Windshield Wipers

Windshield wipers are the kinds of things you don’t give much thought to until they stop working, or worse begin making the fingernails on the chalkboard sounds. Mine are okay but I was reading about windshield wipers and found out that they were invented by a woman named Mary Anderson in 1903, just 2 years before my late father-in-law was born. A lot of things changed over the period of his long lifetime but windshield wipers, not so much. Today there is a system being developed (originally for fighter jets) that that can clear moisture and other material from a windshield by using high-frequency sound waves. A transducer attached to the windshield sends high frequency ultrasound across the surface that repels rain, snow, ice, or insects, and even bird droppings. Along with the benefit of better visibility this system improves aerodynamics which directly affects fuel efficiency by reducing drag. The only thing I didn’t see mentioned about this new system was the price tag, but I did get a price on new wipers, blades and arms for my husband’s Honda and it was enough to raise my eyebrows and lower my bank balance. That’s the kind of drag I’m talking about.