), Osteology (Bones), Mechanics (motors, materials), Sci-Fi Makeup Artistry, Fossils (cave-man tools, fossilized dinosaur and oceanic sea urchins) and Humanoid Robotics.

STUDY & SPECIALIZATION
Study was heavy into Inventing, collecting Fossils, practicing Scouting, Exploring the Earth, developing Collections, working with Microscopy, developing Mechanical projects, studying Computers and building Robots. The Lab specialized in performing scientific experiments and collections.

FIRST PRINTING
The Lab also published, sold and distributed a small newspaper. The mechanical printing press worked with a rotating drum that held rubber type face. It used homemade ink, cut recycled paper, and text set in news font rubber type. The Bindery process used metal staples to hold the newspaper together. The mode of delivery transportation was by bicycle. All articles were authored by Humanoido. Each issue was sold for five cents though many were delivered FOC.

FIRST ROCKET LAUNCH
The Lab launched its first black powder rocket early on during the first summer. About 200 rockets were launched in all. The launch site was located a mile out of town. Estimated altitude was from 200 feet on up. Parachute black powder rockets were also launched and retrieved. Other rockets followed with different types of propulsion - a vinegar and baking soda liquid fuel rocket, and a water pressure powered rocket.

FIRST TALKING HUMANOID
The first talking humanoid Can Man was invented and built. Computers were only studied and not built. Remember, ENIAC - Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator was in the news at this time and the popular microcomputer was not yet born - not until until twenty years later in the 1970s. The humanoid's upper body torso, face and head were made from metal Campbell's soup tin cans. The head was attached to the torso with wire run through holes punched into the metal. The torso held the speech mechanism to generate 16 spoken words with phrases, names, nouns, adjectives, and verb commands. This was the first speech device which used all mechanics. The single resonating speaker was cut from of piece of flat cardboard and tension attached and regulated with a rubber band.


Mr. Machine robot

OTHER ROBOTS
The Lab collected many functional robot toys for study through the early years. These included a commercial Mr. Machine robot made by Ideal, Robert the Robot, Big Loo Giant Moon Robot from Space, Robot Commando, and others.

MR. MACHINE
Mr. Machine came assembled with numerous plastic gears. When it was disassembled, adequate instructions for reassembly could not be found! This was ok as many of these gears became parts in the Lab for new robotic construction projects.


Catalog prices near 1960
ROBOT COMMANDO
Another robot that saw a lot of action was the Robot Commando. A hand could be inserted int the robot's back to activate main controls.





ROBERT THE ROBOT
Robert the Robot was the most popular robot. B&W TV advertising and ads in the Sears catalog introduced it across the USA. Robert had many functions and was motion controllable with a hand paddle connected to the robot by a steel cable. It was modeled after robots on science fiction movies. The original Robert from the 1950s and replicas made in the 2000s can be found at auctions today.






Big Loo Giant Moon Robot
BIG LOO GIANT MOON ROBOT
Big Loo was possibly the most amazing robot toy ever created. It's sheer size was fantastic and the number of functions it had was remarkable. It could roll along on wheels, bend at the torso to pick up things, it had a gripping hand, could shoot missiles, canon balls, had two dart launchers, a navigation compass, alarm whistle, Morse code keyer with Morse code language on the back, lighted eyes, a signaling bell, base storage compartment, a moveable arm that could throw a grenade, a centrally located squirt mechanism to shoot out water, and it could speak many different phrases. Big Loo saw so much action, the winding lever to control the speech wore out. Two slits were made in the performance of head surgery to repair the mechanism with silicone and restore the robot's voice. The voice mechanism used in Big Loo was almost the same as used in Robert the Robot.
 
Tom Swift book
FIRST LIBRARY
The library began by checking out all books from the local library in the fields of various science, twelve at a time. This progressed to owning subscriptions to magazines and purchases from the local book store. The little library held books about scouting, crafts and lore, science experiments, microscopy, computers, and robots. It had collections of Weekly Reader for news and inspiring stories. One of these issues still remain in the Lab with an article about the design of a new American space shuttle. The library branched out to include science fiction because SciFi held better ideas and innovations than science fact in the 1950s.

COLLECTIONS
The Lab housed several collections of scientific items for study and shelves with various parts.

LAB FOCUS
The focus was on computers, robots, plants, brine shrimp, microscopic studies, study of the Moon and planets (Venus), lenses, motors, bones, printing, gears, insects, and creating make-up special effects.

PUBLICATIONS
The Lab had its first professional article and photos published in a trade magazine.

INSTRUMENTS
Hardware and instruments included robots, a printing press, forming jar, entomology net, a 300X optical microscope, and a telescope.

DESIGNS & PREDICTIONS
A design was drawn showing a large scientific business, building, and inventory that would exist in the future. This view from 1955 seems to match the view of Humanoido Labs in 2013, nearly sixty years later!

LAB SHOWCASE
What remains from the early Humanoido Lab? Here's the list of common items now in the new Lab's Showcase. Weekly Reader, Telescope, Professional Publications, Printed Newspaper, Tom Swift & His Giant Robot Book, Original Robot, Photos.

2013 Labs Seal

HUMANOIDO LABS UNIVERSE OFFICIAL SEAL FOR 2013



INTRODUCING THE NEW OFFICIAL SEAL FOR HUMANOIDO LABS UNIVERSE IN 2013

Lab certifications will continue to bear the official seal of Humanoido Labs for the year of issuance. The design represents the year of issuance, branch of peace, the world of expanding knowledge, the stellar reign of stars, and the bullet ring representing the points of grand exploration, discovery and invention.
Approved official elements such as projects, web sites, scientific papers, studies, publications, announcements, view portals, data, machines, telescopes, communication, divisions, designs, schematics, various administrations and awards will be granted use of the new seal as indicated.
The new seal replaces the seal from the previous year.

HLU

Humanoido Labs Universe: HLU
The new name extension, HLU, represents new upgrades and conventions for Humanoido Labs Universe.

The representation is for a plural number of labs taking on a plural number of diverse projects, hence the "Universe" coinage. HLU may represent any particular Lab or a number of labs. HLU is not limited to one location but extends to multiple countries and a plurality of locations within countries. HLU contains the educational institution and divisions cited in the Humanoido Labs blog.

http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.tw/2012/06/humanoido-labs-list.html

http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.tw/2012/06/new-static-humanoido-labs.html

Blitz Krieg Machine Announcement

BLITZ KRIEG MACHINE ANNOUNCEMENT
Lightning Speed War
on Conquering the Unknown

Wednesday January 30th 2013
Humanoido at HLU
Announces the BLITZ KRIEG Machine

The Blitz Krieg Machine is being developed as the most massive function enabled and ultimately powerful Propeller machine ever designed at the Humanoido Labs Universe.

--- The purpose of the BKM wages a lighting speed war on conquering the unknown. ---

Enter into the design phase
Over 100,000 processors exceeded. Intentionally designed as a new generation Propeller-chip-based thinking machine that exceeds previous ratings and conventions.

New Functionality
BKM is designed for greater design, creativity, speed, function, size, app capability, and number of processors. Allows exploration into the farthest frontiers of machine intelligence.

Naming Convention As the name implies lightening war, the BKM wages a lighting speed war on conquering the unknown.

Technology Origins BKM is designed with previous unique processor enhancements and the inclusion of recent new technology from HLU.

First Announcement

http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.com/2010/07/multiple-props-projects-list.html

Monday, January 28, 2013

Hot Air Balloon Launch

Massive when inflated, the hot air balloon is launched!
BIG BRAIN SPACE PROGRAM
LAUNCH A HOT AIR BALLOON
BIG HOT AIR BALLOON NIGHT LAUNCH AT PINGXI

Pipe mounted folded balloon lantern ready for prepping
This is our four sided colored hot air balloon about 4-feet high with a skin made of thin plastic. It has a thin rigid circular wire frame at the bottom with criss-cross members that support a wad of cardboard soaked in low grade diesel fuel.

This eventful night launch was joined by film TV crews and Chinese models to pre-launch the special festival which was attended by thousands of participants and spectators. Many small stores dotted the long winding line of commercialism, selling food, lanterns, toys and souvenirs as walkways were packed with people.

Postcard artwork matched actual scene
The sides are painted, by Chinese tradition, with good luck inscriptions. The balloon is held upright as the fuel source is lit. The balloon is allowed to heat up as the fuel fire grows in intensity. Watch out if the wind comes up and the balloon tips - it happened once and can be very dangerous! Humanoido had to jump across the railroad tracks and large rocks to avoid catching on fire!

Credits & special commemorative stamps
Each "lantern" is prepared by placing it on its own pipe mount. The heavy mount has a base mount and 3 sides with clips - as it holds the lantern with plastic clothes pins, two sides at a time can be scribed with a message. When the two sides are complete, the balloon is unclipped, refolded, and the remaining two sides are painted with more inscriptions.

It generally takes 2 people or more to hold the balloon. Then, let go, and the balloon rises to reach a maximum altitude. At fuel extinction, it continues to rise and gain altitude as long as the air remains hot. These hot air balloons rise so high they become a fire-lit point like a star floating across the sky.

The balloon has lofting power and one could attach a camera as a payload or other scientific instruments, though retrieval could be complicated if the balloon lands over the lake or at night.

Postcard art showing simultaneous launches
This is actually a giant Chinese Lantern at the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival on Sunday January 27th, 2013. Cost of these large lanterns vary, depending on color, - this one launched was red and cost NT$100 or about US$3.00. Included are paintbrushes and ink to make your own good luck inscriptions and the lanterns are already built with wire frame bottoms and attached fuel. They set flat and are unfolded. Lanterns rise very fast when the temperature is about 59 deg. F, and take only 15 seconds to diminish to a tiny dot in the sky.

80 page book featuring Lantern Festival
Another unusual feature of the launch was it took place directly on the railroad tracks. During launch preparation, everything had to quickly be moved out the way as a large passenger train came roaring through! It was a bit dangerous but it was all part of the night fun! (See the beautiful postcard renditions and one showing the railway tracks!)

All hot air balloon photos shown are hand held captured with iPhone 5's camera in HD. Project cost was around $11.00. ($3 hot air balloon, $2 artwork, $6 Railway & MRT transportation to Pingxi)

Traveling Into the Future Through Time

TRAVELING THROUGH
THE SLIPSTREAM OF TIME

WE ALL TRAVEL THROUGH THE SLIPSTREAM OF TIME BY NATURAL METHODS. HOW CAN WE ALTER OUR TIME TRAVEL DESTINY & PERCEPTIONS TO GO DEEPER AND FARTHER INTO THE FUTURE?



* You can diet your way farther into the future!
* The passage of time is tuneable!
* Time changes in speed!

Our current time travel project is involved with several methods of traveling through a zone of time, with the goal of reaching farther specific future nodes. One time travel method is in the forward direction, with objectives to reach farther into the future from a past or present node point. The nodal point can be marked at any position along the time line. Travel through time can be simplified, but it takes patience as the living elapsed period requires a specific slice of time to reach future nodes. But read on... Is it possible to instantly travel into the future?

TYPES OF TIME TRAVEL
Several types of time include physical, physiological, and relativistic. Perhaps the inevitable time travel that can currently be controlled is through physiological means.

MAXIMIZING THE FUTURE
Research after research program has yielded consistent results showing longevity with caloric deprivation. As longevity increases, the future point reached is maximized.

SPEED OF TIME TRAVEL
Time travel can also have a speed variance. Time passes by more slow for early age organisms, and humans, and passes by more quickly for the elderly and aged. What are these variances? The speed of time passage can double and triple, but like Einstein's Relativity, the speed is relative.

RAMPING TIME TRAVEL INTO THE FUTURE
Travel into the future with a speed that can be continually ramped up as age increases in a linear fashion.

TIME NEVER SLOWS
Time will never globally slow down - it can only continue to increase in speed in the forward direction.

TIME STOPPAGE
Worst case scenario is the stoppage of time, when a person dies. This is time relative to the person who has died. In this case, the time line cannot be relaunched.

TIME SUSPENSION WITH COMA, FREEZE
Is time suspension possible, and then can it be resumed? Although no human as we know has become frozen and then restored after a great passage of time. If so, this would undoubtedly not stop time. However, it would slow the aging process though not stop it. It this case, time would progress. What if the body reaches a complete frozen and static state without aging? To the restored person, they have not aged, yet they are propelled into a distant future. Also consider people have remained suspended in comas only to come back to reality after many decades. Does this represent a time suspension? - possibly not - as the person continues to age...

TIME VARIANCE - TUNING TIME
Time does have suble variances that can be induced, like turning the knobs on an instrument control panel one way or another, very small changes to the passage of time can be achieved. As a test, engage in two sets of data, one in which you greatly enjoy, and one in which is tedious and monotonous. Physiological time will pass by slower or faster. By tuning the activity, the passage of time can be tuned.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Time Travel

TIME TRAVEL CONTINUES
Work continues on the time travel project as we move closer to the precibus. 

The study of time continues with increasing intensity at the largest laboratory. Recapping, the first massive experiment of moving an object from a timeline of 1970s forward into the future was successful and analyzed. The techniques employed were by transgression flow method. In this event, the yardstick of time flows only the forward direction, from past to present to future.

The Transgression Flow Method work is now being extrapolated to more distant timelines. A project of TTE or time travel extensions is initiated. This will create sectional extensions to a singular time travel project. By concatenating the collection or collective of TTEs, a longer time travel expanse will be reached. This is thought of as time travel from A to B, from B to C, from C to D and so on. If the final result is Z, then the length of time travel is A to Z, and farther than the sum of the individual time lines.

In another ongoing spinoff technology, we designed the mechanics of a Time Machine V1.0 by harmonic oscillatory method using gravity waves to propel a human forward into time and to have the function to see specific user time line past. This machine is not yet implemented due the excessive G-forces created, which would exceed that human endurance. The design of a suit to counteract these "gravitometric" forces was began and is still in progress. When the suit can counteract the forces of intense gravity, the time machine will be implemented.

Update

LABORATORY UPDATE

Rather than go days and days without blogging as we work on very large projects, we've decided to post several of the "in between" novel, unusual and decidedly humorous things that we see happening in the local surroundings. Consider these as Earth-based observations.

Work continues on a new Safety Car prototype, designed to eliminate the use of fossil fuels, decrease global warming, lower the cost of city commuting, and improve safety to an ultimate level.

The Parallax Propeller chip and BASIC Stamp are being used to control an instrument panel.

The Lab has opened up and founded a mapping division. Specialize city maps are being created and plotted for a new function car.

The Lab has increased the level of its parts acquisition center, adding greater local resources.

Plans are progressing for the opening of a new USA Laboratory in 2013. 

Usage of the Deck Lab is suspended due to necessary repairs. The overall design of the balcony is like a large water cup and every time it rains, it fills up like an olympic swimming pool - drowning any scientific equipment placed there. The balcony designer failed to install a water drain.

Painting the previously suspended Big Brain Loft due to water leakage is now cancelled. After the leaks were repaired in the buildings above, a good new rain produced new growing spots of water moisture.

Experimentation is continuing with the new iPhone 5 and Siri AI. It's interesting how so many people have personified Siri, as seen on Youtube.

The upcoming human launch into Next Space is being planned for February. The launch was cancelled in January due to impending circumstances. The new launch will take new lab equipment into space and study the upper Earth's atmosphere strata and tenuous space.

New Lab designs are in the making. A new office space is being designed. This will handle many of the space exploration activities and may function as a secondary computer center for research, design, and tracking.

A new observatory is being designed. This will be made from wood and spire upwards to house a series of new telescopes. The telescope are designed to be physically small, but breakthroughs in technology will make their performances physically and optically large.

A secondary mobile observatory is in design progress. It could be towed into the country for ultimate deep reaching astro imaging of the night sky.

We continue to work on life extension, so that these projects may continue. LE programs include diet, exercise, machine application, and other knowledge gained to extend life. If the results extend to 2020 or 2030 remains to be seen.

Work continues on the time travel project as we move closer to the precibus.

Toy, AI or Real?

TOY, AI OR REAL?

Can you spot the Teddy Bear puppy? At first glance, the puppy appears to be a plush brown toy laying amidst the clothes for dogs. It appears to be a model, dressed with a cute jacket and bow tie. However, closer inspection had revealed a puppy opening its eyes, then appearing to fall asleep. Was it real, artificial intelligence or a simple eye moving toy dog? It was discovered the dog is real and was taking a nap inside the clothes rack. It does appear to be a comfortable and cozy place for a nap.

Paper Plastic or Polyester?

Photo 1
PAPER PLASTIC OR POLYESTER?
New High Tech Bag Holds Your Goods

Walk into Family Mart and you may walk out with the latest high tech or low tech bag, depending on how you look at it.

Photo 2
As seen by the texture in the photo, the bag is a type of fabric polyester, which is not the only differentiating feature from conventional bags.

Photo 3
This one appears to have a series of oval cuts made at various positions. When you place a food box (or iphone) in the center and grab the sides, a carry bag is formed. (see Photo 1)

Presumably it's much easier and lower cost to merely cut a piece of square material.

Photo 2 shows the fabric material texture similar to polyester and the oval-shaped cuts.

Photo 4
Photo 3 shows placing an object in the center. Note, the bags cannot be used for very small items that may fall through the openings. For boxes of food, the bags work great.

Photo 4 shows the two sides grasped and being raised, and the position of the weight in the center relative to the sides and the shape of a bag being formed. This may look similar to a Fresnel lens.

Photo 5



Photo 5 shows the bag ready to be carried.

DIY Your Own Bag
You can DIY your own bag with a flat piece of polyester and a scissors. Just cut out the indicated pattern in photo 2.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Interesting English

Photo 1
INTERESTING ENGLISH
Photo 2

This area will become the collection point for very interesting English with humorous takes and that ultra wacky English we call Chinglish, collected during travel throughout Asia.

Photo 3
The first addition, Photo 1, is the "Perfect comfortable Pharmacy." At first, we were not sure what makes it so comfortable and perfect. Then we realized it was indeed more clean, more new, more neat, and more organized than the other pharmacies we had seen.

Photo 2 shows a store selling bags. The sign is not so sure, is it the "Best Place or Trendy Bags?"

Photo 3 shows a very interesting shoe shop. It's the "comma shoe shop." The bit of twisted grammar indicates the comma may be in the wrong place! ... or when the translator made the translation from Chinese to English, the inclusive "comma" was literally spelled out. Welcome to Chinglish!


Photo 4
In photo 4 we see a store that sells living small appliances. We guess these are the latest crop of intelligent thinking machines that are alive. Live machines maintain life by automatic charging feeding stations.











Photo 5
Tshirts also have interesting English. In photo 5 we see a fake Levi shirt exclaiming the Fresh Dutdors.













Photo 6
Photo 6 also has a wealth strange of English errors.

hourly - hourish
revitalize - recitalise
skin, keep - skin,keep
skin - shin

We're not too certain about the correct spelling of porsjie. 

Cold Talk Emergence

EMERGENCE OF
COLD TALK
ASIA 2013 -- It's now possible to talk on your cell phone to someone who's cold, i.e. not warm flesh and blood.

KNOWN AS COLD TALK
Smart phones now have their own version of an electronic assist device. One can carry on a conversation known as a cold talk, with one of these purely electronic artificial intelligence devices. There's simply no warm human at the other end of the conversation. Add yet another reason for being occupied with your cell phone. On this day, groves of people were everywhere glued to their cell phones. This photo was snapped during a traffic survey. It's unsure how long this group was motionless, with only moving fingers and standing in exactly the same position. They appear to be shoppers, at one time, at the Rose. But when they emerged, they suddenly fell victim to a trance-like stance, in the standard cell phone coma position. Could this be the beginning of a new cell phone zombie era? As smart phones become smarter on their way up, are users of smart phones on their way down?

Monday, January 21, 2013

Hit & Run

HIT AND RUN
EVEN STREET & TRAFFIC SURVEYS ARE DANGEROUS!

It's hard to believe, when walking on this very busy pedestrian path at night, with thousands of other people, during the emergence of the night markets, a very large car came pushing through and ran into me from behind. It then quickly turned and sped away on a side street. I don't know how many other people were mowed down.

It's incomprehensible that such driver stupidity exists to even think about traveling on this path during the night market time. I was ok due to fast reaction time and quickly jumping when the first bump was felt on my leg, hand, and arm.

Believe it or not, very large vehicles, even trucks run down this path during the day and night, a place which is so short on space that it cannot even handle one way traffic. However, vehicles attempt two way traffic. When two vehicles come face to face, they often just set there with both parties refusing to move.

While the photo shows the same street, it does not show many of the food stands and clothing shops that were spread directly into the street on the particular night. The conclusion is this area is not safe for pedestrians, in spite of the massive number of pedestrians walking in this area.

The only possible solutions are not to walk this area, traverse this area in a tiny safety vehicle moving at pedestrian walking speed, or walk this area on the side during the daytime when the night markets have not emerged and there is more space.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Transportation Survey

Surveying Taipei City for
Safety Car Transport Analysis

CLEAR SIDEWALKS
This is the conventional relatively unobstructed sidewalk in good clean brick paved condition. Many sidewalks are more narrow than this one. Farther back, this sidewalk had serious and dangerous drop-offs and was completely obstructed.

Note there is a potted plant to the right of the walkway about midway to the intersection and a sign that overhangs into the walking space. Also visible is a large sewer cover. This one is cast iron and strong. Beware of many weak covers made from thin aluminum that may not support the weight of a heavy person or vehicle.


OBSTRUCTED SIDEWALKS
Although this walkway is unusually large, it's common to see a car blocking the narrow sidewalk path and to remain parked unattended directly on the sidewalk for considerable time.

Almost always, there is insufficient space (less than 24-inches) to pass around with a small 2-foot wide vehicle. This demands a diversion into the street or alternate route, perhaps backtracking to find a congestion free path.




PETROL SCOOTER PARKING
Scooter parking is not always an option as specifically designated parking areas are often maxed out with no remaining parking places as far as the eye can see.

Bikes with no place to park will often take up at least one scooter parking stall during busy times. These stalls usually do not have 24-inches width available, because of the extra large footprint of the two adjacent parked scooters.

In the photo, two people on a scooter are patrolling the area looking for a place to park.


SPECIAL PATHWAYS
A little known secret is the dark poorly illuminated special pathways that exist between some skyscrapers as left over space after the construction was completed. Amazingly, these are time saving short cuts to new places within the city.

These are not entirely untapped as some people have attached connecting "roofs" between the skyscrapers and made places to live, places to hang clothes, places to store junk, a place to store and discard garbage, and others have created a parking place for scooters (as seen in the photo). Bikers frequent these areas as traffic free shortcuts.

Generally, special pathways have a 24-inch wide clearance for a safety vehicle. A project is now underway to map all the downtown special pathways. Special pathways have some advantages for testing vehicle prototypes as they are not generally patrolled and are more private than more public streets and sidewalks. However, keep in mind that official patrolling motorcycles can fit into and traverse these small areas too.


BIKE & MOTOR LANE
Both manual bikes and gasoline powered scooters are given this lane to travel upon alongside the main traffic. However, we noted the main traffic was also using this designated area and it was not very safe. It takes a very brave person to ride a slow bike in this lane and be buzzed by reckless fast other vehicles.


DANGEROUS SIDEWALK
DROP OFFS
Sidewalks randomly have very steep drop offs, which are very dangerous. At night, they are invisible due to either poor or no illumination. In the daytime, one can see the steps are not even and have different sizes. Hitting one of these with a small vehicle to damage the vehicle. The only solution is to map all the sidewalks before traversing those areas and avoid all the drop off sidewalks. Drop offs are more or less frequent depending on the area of the city.

COMPLETELY BLOCKED SIDEWALKS
This sidewalk and drip path are completely blocked. A mobile restaurant has moved onto the sidewalk and a food grill and and a large electrical transformer are blocking the drip path.





NARROW PASSAGEWAYS
This sidewalk merges large square tiles with the drip path where garbage is dumped and a scooter blocks the way. The clear area in the passage way is about 11 inches wide, with only enough clearance for a pedestrian walking sideways through the opening.


CRAZY TRAFFIC LINES
Don't try to follow these ultimately crazy dashed white traffic lines or an accident is sure to result.