Lamp post + Umbrella = The Lampbrella

Ever been caught out in the rain without an umbrella? We feel your pain. A Russian designer by the name of Mikhail Belyaev has come up with a cool concept that could solve the problem by using street lamps. Belyaev's idea would see umbrellas automatically deploying from street lamps when it begins to rain, providing shelter for those looking to avoid getting drenched.

In addition, there could be a manual control that would operate the umbrella, and the possibility of a motion sensor that would detect when users have left the safety of the umbrella and automatically close it a few minutes later. The construction otherwise looks to be fairly simple, although we can't help but wonder how repairable the rig would be if the umbrella becomes damaged.

Still, it's a neat concept that wouldn't be terribly difficult to implement, and it could come in handy in urban areas. There are a few more illustrations over here, so make sure to click through and check them out.

[via Tree Hugger]