THE TECH-LICIOUS: AUTOMOTIVE

Schiller is peddling a bike designed for pedaling on the water

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="The Schiller X1 in action " height="358" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/schillerx1.jpg" width="640" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;">Last year, US entrepreneur Judah Schiller </span>crossed San Francisco Bay on a bike<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"> – and no, he didn’t ride that bike across the Golden Gate Bridge. Instead, he mounted it on a Shuttle Bike kit, which adds pontoons and a propeller to a user-supplied bicycle. Since then, Judah has been working on designing an all-in-one "waterbike" of his own. The result, the Schiller X1, was officially unveiled this month.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Unlike the <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/go/2505/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Shuttle Bike kit</a> (which is designed to be carried in a backpack while the rider is cycling on land), the X1 has the "bike" built into it – it doesn’t require the addition of an existing bicycle. That said, it still does disassemble for transport in a car, or for storage in a closet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Its frame is made from anodized aluminum, with much of its hardware being constructed from stainless steel. The saddle, handlebars, cranks and pedals are of the type found on regular bikes, while the inflatable dual-chamber pontoons, not surprisingly, are rubber. It also features LED lighting.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/schiller-x1-water-bike/33596/pictures#3" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="The saddle, handlebars, cranks and pedals are of the type found on regular bikes, while th..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/schillerx1-1.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Power is transferred from the pedals via a Gates Carbon belt drive to a continuously-variable NuVinci 360 transmission, and then used to turn <em>two</em>propellers mounted on flexible shafts. In an arrangement that's unique to the X1, steering is achieved not through a rudder, but by turning the two props to the left or right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The whole thing weighs about 45 pounds (20 kg), and can reportedly travel at up to 10 mph (16 km/h) "depending on rider ability."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And no, the X1 is not cheap. The basic version will set you back US$6,495, while the limited-edition chrome-plated Founder’s Edition goes for $8,775. Shipping of the first units is expected to begin next month.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Should you not be feeling quite so rich, you might instead want to check out the similar <a href="http://hydrobikes.com/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Hydrobike</a>, which is priced at $1,999.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">SOURCE-<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/schiller-x1-water-bike/33596/" target="_blank">GIZMAG</a></span></div>
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Schiller is peddling a bike designed for pedaling on the water

Last year, US entrepreneur Judah Schiller crossed San Francisco Bay on a bike – and no, he didn’t ride that bike across the Golden Gate Bridge. Instead, he mounted it on a Shuttle Bike kit, which add…

30 Aug 2014

Driverless Cars to Hit UK Roads by Early 2015

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<a href="http://www.engineering.com/Portals/0/BlogFiles/DesignerEdge/0814/autoncar1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="UK, autonomous, car, driverless" border="0" height="213" src="http://www.engineering.com/Portals/0/BlogFiles/DesignerEdge/0814/autoncar1.jpg" style="background-color: transparent;" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 2;">Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced two new measures that give the <strong style="color: #003366; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://www.engineering.com/DesignerEdge/DesignerEdgeArticles/ArticleID/6357/Tesla-Working-on-Autonomous-Car.aspx" style="color: #003366; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">green light for </a></strong></span><strong>autonomous cars</strong><span style="line-height: 2;"> to take to UK roads from January 2015.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">UK cities can now bid for a share of a £10 million competition to host a driverless cars trial. The government is calling on cities to join together with businesses and research organisations to put forward proposals to become a test location.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Up to 3 cities will be selected to host the trials from next year (2015) – and each project is expected to last between 18 and 36 months and start in January 2015.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ministers have also launched a review to look at current road regulations to establish how the UK can remain at the forefront of driverless car technology and ensure there is an appropriate regime for testing driverless cars in the UK.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Two areas of driverless technology will be covered in the review: cars with a qualified driver who can take over control of the driverless car and fully autonomous vehicles where there is no driver.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Speaking at vehicle engineering consultancy, test and research facility, <a href="http://www.mira.co.uk/about-mira" rel="external" style="color: #003366; text-decoration: none;">MIRA</a>, where he tested a driverless car with the Science Minister Greg Clark, Business Secretary Vince Cable said:</span></div>
<blockquote style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"The excellence of our scientists and engineers has established the UK as a pioneer in the development of driverless vehicles through pilot projects. Today’s announcement will see driverless cars take to our streets in less than 6 months, putting us at the forefront of this transformational technology and opening up new opportunities for our economy and society."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Through the government’s <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/using-industrial-strategy-to-help-the-uk-economy-and-business-compete-and-grow" style="color: #003366; text-decoration: none;">industrial strategy</a> we are backing the automotive sector as it goes from strength to strength. We are providing the right environment to give businesses the confidence to invest and create high skilled jobs."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Transport Minister Claire Perry said:</span></div>
<blockquote style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Driverless cars have huge potential to transform the UK’s transport network – they could improve safety, reduce congestion and lower emissions, particularly CO2. We are determined to ensure driverless cars can fulfil this potential which is why we are actively reviewing regulatory obstacles to create the right framework for trialling these vehicles on British roads."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Science Minister Greg Clark said:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Britain is brilliantly placed to lead the world in driverless technology. It combines our strengths in cars, satellites, big data and urban design; with huge potential benefits for future jobs and for the consumer."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Iain Gray <abbr title="Chief Executive Officer">CEO</abbr> of the UK’s innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board, said:</span></div>
<blockquote style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"This competition for funding has the potential to establish the UK as the global hub for the development and testing of driverless vehicles in real-world urban environments, helping to deepen our understanding of the impact on road users and wider society."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"The ability to test driverless cars at scale, when married to the UK’s unique strengths in transport technologies and urban planning, will also attract further investment, helping to establish new design and manufacturing supply chains, driving forward UK economic growth."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The driverless cars competition is being funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Transport, in partnership with the UK’s innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board. Successful projects must be business-led and need to demonstrate close collaboration with partners such as technology developers, supply chain companies and manufacturers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">MIRA’s Chief Commercial and Technical Officer Dr Geoff Davis said:</span></div>
<blockquote style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"We welcome the announcement made by the Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable today at our site in encouraging further advancements and UK engineering excellence. Our 10 years of experience developing driverless car solutions with successful applications in defence and security as well as cooperative systems in road transport applications means we are already working on a number of projects that explore the potential of connected and cooperative driverless cars."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">SOURCE-<a href="http://www./DesignerEdge/DesignerEdgeArticles/ArticleID/8222/Driverless-Cars-to-Hit-UK-Roads-by-Early-2015.aspx" target="_blank">engineering.com </a></span></div>

Driverless Cars to Hit UK Roads by Early 2015

Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced two new measures that give the green light for autonomous cars to take to UK roads from January 2015. UK cities can now bid for a share of a £10 million c…

12 Aug 2014

1,400-hp Hennessey Venom F5 guns for a 290-mph speed record

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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><img alt="The Hennessey Venom F5 will become reality next year " height="359" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/hennesseyvenomf5.png" title="The Hennessey Venom F5 will become reality next year " width="640" /> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Earlier this year, the ultra-powerful, Lotus-based Hennessey Venom GT
 made good on the world record-level speeds Hennessey had been promising
 since before the car's 2010 introduction. The car set an unofficial world speed record
 of 270.49 mph (435.31 km/h). Lesser men might be content to take a long
 summer vacation after such a feat, but John Hennessey is busy preparing
 an even more powerful Venom to set a new record … and fend off any 
competition from the likes of Bugatti or Koenigsegg.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Venom F5 is billed as the official successor to the GT. The "F5" 
seems like simple alphanumeric nomenclature at first, but it has a 
deeper meaning to the boys in Texas – it's the strongest tornado rating 
in the Fujita scale, signifying a twister with winds between 261 to 318 
mph (420 to 512 km/h). Sounds like a fitting designation for a car built
 to land square in the middle of that speed range.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Koenigsigg's new One:1
 may have the marketing, but the 1,200-bhp Lotus Elise/Exige-based Venom
 GT beat it to the punch of a 1 hp/1 kilo weight ratio when it arrived 
on the scene at a 1,200-kg (2,685 lb) fighting weight. The Venom F5 is 
positioned to improve upon that ratio slightly, potentially packing more
 than 1,400 bhp in a package weighing less than 1,300 kg (2,866 lb). 
"F5" definitely sounds better than 1.0769: One, so we're glad Hennessey 
avoided that particular opportunity for oneupmanship over its Swedish 
competitor.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Hennessey is still hard at work on the F5's powertrain, so those 
numbers are only soft estimates for now. The driveline will use 
beefed-up twin turbochargers, with fuel system and intercooler upgrades 
built to handle the extra boost. The longitudinally-mounted, rear-drive 
twin-turbo V8 will be mated to a new single-clutch paddle shift 
transmission with quickened shift times. Hennessey also plans to offer a
 standard H-pattern manual. A GPS-based stability/traction control 
system will help drivers in safely harnessing all the car's magnificent 
grunt.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><div class="article_img" style="height: 331px; width: 530px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.gizmag.com/1400-hp-hennessey-venom-f5/33242/pictures#2" target="_blank"><img alt="The Venom F5 includes mechanical and aerodynamic improvements over its GT predecessor" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/hennesseyvenomf5-1.png" width="530" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"We learned a great deal during the development of the Venom GT in 
breaking the 270-mph barrier, and we bring that experience to this new 
design as we look toward raising the performance bar even higher," says 
company president and founder John Hennessey.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Aerodynamic improvements will help the F5 in reaching its speed and 
acceleration potential. Hennessey says that the car's drag coefficient 
will limbo below 0.4 (down from 0.44 on the Venom GT), while a 
combination of the body shape, underbody venturis, rear diffuser and 
retractable rear wing will develop plenty of downforce.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">

</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The "clean-sheet carbon-fiber body," as Hennessey describes it, has a
 more angular appearance than its predecessor, most noticeably in the 
nose and side intakes. The entire front and rear ends have undergone a 
serious restructuring that includes a brand-new set of lamps.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">

</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">With development underway, it's hard to get too excited about 
performance estimates, but we'd be lying if we said that "290 mph (467 
km/h) is within reach" didn't look awfully intriguing scratched at the 
top of a press release. Hennessey also believes that its new car will be
 able to best the Venom GT's 13.63-second to 186-mph (300 km/h) and 
14.51-second 0-200 mph (322 km/h) acceleration records.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">

</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Hennessey is thinking relocation for its next speed record attempt, its founder telling Top Gear
 that he's considering putting the F5 to the test on the hard salt of 
Bonneville. There, he won't have to deal with NASA staff preventing his 
team from a return run and keeping the new Venom out of the big Guinness
 book.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">

</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Hennessey will unveil the Venom F5 next year and begin deliveries in 
late 2016. It plans to build 30+ examples – the minimum needed to be 
considered a "production car" for the world speed record – at a price 
exceeding the US$1.2 million sticker of the Venom GT. It will continue 
to offer the Venom GT, having sold 16 of its planned 29-car production 
run.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">source-<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/1400-hp-hennessey-venom-f5/33242/" target="_blank">gizmag </a></span></span><br />
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1,400-hp Hennessey Venom F5 guns for a 290-mph speed record

Earlier this year, the ultra-powerful, Lotus-based Hennessey Venom GT made good on the world record-level speeds Hennessey had been promising since before the car's 2010 introduction. The car set…

06 Aug 2014

Self-Driving Cars Will Soon Fill Up U.K. Roads!

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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">With all of the talk circulating around about self-driving cars, did 
you really think you’d see the day when we really started using them? 
Indeed, even with all of the technology at our hands today, an 
autonomous vehicle seems like such a lofty concept. It’s so hard to 
imagine everything we’ve come used to associating with vehicles, such as
 steering wheels and rear view mirrors, possibly being replaced with a 
small button labeled “stop/go”. And I guess something else besides 
getting your driver’s license will have to become a rite of passage when
 kids (at least in the U.S.) turn 16 years-old – since the cars will be 
doing a heck of a lot more work than the “driver”. That does bring up an
 interesting point – will Driver’s Education classes remain the same? 
Will we still have to know every rule of the road before we get behind 
the wheel that no longer exists? Something tells me Driver’s Ed. might 
get a little bit easier.</span></span></div>
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</span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">All that to say that self-driving vehicles will take over the roads before you know it, and starting in January of 2015,<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-28551069" target="_blank"> they will be allowed on the public roads of the U.K.</a></span></span></div>
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</span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><img alt="Self-Driving Cars Will Soon Fill Up U.K. Roads!" class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-17783 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://news.filehippo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/unnamed.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="359" src="http://news.filehippo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/unnamed.jpg" style="display: inline;" width="640" /></span></span></div>
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</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The U.K. Government recently announced that they’d like 3 different 
cities to host a self-driving vehicle contest of sorts, to help get this
 whole autonomous vehicle thing up and running.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In case you’re wondering how a car can drive itself, they take full 
advantage of LIDAR technology (light detection and ranging) to get an 
accurate depiction of their surroundings on the road. They also use 
existing cruise control and lane assistance as well as acceleration and 
braking assistance. However, it’s expected these “assistances” will move
 more to the forefront down the road, with human drivers doing less and 
less.</span></span></div>
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</span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">What do you think? Does this news about self-driving cars excite you 
at all? Let us know your thoughts regarding this story in the comments 
section below!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">SOURCE-<a href="http://news.filehippo.com/2014/08/self-driving-cars-will-soon-fill-u-k-roads/" target="_blank">TECH-BEAT </a></span></span></div>
</div>

Self-Driving Cars Will Soon Fill Up U.K. Roads!

With all of the talk circulating around about self-driving cars, did you really think you’d see the day when we really started using them? Indeed, even with all of the technology at our hands today…

04 Aug 2014

Hilarious Razor Crazy Cart drift machine set to hit the UK

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Razor's Crazy Cart: available August 1 in the UK" height="358" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/razor-crazy-cart-uk.jpg" width="640" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When the Crazy Cart first launched in the USA, Canada and Australia last year, it made a huge splash. Not just for its awesome sideways drifting action, but because it featured quite frankly the best promotional video we've ever seen. Now, Razor has announced that its "ultimate drift machine" is available in the UK from August 1.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Before we continue, if you haven't yet seen it, you owe it to yourself to watch this video:</span></div>
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</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sKOaF7esBFY?feature=player_embedded" width="640"></iframe><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If that homage to the awesome <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUO-lPubXeI" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Ken Block gymkhana videos</a> doesn't make your wallet start burning a hole in your pocket, we recommend you check your pulse!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Crazy Cart is a fairly simple concept. It has a small electric motor that drives a single wheel located in the center of the cart, towards the front. That wheel can be steered in 360 degrees using a small steering wheel, which features a little arrow that points in the direction the wheel is pointed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">At the rear of the cart sits a pair of caster wheels. As you drive along, at a maximum speed of 12 mph (nearly 20 km/h), the caster effect on those rear wheels pulls the back of the cart into line with the front wheel, so you're always driving forward.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When you pull on the "drift bar" at the side, it tilts the rear caster wheels so the caster effect is almost zero, which means the cart is free to face in just about any direction, no matter which way the front wheel is driving. You can do anything from driving straight backwards, to extreme sideways drifting, to spinning crazily on the spot. You don't need to worry too much about tipping it over, thanks to a couple of extra anti-tip caster wheels at the front.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It looks like absolutely ridiculous fun, and a handy way to calibrate your brain to sideways driving if you're thinking of getting into drifting in a bigger machine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, the current Crazy Cart can only handle riders up to 140 lb (64 kg) so it's more of a kids' fun machine. With a bit of luck Razor will pull its finger out and make one us bigger lads can ride.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Crazy Cart is available now in America, Canada and Australia, with those in the UK able to join the fun from August 1 for £499.99 (US$850).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">SOURCE-<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/razor-crazy-cart-uk/33112/" target="_blank">GIZMAG</a></span></div>
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Hilarious Razor Crazy Cart drift machine set to hit the UK

When the Crazy Cart first launched in the USA, Canada and Australia last year, it made a huge splash. Not just for its awesome sideways drifting action, but because it featured quite frankly the best…

26 Jul 2014

Elytron 2S: The out-of-the-box tiltrotor concept

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="A Elytron 2S (shown here in a proposed seven-seater version) is a tiltrotor aircraft that ..." height="359" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/elytron.jpg" width="640" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;">Some people are never satisfied. You give them a plane, and they say it can’t hover. You give them a helicopter, and they say it can’t fly very high or fast. Looking to combine the advantages of both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, Elytron Aircraft LLC of Mountain View, California is developing the Elytron 2S, a small tiltrotor aircraft that uses a </span>box wing configuration<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;">and is aimed at the civilian market.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Airplanes and helicopters do well in their respective aeronautical niches. Airplanes can fly high, fast, far, and carry heavy loads, while helicopters can hover, fly backwards, land and take off vertically, and maneuver in very tight spaces. The tricky thing is when jobs arise where requirements overlap; like an airplane that can land vertically, or a helicopter than can fly at high altitude.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Though there have been some aggressive development projects in recent years, such as the Bell V-280, the AugustaWestland Project Zero andAW609, the only operational manned, prop-driven aircraft that manages this sort of hybrid flight is the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In service with the US Marine Corps and the air forces of the US, Japan and Israel, the military tiltrotor spent many years in controversial development and, to this day, no civilian version has taken off. This is unfortunate because early visions of tiltrotor aircraft saw them employed as air taxis, short haul transports, and in other civilian applications.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Elytron 2S is a new take on tiltrotor configuration that incorporates an unconventional wing design to create a hybrid aircraft with greater performance – especially in the difficult transition between vertical and horizontal flight. One of a family of aircraft developed by the Elytron company over the past decade, the 2S is intended to combine the features of a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft, with the company seeing applications for emergency medical services, search and rescue, air taxis, and oil exploration.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/elytron-s2-tiltrotor-civilian-aircraft/33036/pictures#7" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="The designs for the Elytron 2S technology demonstrator (left) and a seven-seater version f..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/elytron-6.jpg" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="530" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Comparing the 2S to the Osprey, the most obvious difference is its wing configuration, known as Prandtl's box wing design. It looks exotic and futuristic, but it’s actually a variation on a wing concept that dates back to the earliest days of aviation when it was used by the pioneer flyer Louis Bleriot in 1906. It has also been used more recently by Lockheed Martin for one of its concept jets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">2S’s design uses two pairs of wings. One pair is set forward on the fuselage and is swept back. A second pair is set on top of the tail and swept forward. The tips of the fore and aft wings are linked by winglets, forming a skewed box. With this layout the forces are distributed through the box structure, making it stronger and lighter. It also provides a high aspect ratio for greater lift of about 15 percent over conventional wings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This results in greater fuel efficiency and less weight. In addition, the box wing is more stable, has better glide ratios and is less prone to stalling. In all, this makes Prandtl's box wing very suitable for short take-off and landing craft. The stall factor is particularly important because it helps keep the 2S in the air during the vertical to horizontal flight transition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So far, this is unusual, but not unprecedented. According to Elytron, the novel bit about the 2S is the extra pair of rotating wings mounted amidships, which contain the motors and props. The rotary wings, called "proprotors," are powered by two 90-degree gearboxes and are mounted on a single, centrally-mounted tilt wing that travels through 100 degrees and has four control surfaces.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/elytron-s2-tiltrotor-civilian-aircraft/33036/pictures#6" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="The Elytron 2S is the extra pair of rotating wings mounted amidships, which contain the mo..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/elytron-5.jpg" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="529" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Elytron says that this arrangement inside the box wing obviates interference with the proprotors’ thrust, while the winglets protect against rotor strikes. Because the proprotors can drop to the horizontal for forward flight, the blades don’t have the disadvantage of helicopter rotors where the retreating side of the rotors slows the craft and introduces unwanted torque. The design of the proprotors is much less complicated than a helicopter rotor with no need to angle or feather the rotors, so the linkages are simpler and their fewer parts are spread out through the wing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">According to Elytron, the result of all this is low drag at high speed in a craft that can fly two to three times the speed of an equivalent helicopter and, if the V-22 is an example, it will have a higher operating ceiling. It’s also safer because its glide ratio means that the rotors don’t need to autorotate during an emergency landing. If that doesn't work. Elytron says it will install a ballistic parachute.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Elytron 2S is a two-seater technology demonstrator built using fast prototyping with carbon composite materials. The company says that it plans to install a 450 bhp turbocharged race engine in the 2S with the goal of conducting flight tests next year. If successful, the next phase will include building a seven-seater version for commercial use. In the meantime, the 2S is on display at the Oshkosh Airshow through August 3.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">SOURCE-<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/elytron-s2-tiltrotor-civilian-aircraft/33036/" target="_blank">GIZMAG</a></span></div>
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Elytron 2S: The out-of-the-box tiltrotor concept

Some people are never satisfied. You give them a plane, and they say it can’t hover. You give them a helicopter, and they say it can’t fly very high or fast. Looking to combine the advantages of both…

24 Jul 2014

Drone version of Quadrotor Hoverbike hits Kickstarter

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Malloy Aeronautic's latest Hoverbike prototype makes use of a quad rotor design" height="359" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/malloy-hoverbike-kickstarter.jpg" width="640" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;">Having revealed its </span>original Hoverbike design<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"> back in 2011, Malloy Aeronautics has been hard at work developing its ambitious, science fiction-inspired vehicle. The team has made some significant changes in the last few years, moving from a dual rotor to quad rotor design while adding some serious stability credentials in the process. Chris Malloy has now launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter where backers are being offered a working one third scale version of the second-generation Hoverbike, while giving the team a helping hand in the development of the eventual, manned vehicle.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The hoverbike has been a staple of science fiction for decades, but it’s only in recent years that the concept has started to take tangible steps into reality. The team’s original Hoverbike design, revealed back in 2011, boasted some impressive stats, including the ability to theoretically reach speeds of up to 150 knots (278 km/h or 173 mph) and altitudes of 10,000 ft (3,048 m) and beyond.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/hoverbike-kickstarter-drone/33057/pictures#1" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="The quadcopter drone version of the Hoverbike can travel at speeds of up to 45 mph" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/malloy-hoverbike-kickstarter-0.jpg" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="530" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">With its new design, the one third scale drone version of the vehicle is impressively stable and is even able to carry a glass of water without spilling. The scaled down version of the vehicle, which acts as a proof of concept for the full-sized Hoverbike, packs a 3DR Pixhawk flight controller and is capable of following a pre-determined flight path, following the pilot, and can even perform automatic take-off and landing maneuvers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The drone is 1,155 mm (45.5 in) in length, constructed from aircraft grade aluminum, carbon composite and polyurethane, and capable of carrying a recommended payload of 1.5 kg (3.3 lb). The quadcopter itself weighs in at 2.2 kg (4.85 lbs), and can travel at speeds of up to 45 mph (72 km/h). Its flight time is determined by the weight of its payload.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/hoverbike-kickstarter-drone/33057/pictures#2" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="The Hoverbike can be folded to a third of its full length" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/malloy-hoverbike-kickstarter-1.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="530" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The scaled down version of the Hoverbike also has an advantage over other consumer quadcopters in that it folds down to a more manageable 590 mm (23.2 in) length. You can even purchase a purpose designed backpack from Malloy Aeronautics for transportation. Pledges for the fully functional drone start at £715 (US$1,219), with shipping expected to start three to four months following the conclusion of a successful Kickstarter project.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">One last thing that makes the miniature hoverbike an even more appealing prospect is the so-called Cyborg Buster one third scale human model that is available as a CAD design and ready for home 3D printing. The semi-articulated figure is designed to mimic a human pilot, and there’s even a purpose-designed space in the head for a Go-Pro camera.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/hoverbike-kickstarter-drone/33057/pictures#6" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Kickstarter backers will be able to 3D print their own Cyborg Buster pilot" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/malloy-hoverbike-kickstarter-6.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="526" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">While the tangible reward of your very own Hoverbike quadcopter might be enough to make you shell out and support the crowdfunding campaign, the final goal of the project is a little grander. After years of development, the team at Malloy Aeronautics arrived at the current quad rotor design and is now working towards the construction of a final engineering prototype for submission to aviation certification authorities. The team plans to use the funds provided by Kickstarter backers to make this a reality and will continue work until the eventual manned Hoverbike is available for sale.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Once the full size vehicle is operational, the team envisages that it will be used for more than just recreation, highlighting uses including cattle mustering, cargo insertion (up to 120 kg/265 lb) and perhaps most notably, search and rescue operations. The fact that the vehicle can be folded down to a third of its length makes it easy to transport, and its precision controls should make it ideal for dealing with difficult terrain such as that associated with ski and mountain rescues.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">More information is available in the pitch video below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="398" scrolling="no" src="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1524806320/hoverbike/widget/video.html" width="530"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">SOURCE-<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/hoverbike-kickstarter-drone/33057/" target="_blank">GIZMAG</a></span></div>
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Drone version of Quadrotor Hoverbike hits Kickstarter

Having revealed its original Hoverbike design back in 2011, Malloy Aeronautics has been hard at work developing its ambitious, science fiction-inspired vehicle. The team has made some significant cha…

23 Jul 2014

Jaguar Virtual Windscreen concept looks to the future of HUDs

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="The 'Virtual Windscreen' is also able to display a racing line for trackday warriors" height="359" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/jaguar-landrover-virtual-windscreen.jpg" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Looking to add a touch of <em>Gran Turismo</em> or <em>Forza</em> to your daily commute? Jaguar Land Rover is developing a Virtual Windscreen concept that aims to do just that with a slew of driver assistance technologies designed to keep your eyes on the road, including a head-up display (HUD) that overlays the driving line featured in many virtual racers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As well as projecting key information onto the windscreen like speed and navigation, the Jaguar Virtual Windscreen concept would also overlay the driving line and even a "ghost" car, which acts as a reference point from previous laps.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Although this may seem like a bit of fun for track-day warriors, HUD systemsoffer some obvious safety benefits for having key information at the driver's eye-level.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Jaguar's concept also extends to replacing rear view and external mirrors with cameras and virtual displays. This system would incorporate a of a "3D instrument cluster" linked to head-tracking technology that could deliver key information unobtrusively as well as giving drivers a clear picture of their surroundings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Finally, the system would include gesture-based control for functions like sunblinds, rear windscreen wipers and maps. Rather than having to search for buttons on the dash, the idea is that drivers could simply wave at the gesture-sensor with a range of 15 cm (5.9 in) to operate particular functions. Of the three tech concepts in development, this is the one most likely to appear in production models in the near term, with Jaguar claiming it could be on sale "within the next few years."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Below is Jaguar's video detailing how the Virtual Windscreen concept would work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="298" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FeK9IkSD_nI" width="530"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">SOURCE-<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/jaguar-land-rover-virtual-windscreen-concept/32930/" target="_blank">GIZMAG</a></span></div>
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Jaguar Virtual Windscreen concept looks to the future of HUDs

Looking to add a touch of Gran Turismo or Forza to your daily commute? Jaguar Land Rover is developing a Virtual Windscreen concept that aims to do just that with a slew of driver assistance technolo…

14 Jul 2014

Autonomous vehicles to join the US Army

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="A convoy of driverless US Army trucks (Photo: Department of Defense) " height="358" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/us-army-autonomous-vehicles.jpg" title="A convoy of driverless US Army trucks (Photo: Department of Defense) " width="640" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Over the next quarter of a century,
 the US Pentagon sees robots becoming more and more a part of military 
life with robot warplanes, submersibles, and infantry vehicles taking 
their place on the battlefields of the future. It may conjure up a very 
flashy vision of Transformer-like killing machines, but the US Army sees
 the first robots as autonomous vehicles used in the more prosaic task 
of delivering groceries and other supplies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For all the cost of ships, planes, armor, and weapon systems, 
manpower is the single greatest expense in modern, industrialized armed 
forces. Aside from costs like pay, training, and pensions, soldiers also
 need equipment, clothing, food, shelter, medical care, recreation, and 
the logistical infrastructure to supply them. In addition, it costs more
 to carry out many tasks in a military setting because there are 
different rules. Army drivers, for example, cost more money than their 
civilian counterparts because military vehicles need an assistant driver
 to avoid mishaps – and civilian drivers back home don’t have to worry 
about IEDs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It’s small wonder, therefore, that the US Army is keen on robots to 
handle the supply lines. In May, the Army carried out a test at the US 
Department of Energy's Savannah River Site in South Carolina, where it 
ran an unmanned convoy of seven different tactical vehicles driving at 
over 40 mph (64 km/h). This wasn't a one-off, either. A second test with
 soldiers and marines is scheduled for August.</span><br />
<div class="article_img" style="height: 410px; width: 530px;">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/us-army-autonomous-vehicles/32796/pictures#1" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="The Army plans to develop man-optional vehicles in the next 30 years (Photo: Department of..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/us-army-autonomous-vehicles-0.jpg" width="530" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The test was part of the US Army Tank Automotive Research Development
 and Engineering Center (TARDEC)'s 30-Year Ground Vehicle Strategy, 
which sees man-optional lorries as commonplace, with many vehicles 
completely driverless. According to TARDEC director Dr. Paul D Rogers, 
the purpose of this program isn’t to merely replace people. That would 
be relatively easy. Instead, it’s meant as a force multiplier to make 
each soldier more effective by handing over logistical and routine tasks
 to robots, freeing up more personnel to concentrate on warfighting 
tasks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For an autonomous vehicle to be practical, it needs situational 
awareness even in low-visibility conditions, as well as systems for 
detecting obstacles, avoiding collisions, as well as warning if the 
vehicle is wandering out of its lane, or is in danger of tipping over. 
Developing these technologies relies very heavily on the work being done
 by car makers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It’s no coincidence that the Pentagon is looking at robotic vehicles 
at the same time as the automotive makers are developing self-driving 
cars. The Army points out that if the defense industry were required to 
develop these new technologies out of whole cloth, the cost would be too
 much for the taxpayer. Commercial car makers have the advantages of 
economies of scale for vehicles designed to last years instead of 
decades, however, so the military can take the civilian designs and 
adapt them accordingly.</span><br />
<div class="article_img" style="height: 410px; width: 530px;">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/us-army-autonomous-vehicles/32796/pictures#2" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="The new autonomous vehicles use much of the technology developed for civilian self-driving..." src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/us-army-autonomous-vehicles-1.jpg" width="530" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Army believes that that the technology for autonomous vehicles 
may be ready for the field by 2025. The current program revolves around 
two kits designed for flexibility, because the Army sees the new 
autonomous vehicles as disruptive and requiring a great deal of reform 
in terms of how the military operates if they’re to succeed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The first is an “autonomy kit” based on Light Detection and Ranging 
(LIDAR) and other sensors. It’s similar to that of Google’s self-driving
 cars, though the Army says that the two programs aren't related. The 
kit’s function is to map out the road ahead and keep the vehicle on the 
right course without hitting anything. The other kit is "by-wire drive,"
 which deals with the actual driving by controlling the throttle, 
brakes, and steering.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To accommodate this new technology, the US Army Training and Doctrine
 Command is looking at military doctrine, tactics and training, so these
 robotic systems can help fulfill strategic and tactical objectives. The
 ultimate hope of the Army is to move beyond simple transports, and 
TARDEC looks forward to a time when troop carriers and tanks will be 
man-optional as well. In one experiment, the program hopes in 20 years 
to control four unmanned Abrams tanks from four manned ones – much as a 
video game player can control simulated squadmates.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Another idea is to develop robots as companions to help soldiers in the field the same way as mules, horses, dogs, and even dolphins do at present. Toward this end, TARDEC is interested in unmanned ground vehicles and helicopters
 that can work in dangerous areas contaminated by nuclear, chemical, or 
biological weapons, or by taking up the burden of soldiers, so hauling 
giant packs isn’t a way of daily life.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In order to get the world from a single convoy of autonomous vehicles
 to one of robotic squaddies, TARDEC has instituted its Applied Robotics
 for Installations and Base Operation (ARIBO), which aims at finding 
immediate applications for robotic technologies. The program will 
utilize existing Army installations as testing grounds, such as Fort 
Bragg, North Carolina, where autonomous vehicles are used to transport 
wounded soldiers, and at the US Military Academy and Stanford 
University, where such vehicles are used for transport from distant 
parking areas. Eventually, they’ll also be used as food and ammunition 
transports.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">source-<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/us-army-autonomous-vehicles/32796/" target="_blank">GIZMAG</a></span></div>

Autonomous vehicles to join the US Army

Over the next quarter of a century, the US Pentagon sees robots becoming more and more a part of military life with robot warplanes, submersibles, and infantry vehicles taking their place on the b…

06 Jul 2014

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