To me, whimsical umbrellas—you know, the kind printed with Starry Night or cats—have always seemed like a mockery of the rain-drenched commuter’s misery. But this reflective version actually makes practical sense, since it turns its owner into a glowing beacon of safety.
The umbrella was designed by British-born, Hong Kong-based designer Yee-Ling Wan, and it’s covered with tiny reflective beads that function just like the stuff you find on safety vests or bike reflectors. By capitalizing on retroflection—the optical phenomenon of a material that returns light to its source without much scattering—it surrounds you in a halo of light on busy nighttime streets.
At $42, it’s a little more expensive than your average umbrella. But there is an added bonus—the fact that thing this is basically an umbrella-shaped drone shield. [MoMA Store]
https://gizmodo.com/defend-yourself-against-drones-using-this-drone-surviva-1486459945
