Amish beat detroit to high tech head/tail lights!

Daniel Abranko · #1 07-20-2003, 05:36 PM

The amish (with a little help from a silicon valley firm) have beaten detroit to a major trend in automotive lighting. Not just luxeon tail lights...but HEADLIGHTS!This newsweek article details the trend.

-Dan

BentHeadTX · #2 07-20-2003, 06:42 PM

Interesting Dan,
The part I like is that the LED is not electrical so it fits Amish law. Maybe they can put solar panels and a battery in the buggy so they won't have to recharge them. Ultra-high tech Amish folks. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon6.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon6.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon6.gif[/img]

evan9162 · #3 07-20-2003, 07:22 PM

What exactly isn't electrical about a Luxeon?

Tomas · #4 07-20-2003, 07:43 PM

[ QUOTE ]
evan9162 said:
What exactly isn't electrical about a Luxeon?

[/ QUOTE ]

Easy solar recharge - no connection to the power grid ...

Floating Spots · #5 07-20-2003, 09:06 PM

I have also seen alternators tied to axles through pulleys.
Probably not producing a lot of power, but enough....

One of my mother's friends was selling an answering machine at a garage sale. Some Amish folk wanted to know if they could hook it up to their telephone booth......

Remember, they are allowed to use technology if it is necessary or if profits their society, just not as a convenience.

Minjin · #6 07-21-2003, 12:37 AM

(A bit OT)

What a small world...

I met the guys from SunLine Solar at a local outdoors show where they were peddling their wares along with a bunch of LED flashlights. A small conversation turned into something else and next thing I know, they ask me to come up to their shop because they want to hire me.

Long story short, they really wanted me, but were waiting till they were ready to expand. I told them to give me a call when the time came. I guess they've expanded now... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif[/img]

I was quite irritated at the time how they led me on. This was just a couple months ago and the four of them were working out of a garage behind the one guys's house...

Mark

Entropy · #7 07-21-2003, 08:35 AM

I've heard that it's becoming relatively common for the Amish to use cell phones.

It's some loophole involving whether a device is "wired" to the outside world or not, I believe. (I can't be sure of this though.)

Saaby · #8 07-21-2003, 09:12 AM

How do they charge the cell phone? Solar?

Jonathan · #9 07-21-2003, 11:03 AM

There was a great article about the Amish and cell phones, as well as their use of technology in general, in 'Wired' magazine several years back (at least 5).

In a nut shell, the Amish are _not_ against the use of technology, and in fact left Europe in the 1700's because their use of advanced farming technology caused friction with neighbors... However the community is a theocracy, and the use of technology is strictly controlled in order that it not interfere with the values of the community as decided by the Bishops.

So, for example, electricity can be used, but because of the importance of self sufficiency, utility supplied electricity cannot be used.

For a while, automobiles were permitted, but the Bishops decided that people were travelling too far, and not remaining focused upon their family and community, and so the family car was prohibited.

Finally, telephones _are_ allowed, but can not be allowed to interfere with important things like family time and religious study and meditation. So you can only have a phone in an out building with an answering machine. At the appropriate time of the day you check your messages, return phone calls, etc.

Cell phones are currently in a grey area; do they enhance or interfere with the community. If they interfere with the community, then the Bishops will ban them.

(Note: this is all from memory, from a secondary source in a magazine. If you want to know more, then you'll have to look it up yourself [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

-Jon

Negeltu · #10 09-16-2003, 04:35 PM

Well, the led IS an electrical device in that it will only work from the flow of electrons. But that is correct...the amish are not "against" the use of electricity and technology. They are against the possible interference of it in their lives and their laws.

Bob Snow · #11 09-18-2003, 05:48 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/ptech/0....ap/index.html

Picked up by CNN

Blikbok · #12 09-19-2003, 09:04 AM

Sounds like they have the same ideas I do [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] My cellphone is left on silent or single-ring most of the day, even though I have it with me. And it boggles the mind how many people stare at me incredulously when I look at the caller-id and let it go to voice mail. "Aren't you going to answer that?"

I definately like the idea of not shunning technology, but preventing it from interfering in their lives and making them dependant on outsiders. I wish we "English" were better at that.

More on topic: the Amish do have dissenting sub-groups, like any organization, who may have differing views on many issues.