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1. H.U.S.H. AKA Cone of Silence
The dilemma: Who doesn't hate the loud ya-pare dude yapping the entire fx-ride on the phone?! “Oo, papunta pa lang kasi ako. Nasa daan pa ako.” "Ya pare, I'll see you tonight, happy hour?" You decide you don’t want to hear it, so you turn on your HUSH.
How it works: Inspired by the series Get Smart, we’ve upgraded the HUSH to also have anti-bacterial properties, for those sneezes that come your way on the road. Housed in a CD-like casing, the cone is activated as you press a touch-capacitive button in the middle.
2. SPACES
The dilemma: There was news recently to allot a 14-inch sitting space for commuters in public vehicles, and if they exceed it, they’ll have to pay for two seats. Sure, you have 14 inches of butt space but what about your upper body? What if you have small hips? Should the bootyliciously-challenged just let bigger guys literally crush them the entire time they’re in traffic? You want to be able to maximize your sitting area and that means being comfortable with the space you paid for.
How it works: Because the Bubble will have to protect your entire body, it’ll have to be worn near the waist area. It can be embedded in a button or your belt buckle, and once you turn it on nothing can get near you---not a shoulder, not a knee, not even those sneaky bag slashers. A more safe, solar-powered PSB will be developed separately for pregnant women and children.
3. USB 3.0 ports in PUVs
The dilemma: While in transit you find out that one soldier in your army of gadgets is running low on supplies and you’re still an hour and a half away from your destination. It doesn’t look good, and you stare helplessly as the discharged device’s screen slowly gets dimmer, seemingly to make you panic even more at its impending albeit temporary death.
How it works: Having USB ports in PUVs would be more than helpful to the average commuter. With WiFi buses now on the road, the next logical step is having a way to keep the device engaged and fully capable, battery-wise, to do its job. This can also serve as a prelude to a travel tracker, for people who don’t want to ever hear the “Papunta pa lang” response to the question “San ka na?” They’ll know exactly what vehicle your device is plugged into, what route it took, where you are and where they can pick you up.
4. Destination and Driving App
The dilemma: Those long, annoying horns you hear on the road are mostly aimed at PUVs clogging up traffic with their impromptu stops. Whether it’s picking up passengers or dropping them off, PUVs would go through three lanes of traffic to get it done. Since your device is already hooked up to the vehicle anyway, all you need is an app that tells the driver your destination. This means that the driver should also have a tablet or a display up front that is GPS-capable.
How it works: Thought up through a combination of the MRT’s way of announcing what station is up next and GPS devices informing the driver how many more meters until the next turn, the app requires passengers to “check in” when they enter the vehicle and encode their destination. The driver receives the notification up front, and the GPS lets him know out loud where the next passenger would like to get dropped off. Disconnecting your device from the vehicle will mean you have disembarked or “checked out” of the vehicle.
5. Red Button
The dilemma: Lots of things can happen when you’re on the road like accidents, vehicle breakdowns, stick-ups, and health emergencies. The problem is, often when these unexpected things happen, we’re too much in shock to actually remember what phone numbers to call. Do we even know what the emergency numbers are? Even if we did, human error is always a factor.
How it works: The Button is equipped with a GPS signal that will alert authorities and emergency responders to your location. At the same time, it doubles as a calling/recording device so you can explain to them what’s going on, in the case of a mugging or a medical emergency so they know how to respond. For actual emergencies only. Prank pressers will be penalized.
6. Travel Time Calculator and Navigation
The dilemma: How often do you end up missing out on more of good sleep and breakfasts because you mistakenly anticipated your travel time? Are you constantly torn between being cramped in an MRT but getting to your destination faster and casually leaning in the back of a cab but stuck in a traffic jam?
How it works: Let the Travel Time Calculator to do the job for you. Equipped with the latest in navigation and predictive technology, the calculator takes into account real-time traffic conditions, the weather, your schedule, and provides you with the fastest route—whether by train, bus, or personal car. Plot your schedule on the device and it’ll give you the ideal time to leave for your next destination.
7. Self-drying clothes
The dilemma: Self-drying clothes would be one of the best innovations for commuters in Metro Manila, who often have to brave strong rains just to come to work or get back home. It doesn’t help that they have to sit in a public utility vehicle, dripping wet, where they could catch a cold.
How it works: With the combined technology of Marty McFly Jr.’s jacket and superhydrophobic coating, the self-drying garment is powered by a tiny chip on the back of the tag. Moisture will cause the chip to send a signal activating the dryer, blowing wind through the targeted area without causing discomfort to the wearer. However, the absence of wrinkles and creases are not guaranteed except for the footwear collection. We encourage that you use this with HUSH or SPACES to prevent other passengers from being bothered by the drying. Not advisable to wear to the gym.
