ARTICLES

7/24/2017· Transportation

Autonomous and Inevitable, Part 7: Cameras and Sensors

By: Ned Einstein

The previous six National Bus Trader articles on this subject stabbed at some highlights and low-lights within the extraordinary spectrum of socio-economic, institutional and other issues encompassed by our transition from humanoid-driven to robotic vehicles. At this point, I thought it might be helpful to take a quick glance at some of the hardware that serves as the robots' mechanical fixtures, apart from the electronics and the digitalia: Cameras and sensors. These components were employed in "transitional" or "steppingstone" efforts along the path to truly driverless vehicles. So I feel it is worth a look at how these technologies were used and abused at this earlier stage of HAV (highly-automated vehicle) development. Should the reader wish to view the math in the robots' brains, I recommend Multiple View Geometry in Computer Vision by Richard Hartley and Andrew Zisserman. The bible for artificial intelligence. Way over my head. If also over yours, no apologies necessary.

8/7/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction

Forensic Engineering Experts: Animation

By: Kristopher J. Seluga, PE

Animations are useful visual tools that can help jurors understand how an incident could, or could not, have occurred. Simply describing an event in court, or showing still pictures, may be insufficient to explain a complex sequence of events.

3/16/2009· Product Liability

How to Design a Product Warning: Best Practices

By: Dr. Gerald Goldhaber

The Goldhaber Warnings Report: In the last issue of this newsletter, I listed four key questions that must be answered when conducting a warnings review. Answers to these questions, as well as following the detailed steps I now provide, should help you determine whether or not you need to warn or, if you already warn, whether or not your warning(s) is/are adequate

12/29/2011· Eyewitness Testimony

Visual Perception in Low-Light Levels: Implications for Shooting Incidents

By: Dr. Paul Michel, OD

While on evening patrol, officers discovered two men lurking near a closed gas station in a high-crime area. In the confrontation that followed, the officers fired on the suspects, one of whom appeared to be holding a shotgun.

6/22/2017· Transportation

Autonomous and Inevitable, Part 5: The Regulatory Environment -- Initial Thoughts

By: Ned Einstein

Industry insiders, including government officials, cite an interesting analogy as a justification for their initial jump into the regulation of driverless vehicles that was first promulgated on September 20, 2016. The point made is that, had current regulations been in effect when the "Model T" hit the streets, we would have experienced far fewer collisions.

9/18/2015· Accident Prevention & Safety

A Commitment to Accident Prevention

By: Thomas Barth

Wherever your construction site happens to be, health and safety should be the first priority. OSHA regulations, of course, are a useful guideline to help ensure a safe work environment, but they are just that-guidelines.

7/25/2014· Legal Issues

Court Determines Failure to Disclose Deferred Down Payment is a Rees-Levering Violation

By: Darryl Horowitt

Many consumer lawyers have argued that the failure to disclose a deferred down payment constitutes a Rees-Levering violation even if the amount of the down payment is accurately stated. An issue did, however, exist as to whether or not the inadvertent exclusion of a deferred down payment on the line for a down payment constitutes a Rees-Levering violation. This question has been answered by the court in Rojas v. Platinum Auto Group, Inc. (January 15, 2013) 212 Cal.App.4th 997.

3/22/2019· Product Liability

Danger Lurking in the Hot Tub

By: Roger Davis

Several dangers involving the use of a hot tub (spa) may readily come to mind, such as the risk of shock or electrocution, or the risk of drowning for unsupervised young children. Not so readily apparent is the effect of overheating the human body, or "hyperthermia".

5/9/2016· Real Estate

A Reasonable Standard of Care for Commercial Properties

By: Jeffrey Lapin

Tenants, visitors and vendors who enter upon commercial properties (office buildings, retail centers, apartment communities, industrial buildings, etc.) are entitled to the presumption of safety when traversing public spaces. They should, and do, expect that the owner of that property, by making it accessible to the public, will maintain the property (parking areas, lobbies, hallways, grounds, pools and the walkways that connect these elements) to a reasonable standard of care.

4/21/2009· Banking

Banking Regulation: Now is Time to do Away with the Too Big To Fail Doctrine

By: Catherine A. Ghiglieri

For almost thirty years, bank regulators have operated under the Too Big To Fail (TBTF) Doctrine, whereby insolvent large banks are treated differently than insolvent community banks by keeping the large banks open and closing the community banks. Now is the time to do away with TBTF once and for all