Perpetual Fruit

A New Cast of Characters for Toronto’s Neighborhood Watch Signs

To see more of Andrew’s creative Neighborhood Watch modifications, follow @dcmism on Instagram.

Where some may have seen only an old sign faded after years of sun exposure, Toronto artist Andrew Lamb (@dcmism) saw an opportunity. Since 2012, Andrew has treated his hometown’s weathered Neighborhood Watch signs as a blank canvas, adorning them with whimsical figures from pop culture.

"My work tends to deal with altering urban infrastructure in a playful manner," explains Andrew. In this case, it’s about repurposing municipal infrastructure to "invoke nostalgic happy memories" with the help of characters as diverse as Zelda, Bruce Lee and the Planeteers.

Making Huge Strides for Mobility

This exoskeleton, developed by UC Berkeley professor Homayoon Kazerooni and his team, helps people suffering from spinal cord injuries to walk again.

“Many paraplegics are not in a situation to afford a $100,000 device, and insurance companies don’t pay for these devices,” Kazerooni said. “Our job as engineers is to make something people can use.”

To make his exoskeleton affordable, he used the simplest possible technology: a computer and batteries in a backpack, actuators at the hips, and a pair of crutches with buttons that activate an exoskeleton that fits around the legs. The crutches provide stability, an important consideration for paraplegics navigating streets and sidewalks.

“The key is independence for these people,” he said. “I want them to get up in the morning and go to work, go to the bathroom, stand at a bar and have a beer.”