Google is exploring what fully self-driving vehicles would look like by building prototypes. This new driverless car is built from scratch. The prototype, described as ‘fully self-driving’, is designed without steering wheel or pedals, as it should be able to operate safely without human intervention says Google.
The car is capped at a speed of 25mph and its sensors can detect objects from up to ‘two football fields’ away. I’m not sure how I feel about no steering wheel or brake. [ more ]
Scientists at MIT are testing a new power generation, storage and propulsion system known as the GreenWheel that will turn any pedal bicycle into an electric hog.
The GreenWheel is a self-contained electric wheel that can turn any pedal-powered bike into
a fully-electric bicycle!
From the outside, the GreenWheel has the radius of a small dinner plate and is about 2 inches thick. Inside the aluminum frame sits the three major GreenWheel components: an electric generator, batteries and an electric motor.
For now, installing GreenWheel on your own does require a moderate level of technical knowledge or a trip to a bike shop. The GreenWheel can be installed on any bike frame or wheel size, but the original spokes have to be replaced with shorter spokes.
Developed by Ryan Chin and Michael Chia-Lian Lin as part of MIT’s Smart Cities programs. The objective is to create a working prototype that can be installed and retroffited to any bike. The team is also thinking for the long term – they estimate that the batteries for the GreenWheel will last around 40,000 miles, or about 8 years worth of travelling.
mit smart cities
