What happens when you combine open source software, 3D printing, an Arduino microcontroller and some automotive engineering smarts? You get a manual transmission shift knob that vibrates so you shift at the most energy efficient points.
That’s exactly what Zach Nelson, a junior engineer at Ford, created by combining those parts, along with the haptic motor from an Xbox 360 controller to make the shifter knob vibrate at the optimal shift times. According to Wired magazine, the knob can be programmed not just for fuel efficiency but also for top performance.