[HN Gopher] Deutsche Bahn Introduces "MetaWindow"
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       Deutsche Bahn Introduces "MetaWindow"
        
       Author : metters
       Score  : 39 points
       Date   : 2024-05-16 21:14 UTC (1 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.railtarget.eu)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.railtarget.eu)
        
       | esafak wrote:
       | The quality of my life would be better improved through public
       | transportation and these sound absorbers than almost any app I
       | use. Hooray for basic infrastructure.
        
       | lqet wrote:
       | > a transparent noise barrier
       | 
       | Most rail noise barriers in Germany are completely covered in
       | graffiti [0], so I wouldn't expect them to remain transparent for
       | more than a few weeks.
       | 
       | [0]
       | https://ga.de/imgs/93/8/5/9/3/0/9/1/9/tok_8596521c60eeaa53ee...
        
         | andersa wrote:
         | That's because the current ones are all ugly metal walls.
         | Painting stuff on them makes it at least slightly less
         | depressing.
        
         | umpalumpaaa wrote:
         | If you dive into the graffiti scene a bit you will start to
         | appreciate all those graffitis. The story behind some of them
         | is super interesting. There is a lot of "competition",
         | "collaboration", and group dynamics involved. It is truly
         | fascinating. I was living in Cologne (Ehrenfeld) for a while in
         | a place with awesome graffiti and every weekend there were
         | people taking pictures "collecting" and documenting the
         | graffiti.
         | 
         | Edit: Not "all of those" but "many of those"
        
           | lqet wrote:
           | That's fair, but even interesting graffiti still won't let
           | any sunshine come through. Also, I would rather look out the
           | window [0] than appreciate artwork when riding on a train.
           | 
           | [0] https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-
           | pfalz/trier/17134459...
        
           | flemhans wrote:
           | Sure but it's been like that since forever and doesn't change
           | the original point that you may be ever so innovative but
           | it's gonna be painted over
        
           | flemhans wrote:
           | I can also start a subculture about competing for the best
           | type of bank robberies, doesn't make bank robberies a nice
           | thing to do. But yeah fascinating
        
             | vasco wrote:
             | When graffiti is done on public owned objects or walls,
             | it's impact is merely aesthetic. Not like a bank robbery.
             | 
             | And I'd rather see graffiti, even if I find some ugly, than
             | ads all over. And there's way more public ads anywhere than
             | graffiti. I think local urban expressions like stickers and
             | graffiti is pretty cool. The mainstream prefers ads I
             | guess.
        
               | germinator wrote:
               | They're very cool until it's your apartment or commercial
               | building, and you have to clean it up - because let's
               | face it, for every clever graffiti, there are fifty that
               | are just tags, swear words, or worse.
               | 
               | And your framing is odd - can you only dislike one of
               | these things? Graffiti _or_ ads? There are successful
               | movements to rid cities and scenic areas of ads, or to
               | tone them down.
        
             | Hugsun wrote:
             | Implying that graffiti is as bad as bank robberies is wild.
        
           | wongarsu wrote:
           | In our city graffiti is allowed on a couple select bridge
           | pillars and retaining walls. Those often have excellent
           | artworks that anyone can appreciate.
           | 
           | Not that illegal graffiti can't produce great art too, and
           | the illegality is a part of what fuels the culture. But I've
           | come to the conclusion that if a place is likely to be
           | "vandalized" by graffiti anyways you are better off just
           | allowing it and see what people do without the time pressure
           | of avoiding arrest.
        
         | wongarsu wrote:
         | With the goals stated in the article they only really need to
         | stay transparent in concept renders of new projects. Once built
         | they only need to fulfill the noise insulation targets and be
         | less of an eyesore than their solid counterparts
        
         | ghostly_s wrote:
         | [0] https://ga.de/imgs/93/8/5/9/3/0/9/1/9/tok_8596521c60eeaa53e
         | ea42eea57c8b7dc/w1200_h630_x662_y525_GA_85197421_2005565667_RGB
         | _190_1_1_2d14a73e871971ed95a819ea6b69b342_1593349745_2005565667
         | _77b22cacaf-f8bed87dc312e74a.jpg
         | 
         | looks much nicer than a blank wall to me.
        
       | thih9 wrote:
       | > MetaWindow, a transparent noise barrier boasting unparalleled
       | sound-absorbing capabilities
       | 
       | This is about a physical product. Not a software window; and
       | unrelated to Meta, of Facebook and Instagram fame.
        
       | lionkor wrote:
       | Now the trains have to actually arrive and depart within, say, 5
       | minutes of the planned time, and we will be in the 21st century
       | finally.
        
       | ivan_gammel wrote:
       | A startup with wrong product focus would be insolvent in a few
       | months. Deutsche Bahn can rot for decades spending money on
       | technology that would not make any difference when a quarter of
       | its trains is delayed or cancelled.
        
         | thewarpaint wrote:
         | Care to explain how trains being delayed or canceled is related
         | to a new technology reducing sound pollution?
        
       | Lorin wrote:
       | Ok, now they have an excuse to employ a crew to keep them clean
       | like any other window-like product... instead of it just being a
       | wall? I don't get it.
        
       | ggm wrote:
       | I can't find it any more but I read a paper decades ago on the
       | sound modulation effects of different plants, at scale and how
       | designed planting around motorways can help reduce local resident
       | impact.
        
       | ghostly_s wrote:
       | Okay it's clear-ish...but where's the noise level sample vs. the
       | alternatives?
        
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       (page generated 2024-05-16 23:00 UTC)