Pavement P.U.M.A

Okay, forget all my previous Christmas present lists, the new one has only one item on it, a Segway/GM P.U.M.A. That stands for Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility and basically it’s a sit-down Segway, for two people. Like the Segway it scoots around on two wheels, balanced by lots of chips and motion sensors; the small wheels front and back are only for use when the machine is parked. It looks like a real hoot to drive; there are videos on the Segway site and You Tube that are well worth watching. It’s electric, obviously, so it’s very green and apparently it will be capable of going 20km between charges. Read more

Sunny Side Up

A student-led research team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed what is claimed to be the world’s most efficient solar dish. The prototype, which measures just over 3 metres wide, generates enough heat to melt solid steel, by concentrating the sun’s power by a factor of 1000. The prototype, which is made from a simple lattice of aluminium tubes, supporting an array of mirrors, generates steam, produced by focussing the sun’s energy on a coiled tube carrying water.

This stam can be used to power a generator or for heating or cooling buildings. The design is such that it can be easily replicated using cheap, readily available materials, making it ideal for both small and large scale installations, and it’s particularly appropriate for poorer countries where more exotic solar technologies can be prohibitively expensive.

Prototype Cloning Machine Demonstrated

Here’s another item from the ‘it was bound to happen sooner or later ‘files. Researchers at the University of Bath have just demonstrated a prototype of a machine that can replicate itself. Sci-Fi fans will be all too aware of the dangers and what this means to future generations; the Rise of the Machine surely can’t be far behind,…

For the moment at least, there doesn’t seem to be too much to fear from the RepRap (Replicating Rapid–Prototyper). Basically it is a three dimensional printer that creates objects by building up layers of molten plastic. Read more