Does USA pay too little for gas? Infographic.
Even with gas prices hovering at $3.50 Americans pay less than other rich countries. via fastcompany [RK]
Visualizing construction carbon.
infographics give meaning to UK plan to reduce future construction CO2 via procurement, transport and greener homes.
resources: [ ConstructCO2 ] [ martin brown’s posterous ] [ @EEPaul ] [ @fairsnape ]
the "beast" of bikes.
the appropriately named “beast” is the latest model to come from M55, the bike design and manufact – uring powerhouse.
M55 employs a team of electronic and mechanical engineers, industrial designers and finite element analysts to dream up, construct and tirelessly test the most cutting-edge hybrid bikes on the market. At $35,000 the “Beast” is a luxury item to be sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s not capable of performing under intense off-road conditions. A specialized motor works with the rider instead of simply being operated by him/her. “The motor is not a substitute for your human power, but an addition. If the sensor feels that you need some extra torque, the motor switches on to multiply your effort.”
It also boasts some serious components, like motor power and battery capacity above and beyond the industry standard and brakes by Brembo, heretofore found only on Formula1 race cars. After checking out the specs it’s easy to agree with M55’s boast that “if Batman was a nonfictional person, he’d have a Beast in his garage.”
producer: m55
Portland moving towards traffic signals for bikes.
Portland has applied strategic solutions to address the conflicts between motorists and cyclists. Senate Bill 130, which adds green, amber and red bicycle traffic control devices. The signals direct bicycles to take specific actions and are used to address an identified safety or operational problem. [RK]
NASA sneak peek at airplanes of 2025.
NASA unveils three concept designs for aircraft that could be ready to fly by 2025.
NASA appears to want development of a line of super-planes that are larger, faster, quieter and burn fuel slower and cleaner than today’s commercial aircraft. The three designs — from Northrop Grumman, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin — are part of a set of contracts to study advanced concept designs for airplanes that will eventually replace the planes flown today. “Each design has to fly up to 85 percent of the speed of sound; cover a range of approximately 7,000 miles; and carry between 50,000 and 100,000 pounds of payload, either passengers or cargo” all while producing “less noise, cleaner exhaust and lower fuel consumption.”
Other concepts at various stages of development below:
resources:
NASA press article
enjoy space
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/aeronautics/features/flight_2025.html
NYC seeking 10,000 public bike system.
New York City plans to implement a public bicycle system that the city is looking to start with a year-round system of 10,000 bicycles at about 600 stations in an area “south of 60th Street in Manhattan” that would “span more than one borough.” [RK]
Urbee. World's first 3d printed car.
Hybrid can run solely on renewable energy or get over 200 mpg at highway speeds
Urbee is a two-seater hybrid vehicle and the first prototype ever to have entire body and glass panels 3D printed. Urbee is envisioned as an environmentally sustainable, safe to drive and fuel efficient vehicle. The electric / liquid-fuel hybrid reaches more than 200 mpg, highway and 100 mpg, city in U.S. gallons with either gasoline or ethanol.
For combined city and highway use, the Urbee gets about 150 mpg and costs only 2 cents per mile. This is only about 10 percent of the fuel consumed by a typical SUV. And on the highway, it costs about 1 cent per mile, or 95 percent less than that same SUV.
The car is charged overnight from any standard home electrical outlet. Alternately, it can be charged by renewable energy from a windmill or a solar-panel array small enough to fit on top a single-car garage.
All exterior components were created using an additive manufacturing process using Stratasys’ digital manufacturing service – RedEye on Demand. The development partner is Winnipeg engineering group, Kor Ecologic.
Source:
urbee
stratsys
kor ecologic
The shweeb. Human-powered monorail.
google invests $1 million to help build an urban transit system based on pedal-power. is this a good idea?
per shweeb: “by integrating the unique properties of monorail and recumbent cycle technologies, shweeb delivers a personal, efficient, and cost-effective transport solution with applications for urban commuting, recreational and fitness markets.”
a big vision to their credit. we offer reasons why this is a poor idea as conceived.
1) very weather dependant. maybe less so than a bike. admittedly, not a deal breaker.
2) an invasive, and expensive infrastructure. think hanging power lines with people on them.
3) not very efficient. the whole system is as slow as the slowest person. unlike a bike, at the mercy of the infrastructure.
4) stinky.
maybe this is a new amusement ride. let’s we where we are a year from now. btw, the shweeb is derived from the german “schweben”, meaning to float or suspend.
the shweeb is one of five winners in googles project 10^100
resources:
shweeb
agroventures
Goose cones.
They may be neon orange, made of thick, durable plastic and protected by Federal law, but if they’re in your way chances are you’ll run them over.
After all, they’re only traffic cones. But what if it was more than just a cone? What if those bright orange safety indicators were shaped like helpless animals? Would you have the heart to run over a mama goose and a trail of her little ducklings? The answer, in most cases, is no.
This ingenious solution to the traffic cone dilemma is what designer Michael Savona calls the “family dynamic,” a brilliant redesign that goes beyond structural solutions and cuts to the heart of the matter. Savona, who’s currently finishing his Masters in Design of Designed Objects at the Art Institute in Chicago is still sifting through the Department of Transportation’s regulations he needs to meet in order to produce the Goose Cones, but in the meantime you can buy a palm-sized replica that stacks just like the real thing.
Designer: michael savona
about perrin drumm
Kulula airline rebranding.
ha! not sure rebranding will inspire confidence with passengers.
but designers would have fun with these guys as a client. Kulula Air
via swissmiss / psfk