Manually operated windshield wiper
(FoxNews) – The reign of the windshield wiper could be coming to an end.
The McLaren automobile company is working on a vibrating windscreen
designed to clear away water and debris,
McLaren chief designer Frank Stephenson says the design is based on
fighter plane technology that uses high frequency sound waves to repel
rain, bugs and other potential obstructions.
The windshield wiper was invented in 1903, and the concept has changed
very little since its introduction.
Originally a hand-cranked device, electric motors were soon added, but
major advancements since have been limited to intermittent systems and
rain-sensing capabilities, none of which has affected the basic idea of the
wiper blade itself.
By removing traditional wipers, the aerodynamics of a vehicle can be greatly
improved and its weight reduced.
But while it sounds very advanced, one expert tells the Times that it could
require only a small transducer to send 30 kHz sound waves across the
glass and cost as little as $15 per car.
No word on when it will be put into production, or details if it would work
effectively at low speeds or just on the highway and racetracks, but the
first cars that use it aren’t likely to be cheap.
McLaren’s current lineup of supercars runs from around $230,000 to
$1.15 million, although it is working on one said to be in the $125,000
range.
Mary Anderson (1866- 1953)
The Inventor is credited with devising the first
operational windshield wiper in Nov. of 1903.
