Meet Diego Lopez of Underground Technology

Diego Lopez is the president of a startup company called Underground Technology. This company mainly focuses on developing products for motorcycle riders, and one of them is the NightRage Backpack. The NightRage Backpack has integrated lights to help riders be more visible at night or in poor weather conditions. The backpacks are currently available on eBay. Visit the Underground Technology eBay store for more about their products.

1. Why did you decide to start your company, Underground Technology?

Well, ever since I can remember, I have had a passion for motorcycles. I believe that the Isle of Man TT was the event that captured my attention and has defined my life ever since. When I was a teenager I had an idea, an idea that I have fine-tuned since then, and now we call it the NightRage Backpack. I thought to myself: Why not make my passion into something useful to me and others? Just as in the same way you ride a motorcycle, starting your own business gives you a sense of freedom you don't usually get from a 9 to 5 (or a car), and that was my biggest motivation for starting the Underground Technology engine.

2. Would you tell us a little bit about how you came up with the idea for your NightRage backpack?

When I was a teenager I was very much into motorcycles, but I also was constantly reminded by everyone I knew about the dangers of riding, both motorcycles and bicycles. I began to think of ideas to make riding safer, both from a preventive standpoint and from a post-accident situation. It took me some time, but I finally decided on a design and electric layout for the NightRage Backpack.

3. What makes your backpacks so useful for motorcyclists and bicyclists?

Nations across the globe are becoming more environmentally conscious and adopting bicycles, one passenger electric vehicles, and even motorcycles as means of transportation to get to work and to run errands; these riders need something that allows them to carry all their personal items with them. Why not combine safety, functionality, and style into one multi-purpose product?

The NightRage backpack has integrated electro light panels which increase the visibility of the rider as far as a half a mile away, and it's also made out of a lightweight hard shell composite to help minimize any damage to the rider and personal items if an accident ever occurs. This backpack with lights also has a padded sleeve for 16-inch laptops, an extra sleeve for tablets, multiple pockets for smaller items, three zippered pockets inside, and enough room to fit a large watermelon in case you ever have to ride to the supermarket to buy one.

4. When it comes to designing a product, how do you make sure that safety is a priority, while also keeping functionality and the look of the product in mind?

I truly believe that functionality, safety, and looks always go hand in hand when designing a product. When designing a product with electro panels, safety is simply a byproduct of the design, or design is a byproduct of the safety element. (They are the same thing.) Another example might be aerodynamics; aerodynamics create sharp shapes and creases that are interesting to the viewer, and the design is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

5. How do you hope to grow your company over the next year or so?

There are many things in the works, from our marketing and advertising campaigns to the development of new products, things that I cannot say much about. But one of our biggest milestones at Underground Technology will be the launch of our web store. We are expecting that by the end 2015 we will have it up and running, ready for our current loyal customers and welcoming new ones. One thing is for sure: this is just the beginning.

Thanks, Diego!

Introducing Cycling LED Headlamps at EachBuyer

If you ride your bicycle year-round in the early morning hours or the evening hours, you know how important it is to do everything you can to increase your visibility so that drivers can see you in the dark. One option to explore is the use of LED headlamps. They're easy to use while you ride as they are hands-free since you wear them on your head.

Zoomable cycling LED headlamps are a cool and adaptable product, with many different varieties to choose from. With most models, you get some different options with how to use the LED lights--for example, you can choose to have multiple lights on or only one light on, and you can choose whether or not you want the light to flash (and if so, how rapidly it will flash).

Of course, you can use LED headlamps for other purposes, too, such as walking at night and going on camping trips. There are special lights you can buy, too, that are like the lights you see jewelers or other craftspeople wear so that they can see the intricate details of diamonds or other items that need to be examined closely.

I'd never priced headlamps before and was impressed at what you can get for a relatively low price while browsing on Eachbuyer.com. EachBuyer carries a lot of other products, too, including watches, clothing, and cellphone and tablet accessories. It's always good to find a new source for affordable products.

Meet Grant J. Kidney, Artist and Entrepreneur

Grant J. Kidney is an artist and entrepreneur whose work focuses on presenting sustainable solutions to world wide challenges.

He is the chief designer and chief executive officer at Vril Studio, a graphic design company. He is also the designer of a new vehicle: the Anticar.

1. Reading about your career, I see that you shifted from doing a lot of written work into more of a concentration on visual art and design. Was there a turning point for you that made you decide to change your focus?

The turning point came with a bit of a mental growth spurt I went through. In one sweeping moment, I decided that writing and speaking concerning the political issues of our time just wasn't my thing. I wanted to try something new. Sure, I still wanted to affect change in the world--but this time it would have to come through art and through innovation.

2. What does "Vril" mean, and why did you choose it as the name for your companies?

The term "Vril" was extracted from an old science fiction book written by Edward Bulwer-Lytton called The Coming Race. In the novel, a race of subterranean super-beings wield the awesome Vril force which is kind of like Qi energy spoken of in ancient Chinese tradition. I like to imagine that there's some underlying current of potential in the universe (Vril) which, if tapped in to accordingly, could yield tremendous results either for a person or for a company.

3. How did you first get the idea for the Anticar?

The Anticar represents the birth of a new kind of affordable transport that much of the younger population in the first world desperately yearns for. The millennial generation just isn't driving as much as their parents used to. Owning a vehicle can be very expensive. Everything from gas to insurance, maintenance, and so forth is a huge burden--especially on those who've grown accustomed to shrinking wages in an economy reminiscent of the first Great Depression.

4. It looks like a lot of the information on the Anticar has yet to be released--what can you tell us about it now?

The Anticar project is something I'm tackling under the guise of my new startup, Vril Transport. Here's our description of Anticar as it reads on the official Vril Transport website:

Anticar is a human/hybrid electric vehicle that promises to disrupt mainstream modes of transport. Affordable, lightweight, and fast, this "velomobile" takes one from point A to B without gas, insurance, or traffic to stand in the way.

There are a few details not mentioned in the above description such as how the Anticar is capable of charging itself. With a new take on existing technologies, I was able to craft a unique system that would allow Anticar to generate and store its own power through pedal motion. Remember, Anticar is a velomobile. In other words, what we're dealing with here is essentially a bicycle contained within a pod-like body. So for traveling up hills or for moments when the driver just doesn't feel like exerting any effort, energy collected while pedaling Anticar can be used to activate the electric assist motor.

5. How will your upcoming Kickstarter campaign support your work with the Anticar, and where can people learn more about your project and possibly get involved themselves?

Crowdfunding is going to provide the necessary capital in order to build the first set of Anticars. Kickstarter has been a miracle for some startups--and I'm hoping Anticar can share in some of the success that many have gained through community funded efforts.

For now, all of the information made available about the Anticar can be found on the official Vril Transport website, www.VrilTransport.org.

Thanks, Grant!