The Telegraph's Alan Tovey writes of renewed interest old idea...
"US defence group Lockheed Martin has developed a “hybrid” airship which does not need mooring towers or runways, enabling companies to operate more easily in remote areas. [...] The hybrids are “heavier than air” machines, meaning the helium they carry is not enough to lift the craft’s entire weight when loaded. The gas provides 80pc of the lift required, with the remainder being generated as the airship -- which is shaped like an aerofoil -- is driven forward by its propellers. The engines rotate so their thrust can be directed to give extra lift, meaning the hybrid airship can also take off vertically when not fully loaded."
This is fantastic for both the reasons Lockheed spells out in their video -- i.e. military, mining, construction, etc -- but also as an alternative form of ferry for crossing rivers, bays, and lakes, plus can provide new ways of moving people in cities! Here's how "hybrid" fits in...
Yes, I know it's pure viral promo, but it features one of my favorite vehicle companies and songs and the most amusing of the aging superhero actors!-) First, the teaser... Then, the stunt advert itself... Finally, backstory...
The Economist spotlights Scandinavia's role in novel shipbuilding technologies in A voyage of discovery...
"Norway is an important centre of marine innovation and several foreign companies have operations there, too. One such is the marine division of Rolls-Royce, a British firm, which is collaborating with Farstad, a shipping company based in Alesund, and STX OSV, a shipbuilder. The result of their efforts is Far Solitaire (pictured above), the first of a new class of vessels which bristle with novel technology that promises to make shipping safer, cleaner and cheaper."
"Wärtsilä put together a presentation recently that evaluated a number of new technologies and design concepts aimed at cutting operating costs, while at the same time reducing ship emissions."
Just a few images give a taste of the techniques...
Mark Wagenbuur at BicycleDutchcompares UK bicycling infrastructure to that in the Netherlands. Very eye-opening. He's too polite to say it directly, but the bottom-line is that the British urban planners and traffic engineers are grotesquely incompetent -- roughly as horrible as their American equivalents. Witness Mark's videos...
The unstoppable Charles Z Guan electrifies again with his latest contraption, the Chibikart! Quoth he...
"Fortunately, I have something mechanical and not software-involving to distract me, and that’s Chibikart! [Indeed, a mere few weeks later] Chibikart was sent up the de-facto MIT Random Contraption Proving Ground, where it completely defied (again) my expectations."
And here's first testruns at the MIT-SUTD IDC of this...
"...four-wheel drive ulta-compact go-kart with 100mm custom hub motor wheels. The frame is 34" long and 18" wide (870mm x 460mm)"
MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition, Enterprise Forum Global, Enterprise Forum of Cambridge, Muddy Charles Pub, African Business Club, Sloan Entrepreneurs for International Development, Global Startup Workshop, Sustainability@MIT, TechLink, Making Progress, HighTechFever.tv, MIT Innovation Tours
.svg.png)
