when all animals run, their legs act like little pogo sticks. they do not run smoothly along but bounce because of the nifty mechanics involved in pogo science and in the economy of energy involved. it is a great shame that pogo science is only used by humans in the form of an eccentric method of transportation (although pioneers in robotics do seem to be catching on to its usefulness)
there may be many ways in which pogo sticks and their derivatives could benefit us in our day-to-day lives.
one way would be in the form of crash buddies for cycle helmets. They are composed of a suction-cup type attachment at the helmet end, a strongly sprung shaft and a little flat plate at the other end. stick the buddies all over your helmet at regular intervals.
now if you are involved in an accident and come off your bike landing on your head, not only will your helmet protect your skull but the little buddies will spring to your aid and let your head bounce harmlessly off the road surface. if you have any other little places that you would like to protect, then feel free; although haemorroid sufferers should think very carefully.-- po, Sep 24 2002 Pogo Science http://web.uccs.edu...rship/interview.htmOn that page do a search for the word "Pogo", for his quote. [Amos Kito, Oct 21 2004] While I eagerly await the other 9 ideas to be posted by your elf in the course of an hour - I'll apply this croissant to your suction-cup helmet.-- thumbwax, Sep 24 2002 Ask a biker and he'll say "I didn't have an accident, I laid the bike down".-- Amos Kito, Sep 24 2002 That depends on the accident. They may also say, "I high-sided it," or, perhaps, "I endoed," or even "I came off." "I laid it down," is usually reserved for, well, laying it down.-- bristolz, Sep 24 2002 What's his "elf" got to do with it... wasn't the elfs' idea.-- CasaLoco, Sep 24 2002 "HER elf" is HB-speak for "herself".
This reminds me of a tank's active armor.-- FarmerJohn, Sep 24 2002 how is that farmerJ?
the autoboner has struck, we wear the fishie with pride!-- po, Sep 24 2002 I did not mean to imply baked as I like this very different idea. Active armor is intercepting an incoming round before it hits a tank. Reactive armor seems to fit better:
"The reactive armor is another way to stop shaped charged warheads. This is a normal steel armor, but it has steel boxes on in that contain explosives, bolted outside of the tank. The boxes are anti-bullet, but when a strong enough round will hit them, they will explode. If the warhead was shaped-charged, the explosion disrupts the jet."
Well, you asked.-- FarmerJohn, Sep 24 2002 can't wait till 8th gets back - thank you farmerJohn ;)-- po, Sep 24 2002 Hm! After a potential neck injury, just about the last thing I'd want would be for my head to "bounce harmlessly off the road surface". (Am I the only one who imagines that to take place about 20 feet from the body, which is equally harmlessly lying in a ditch somewhere?)-- jutta, Apr 30 2004 random, halfbakery