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Plasma-Powered Hovercraft Patent
Posted by Adrian Covert at 9:30 AM on May 10, 2008
The patent shown is for an aircraft to be powered off the ground using a plasma technology. Subrata Roy, a University of Florida aerospace engineer, proposes the existing technique of passing a magnetic wave through a conducting fluid can produce a force strong enough to lift an aircraft off the ground. Granted, the example in the patent is only 15 cm, and attempts by others haven't gone particularly well. But with phrases like magnetohydrodynamics being thrown around, I keep flashing back to the space travel scene in Contact and getting excited. Subrata Roy must be a poet. [WIPO via Ubergizmo]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
MF4218
Posted May 11, 2008 10:50 AM
Hmm... interesting... and I had this idea when I was 13. From books made in 1975. It's nice to know I'm as smart as some other people.
Just who would listen to a 13 year old?
Daniel_Voegelin
Posted 10:00 AM 10/5/08
This reminds me of those electro-gravitic propulsionary devices, or asymmetrical capacitor 'lifters' as they're called. This looks like it may be using the same form of technology, only using water to pass the current through maybe?
They have been researching this for over 50 years now, and actually employ the technology on the B-2 stealth bomber, to allow it to all but shut off its engines and coast silently using this as its only means of propulsion.
The main problem with creating a standalone unit such as these has been with the weight of the PSU being too much. Mounting it on board the craft cancels out the lift it creates, so all designs I have seen have been rather small and tethered to a separate PSU attached with leads.
Daniel_Voegelin
shamoononon
Posted 9:52 AM 10/5/08
I think that guy sleeps in one of these.
Got quiet in here all of a sudden. I must be the only one left at work.
[cache.gizmodo.com]
shamoononon
OLEDRevolution
Posted 2:11 PM 10/5/08
"You know hoverboards don't work on water. For that, you need POWER!!!! " ....... er, or something like that
OLEDRevolution
Klappstuhl
Posted 12:11 AM 11/5/08
Repulsors?
Eh, I got nothing...
Klappstuhl