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One-Person Maglev Car, Like Riding a 480KPH Roller Coaster to Work
Posted by Mark Wilson at 2:40 AM on October 2, 2008
It sure looks like a roller coaster, but this maglev (magnetic levitation) car is more likely in development for personal transportation. By Tyco and Gakken, the maglev system suspends the car 2-3 centimeters above the track, propelling the rider forward without friction. Since the fastest record for a full-blown maglev train is 580 kph, my guess is that an open cockpit like this one could make for one hell of a bug-faced ride. Maybe that face squeegee startup isn't such a crazy investment after all. [nikkei BP via NewLaunches]
Right off the bat the Di-Cycle design is eye-catching. Imagine the looks you would get pedaling this down the road, smashing into cars and bumping old ladies off the sidewalk. Now imagine the looks you would get when you turn sharply toward the neighbourhood pool, ride in and mow down all of the swimmers flailing around in the water trying desperately to escape. Apparently that pleasant dream is possible with this bizarre looking contraption. Unfortunately, you are going to have to rein in your bicycle blood lust for now. The Di-Cycle is only in the design phase at the moment. [
For many enthusiasts, pimping out car sound systems (and even 
As if you didn't already spend enough time on the internet, Microsoft is looking to feed your addiction even further by developing a reliable "Vi-Fi" system for automobiles. The major problem that must be overcome is the fact that current Wi-Fi networks suffer hiccups in service as you pass through. This is especially true when moving out of the range of one base station and into another. To smooth the transition process, Microsoft and a team from the University of Massachusetts are working on building a network based around a base station anchor that is backed up by several auxiliary base stations in the area.
If you are impulsive enough to drop over US$100,000 on a whim for a nerdy automobile, here is your chance to score one of the five Batmobiles made for the original Michael Keaton movie. Unfortunately, you only have until 5PM PDT today to put in a bid on this baby, so you had better hurry (I know you guys are all frantically searching for your wallets). [
While the city of Philadelphia is content with using 
Stash it under the belly of the plane for an Indiana-Jones-style getaway once you hit the landing strip, of course. The good folks at 
"Want free subway rides for life?" teased the description of the talk "Anatomy of a Subway Hack" by three MIT students at DefCon this past weekend, where 
Designer Matt Clark has come up with Innervision: a prototype polypropelene bike designed to be fully recyclable. And, incidentally, to look rather cool indeed. The frame is in two parts, which are welded together: an inner frame with strong triangular truss-structure and an outer frame for a better look. Both split into two, so the bike is easy to manufacture. For now it's made of new plastic, but Matt intends future ones to be made of recycled polypropylene. Apparently it rides well, thanks to that stiff inner body. And it's got a pretty good theft deterrent system: anyone hacksawing it free from a bike lock would have a useless half-bike. Unless they bought the toy 
I'm all for exploring new technologies that help us save gas, but I think Nissan has gone a little too far with their "Eco Pedal." This new technology calculates the most fuel efficient rate of acceleration and then fights back against the driver's foot when it feels that rate has been exceeded. Nissan claims that the system can improve fuel efficiency by as much as 10 percent, which is why they plan on implementing it into their cars next year. As asinine and unsafe as all of this sounds, at least Nissan had the good sense to implement an on / off switch. [
