Tag Archives: tech

What we saw at the Western PA Mobility Showcase – a Transportation Nerd’s Dream

It’s probably not cool to nerd out about transportation, but boy howdy did we ever at the Western PA Mobility Showcase hosted by City of Pittsburgh Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI). The Showcase, held in Oakland at Pitt’s Alumni Hall, featured everything from autonomous vehicles to bike-shares to other futuristic stuff like a hyperloop proposal as well as a super sweet electric car.

In a release announcing the event, the Director of DOMI, Karina Ricks, outlined the importance of the Showcase, saying “transportation is radically changing. New choices in travel and new technologies make it cleaner and more convenient than ever. New innovations make headlines every week – many of them originating from our own Southwestern Pennsylvania researchers and industries.” Director Ricks is right, transportation is rapidly evolving. Remember when you couldn’t use an app to just magically ping a nearby car to come pick you up? That was only a few years ago. Remember when you needed someone to actually drive the vehicle you were in? Yeah, that’s a thing of the past! Transportation now is higher-tech and in some ways beyond what we could have ever imagined, or at least that’s what we found at the Mobility Showcase.

Transportation Nerds wander around event

So what did we see?

Autonomous Transportation

Uber was at the event. If you don’t know Uber by now, then you don’t own a smartphone, probably don’t live in Pittsburgh, or are from the past.

Also, showing off driver-less vehicles were Easymile, Navya, and Local Motes. The three companies all have box-shaped futurist transports similar to the ones found in the film Total Recall. Unrelated to anything in particular, both Easymile and Navya have promo videos with Muzak sounding techno music, and Local Motors went with the classic hard rock. Listen and watch their videos below.

Easymile…

And Nayva…

Local Motors’ Ollie…

Pittsburgh’s Bikeshare

Walking is fine, we guess, but biking is way faster. The event presented a few two-wheeled options for getting around the Steel City.

Healthy Ride rep explains the share in Bike Share

Healthy Ride allows you to grab a bike from one of its many docking stations you have probably already seen around the City. Apparently, you can totally use your ConnectCard for free unlimited 15 minute rides. That’ll almost get you from East Liberty to the Strip District.

Bucking the whole bike docking station concept were two other bike-share companies, LimeBike and Spin, that took up opposing corners at the event. Both LimeBike and Spin allow you to get on, ride, and just leave their bikes wherever. It’s similar to what you do with your clothes at the end of the day; you put em on, take em off, and throw them wherever when you get home. Both companies use GPS, self-locking, and apps, but have different looking bikes.

Software and more

Advanced software was used by pretty much everything at the Showcase, but some of the specialized technology on display at the event will change transportation operations and infrastructure going forward.

If you’ve ever sat endlessly at a red light when there is no cross traffic, you will probably be interested in tech from Rapid Flow. The tech company, which spun out from Carnegie Mellon University, has developed a software called Surtrac that uses artificial intelligence to sense traffic conditions. They apparently are already working with the City of Pittsburgh, so hopefully, this flippin’ traffic here in town will soon be a thing of the past.

The University of Pittsburgh showed off its new real-time transit screen, created by the appropriately named TransitScreen. It shows all transportation options in the area from buses to bike-share to Zipcar/Uber/Lyfts. It’s the thing we always needed, but for some reason we never had. You can see when your transport is going to actually arrive. Don’t believe us, go to Oakland and be amazed!

Carnegie Mellon University’s Traffic21 also had a table. Traffic21 is a multi-disciplinary research institute where us transportation nerds can, according to its website, “design, test, deploy and evaluate information and communications technology-based solutions to address the problems facing the transportation system of the Pittsburgh region and the nation.”

Are you an Uber or Lyft driver? Then you are going to want to download the free app Gridwise that is designed to help drivers optimize their time and increase earnings.

Roadbotics demo map

Until we have flying cars – thanks for lying to us Back to the Future 2 – we have to deal with roads. But, if you weren’t aware, roads need to be constantly repaired. Roadbotics will map and photo all those stupid potholes across a city or town. You can see how they marked a town outside Pittsburgh right now here. The rep at the event mentioned that it would be a yearly process beating out the current every three-year road review he says the city currently uses. (We were too excited from the event to fact check this.)

A Vehicle for you & your friends

Need a car to get out of the City? Why you’d want to leave the Burgh, we do not know, but  Zipcar is still available if you need it.

Chariot uses a Ford Transit Wagon like a bus. It’s mass transit for company employees or it can charter you to some far-off destination, maybe a group wine trip you and your friends have been putting off.

Tesla parked outside Pitt’s Alumni Hall

Tesla parked one of their sexy vehicles outside of Alumni Hall. We want this, erh, we need this. At Tesla’s table, we signed up for a chance to win driving a Tesla for a week. But if someone wants to buy it for us, or if Tesla wants to just give it to us, we wouldn’t object.

Also, pedaling all-electric vehicles were Proterra, which offers electric buses. Having a non-fossil fuel mass transit system would surely make us one of the most sustainable cities in the country (a green trait we’d love to rub in other city’s faces). Pittsburgh Port Authority actually purchased one of these ‘lectric Proterra buses, but other cities bought more than one :(. Oh, it also should be noted that Proterra is an American based company… U.S.A., U.S.A., U.S.A.!

Hyperloop from Chicago to Columbus to Pittsburgh?

Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) had a table at the event. Why was an Ohio-based group at a Pittsburgh event? The MORPC are the ones who put together the hyperloop proposal that goes from Chicago to Columbus to Pittsburgh. A hyperloop is literally magic, using magnetic levitation to float a pod above a track which zips along at super-fast speeds. An image behind the MORPC table indicated that it would take 20+ minutes to get to Columbus with the hyperloop system. We need this now; there’s a freaking shuffleboard club opening in Chicago that we need to check out!

All and all the Western PA Mobility Showcase was pretty awesome. We learned a lot, saw some cool stuff, and daydreamed about taking a hyperloop to Chicago, using one of the bike-shares to ride to DC in the summer, taking driver-less vehicles to hang with friends, and washing our shiny new Tesla. The event really showed that a futuristic Pittsburgh isn’t something far away, it’s happening right now.

Guide to unique, interesting, and fun classes and workshops in Pittsburgh

School may be out for the summer but there’s still plenty of opportunity to get your learn on. From day-long workshops to weekly evening classes, there’s tons of chances to try something new or pick up long-forgotten hobbies once again.

Knitting/crocheting

Whether you’re picking up a pair of needles for the first time, looking to perfect your purling skills, or ready to make the perfect pair of socks, a knitting or crochet class is a great opportunity to pull out the yarn and needles. The following locations offer a variety of classes for all skill levels.

Dyed in the Wool
3458 Babcock Boulevard
Pittsburgh,  PA 15237
(412) 364-0310

Yarns Be Design
622 Allegheny River Boulevard
Oakmont, PA 15139
(412) 794-8332

Natural Stitches
6401 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 441-4410

Knit One
2721 Murray Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA, 15217
(412) 421-6666

Wine and Whiskey

Dreadnought Wines in the Strip District has a variety of classes for different levels of expertise, including both Wine and Spirit Education Trust Certifications and more casual tastings.
2013 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(800) 565 2816

Wigle Whiskey, one of the Strip’s newest establishments, distills their own whiskey and gin onsite in traditional copper pots and using local ingredients. They offer tours on Saturdays, plus have events like labeling parties and the annual tar and feather celebration.
2401 Smallman Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 224-2827

Arts, Crafts, and Tech

The Society for Contemporary Craft holds day-long and evening workshops using all kinds of crafts and materials: fiber, wood, book arts and paper, metal, and mixed media.
2100 Smallman Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 261-7003

Union Project is a neighborhood space for people to come together and connect, create, and celebrate. They currently offer ceramics classes, Zumba, salsa, yoga, and hula hoop lessons.
801 N Negley Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 363-4550

Cut and Sew Studio offers a social sewing environment, with all tools and materials available, for people looking to learn how to sew, wanting to get better at it, or working on specific or independent projects.
5901 Bryant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 865- 6565

Saxifrage, described as a higher education nomadic campus, offers classes in woodworking, computer programming, organic agriculture, graphic and user-centered design, map and geographic information systems, and carpentry.

TechShop is a community-based workshopping space for people who want access to industrial tools and equipment. Classes are offered in a wide range of industry, such as woodshop, metal work, silk screening, welding, embroidery, computer design, 3D printing, and much more.
192 Bakery Square Boulevard
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 345-7182

Improv/Comedy

Steel City Improv has multi-level 8-week classes for both budding and more experienced comedians to hone their craft. Students have the opportunity to perform on stage, plus the chance to audition for the house teams and/or form independent groups.
5950 Ellsworth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
404-2695

Improv Academy also offers weekly classes, as well as private sessions for actors or writers, film, television, on-set work with production companies, and improv troupes.
109 Market Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 407-3319

Arcade Comedy Theater explores the many different forms and type of improvisational and standup comedy through various weekly classes, including some aimed towards kids and teens. They also host monthly workshops taught by visiting and local professionals.
811 Liberty Avenue

Pittsburgh PA, 15222
(412) 339-0608

The University of Funny has a comedy 101 class to teach adults the basics of comedy. Mic technique, confidence in front of crowds, and the art of standup are all explored to find your inner funny.
(412) 573-9444

Miscellaneous

Free Ride in Point Breeze isn’t so much a bike repair shop as it is a bike education facility. The idea is that you volunteer your time, paired with a willingness to learn, and the staff at Free Ride teaches you how to build, and repair, your own bike. They have a variety of earn-a bike programs for both adults and children, as well as individual classes throughout the week.
Construction Junction
214 N. Lexington Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15208
(412) 254-3774

The Allegheny Observatory in Riverview Park offers tours Thursday and Friday nights in the warmer months. Tours start with a short presentation, followed by a walking tour of the building, and then end at the 13-inch Fitz-Clark refractor telescope. Public lectures are also offered every month.
159 Riverview Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15214
(412) 321-2400

While not necessarily a class or workshop, we’d be remiss to not mention Trundle Manor in a list of unique learning opportunities in Pittsburgh. Billed as “the most unusual tourist trap in the world meets the most bizarre private collection on public display,” you can tour (by appointment only) the manor’s antique taxidermy, old world charm, sadistic medical devices, coffins and coffin like items, Steampunk influenced creations, cryptozoology, and much more.
7724 Juniata Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15218
(412) 916-5544

Of course, all locations of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh have a plethora of classes, events, and workshops, from knitting book clubs and video game gatherings to language clubs and computer classes.

What cool classes and workshops did we miss? Leave us a message on Facebook, send us a tweet, or email Catherine@iheartpgh.com. And keep a look out for our posts on cooking/dining classes in the ‘Burgh and free/pay-what-you-can yoga!