Elon Musk has been on fire lately. Two wild dreams of his - the SpaceX private aerospace company and Tesla motors - have overcome tremendous adversity to become useful, sustainable, forward-thinking modern businesses. Now, Musk is about to hit the futuristic trifecta: his supersonic vacuum-tube transport device, the Hyperloop, is poised to become a reality . . .
Showing posts with label transportation technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transportation technology. Show all posts
Fueling The Future: Toyota Releases Hydrogen Fuel Cell Patents Royalty-Free
Working together to achieve a goal works best when there are no secrets, and now, a major technological tenet of this has manifested. This week, Toyota made serious strides into a future that could help benefit humanity's greater good. The automobile company released the the patents to its new fuel cells for all to learn from, hopefully as a means of escalating sustainable technology in the overall auto industry.
According to mashable.com, during a presentation on Toyota's new vehicle, the Mirai (which is Japanese for "future"), senior vice president of automotive operations Bob Carter announced the release, stating, "By eliminating traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the development of new technologies, and move into the future of mobility more quickly, effectively and economically."
Some 5,680 patents were released for royalty-free use, all concerning the nature of hydrogen fuel cells. Reminiscent of an earlier move by the Tesla electric car company (who also made public their patents), the move could generate interest, innovation, transparency and collaboration to herald in a new way of working alongside the slated upcoming boom of hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Carter admitted that the next five years will be a critical testing ground across the board for the new style of vehicles, no matter who makes them, requiring "a concerted effort and unconventional collaboration between automakers, government regulators, academia and energy providers." Maybe this meeting of minds will make multifaceted technological projects more likely to be achieved via teamwork in the future, perhaps even bringing the drive to integrally innovate to even more fields.
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| A 2016 Toyota vehicle with a hydrogen fuel cell that you can learn all about. (Image courtesy computerworld.com.) |
According to mashable.com, during a presentation on Toyota's new vehicle, the Mirai (which is Japanese for "future"), senior vice president of automotive operations Bob Carter announced the release, stating, "By eliminating traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the development of new technologies, and move into the future of mobility more quickly, effectively and economically."
Some 5,680 patents were released for royalty-free use, all concerning the nature of hydrogen fuel cells. Reminiscent of an earlier move by the Tesla electric car company (who also made public their patents), the move could generate interest, innovation, transparency and collaboration to herald in a new way of working alongside the slated upcoming boom of hydrogen-powered vehicles.
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| Even famed physicist Michio Kaku agrees: sharing smarts can bring about even more great ideas. (image courtesy blogs.denverpost.com.) |
Carter admitted that the next five years will be a critical testing ground across the board for the new style of vehicles, no matter who makes them, requiring "a concerted effort and unconventional collaboration between automakers, government regulators, academia and energy providers." Maybe this meeting of minds will make multifaceted technological projects more likely to be achieved via teamwork in the future, perhaps even bringing the drive to integrally innovate to even more fields.
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| Sharing is daring, but possibly better-faring. (Image courtesy saudigazatte.com.sa.) |
Snowed In? Bust Out With The New "Plowz & Mowz" App
'Tis the season to be jolly...and that probably means not having to worry about shoveling the piles of snow away from your door/garage/driveway/upstairs windows (if you live in someplace like Canada.) Now, a new app can help not only with organizing snowplow providers, but also for cutting your lawn on that beautiful, beautiful day when it becomes springtime again.
The Plowz & Mowz apps are straightforward and useful. Simply schedule a plow or mowing appointment for a desired day with the available providers, then securely set up payments to make sure you don't end up looking like Jack Nicholson in "The Shining." Realtime updates confirm that it's once again safe to navigate the ski slope that your driveway had become.
The Mowz element also includes leaf removal, just in case you never got a chance to get all that dead stuff off your lawn before the layers of snow fell. No word on if you can act now and be ready for next spring.
Those who would like to lend their services as a provider of the plow/mow trade can learn more about signing up here. Best of luck in your battle against the forces of nature!
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| You tried. Now leave it to the pros. (Image courtesy snowplowtalk.com.) |
The Plowz & Mowz apps are straightforward and useful. Simply schedule a plow or mowing appointment for a desired day with the available providers, then securely set up payments to make sure you don't end up looking like Jack Nicholson in "The Shining." Realtime updates confirm that it's once again safe to navigate the ski slope that your driveway had become.
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| Nonprofessional snow shoveling is no joke. (Image courtesy imgarcade.com.) |
The Mowz element also includes leaf removal, just in case you never got a chance to get all that dead stuff off your lawn before the layers of snow fell. No word on if you can act now and be ready for next spring.
Those who would like to lend their services as a provider of the plow/mow trade can learn more about signing up here. Best of luck in your battle against the forces of nature!
| Now doesn't that feel better? (Image courtesy whyevolutionistrue.files.wordpress.com.) |
Green Hydrogen Replaces Liquid Gold: First Sustainable Refueling Station Now Operational
With fossil fuels falling out of favor as a preferred power source, it's time for green energy to get a chance to shine. Now, a refueling station in England has become the first source of solar-derived hydrogen power, readily available to fuel your vehicle.
According to imeche.org, the 15MW solar electric plant in Swindon now powers an industrial electrolyser that is able to use the power of the sun to separate hydrogen molecules from water. This is then stored for use by hydrogen-powered vehicles. Hydrogen can be produced at a rate of around 3kg per hour or up to 200kg per day, with 135kg in possible storage.
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| The first element might prove to be the best one. A hydrogen-powered micro-cab fills up in Swindon. (Image courtesy microcab.co.uk.) |
Some 15 additional hydrogen refueling stations are set to become permanent fixtures in England, with shopping giant Sainsbury's even adding an onsite pump at one of their popular locations in Hendon, North London. The Swindon site will be first the major marketability test, however.
Nick Rolf of gas supplier BOC explained, “We want to know the lowest cost and what the price of hydrogen will be at the pump. We've got an idea of what it will be, but this will validate that and stress test the concept. If it doesn't stack up commercially no one will want to buy the next one.”
But if it DOES stack up commercially, the oil barons will soon be looking to the skies...
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| Get hy all the time... (Image courtesy rsc.org.) |
E-asy Rider: Check Out Harley's "LiveWire" Electric Motorcycle
Motorcycles have traditionally been associated with freedom and rebellion. But not all rebellions are created the same. Is it possible for Harley Davidson to convince their tough biker demographic that a new bike can buck the notion of conventional fossil fuel (for a power source similar your cellphone) and still stay cool? They intend to find out, with their new "LiveWire Project" all-electric motorcycle.
According to arstechnica.com, developer Ben Lund explained that Harley wanted to present the LiveWire simply as a newer model that "happens to be electric." The look, sound, and feel of the past Harleys all had to be taken into account, but so did a new technical element of composition. Using CAD computer models to design the initial bike before production, other computer software such as Pro Engineer Wildfire and CAM (computer-aided machining) aided the process.
Harley's in-house 3D printers churned out 1:1 scale parts for testing, so that an authentic look and feel for every component could be assessed and duly approved. While also used for the fabrication of model elements for Harley's internal combustion engine bikes, the 3D prototypes were important tools in deciding what fit best for the new LiveWire venture.
The LiveWire runs thanks to a longitudinally-mounted 74hp AC induction motor, which Lund and his team found superior for its availability, affordability, and high power-to-weight ratio. It's fueled by a 300V lithium-ion battery pack that can allow the bike to achieve speeds of nearly 100 m.p.h. A "power" or "economy" mode switch lets you regulate your ride.
The pseudo-futuristic design may irk the aesthetic sensibilities of "classic" Harley enthusiasts, who would perhaps appreciate some more chrome or pipes. As for a Harley's distinctive growl, the classic Harley revving-rumble isn't possible with an electric vehicle. However, the sound was fine-tuned by the engineering team so that the gearbox emits a turbine-like noise as it roars down the road. Yes, it's very different, but it's a rebellion you could grow to like. The LiveWire is currently still a prototype, but it could spark a whole new revolution in riding.
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| Sharp AND sustainable! (Image courtesy thedetroitbureau.com.) |
According to arstechnica.com, developer Ben Lund explained that Harley wanted to present the LiveWire simply as a newer model that "happens to be electric." The look, sound, and feel of the past Harleys all had to be taken into account, but so did a new technical element of composition. Using CAD computer models to design the initial bike before production, other computer software such as Pro Engineer Wildfire and CAM (computer-aided machining) aided the process.
Harley's in-house 3D printers churned out 1:1 scale parts for testing, so that an authentic look and feel for every component could be assessed and duly approved. While also used for the fabrication of model elements for Harley's internal combustion engine bikes, the 3D prototypes were important tools in deciding what fit best for the new LiveWire venture.
 |
| One of Harley's 3D-printed prototype parts. It is unknown if the computer made motorcycle noises while printing it. (Image courtesy javelin-tech.com.) |
The LiveWire runs thanks to a longitudinally-mounted 74hp AC induction motor, which Lund and his team found superior for its availability, affordability, and high power-to-weight ratio. It's fueled by a 300V lithium-ion battery pack that can allow the bike to achieve speeds of nearly 100 m.p.h. A "power" or "economy" mode switch lets you regulate your ride.
The pseudo-futuristic design may irk the aesthetic sensibilities of "classic" Harley enthusiasts, who would perhaps appreciate some more chrome or pipes. As for a Harley's distinctive growl, the classic Harley revving-rumble isn't possible with an electric vehicle. However, the sound was fine-tuned by the engineering team so that the gearbox emits a turbine-like noise as it roars down the road. Yes, it's very different, but it's a rebellion you could grow to like. The LiveWire is currently still a prototype, but it could spark a whole new revolution in riding.
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| You can care about the environment and still be a badass. (Image courtesy autoblog.com.) |
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