Aside from electricity and water, AIR seems to be a potential source of power for automobiles. This was shown by the project developed by mechanical engineering students from Dalhousie University, Canada. The study was about using compressed O2 to run a go-kart. Based on the test runs that were done, the air powered go-kart performs as good as electric powered go-karts. The air powered vehicle was able to finish three rounds in the test laps with the speed of 43 km/h by 2 minutes using two tanks containing equal amounts of air.

The mechanical engineering students used a 40-year old snowmobile engine and modified it for the project. They made the compressed air ran through its engine so it can produce power similar to a gas engine. The engine was then attached to a revamped go-kart. Two scuba tanks were used to contain the compressed air and by means of a standard scuba fitting with a high-flow regulator, the air was released and it went through the tubing leading to a ball valve connected to the foot pedal and throttle.

The project still has a long way to be completely furnished. If it pushes through, it will really be a convenient choice for motorists since AIR is just around us. We don’t actually see it but it’s there and it comes FREE of charge.

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Unfortunately for him, a Port Authority officer was on the lookout for altered license plates at that very moment and saw Payano pull off his magic trick. Like most shirtless criminals pinned to the hood of vehicles, Payano denied everything despite overwhelming evidence. He claims that he did not have a cable system in the rig and his EZ-Pass tag should have taken care of the toll. The pictures above seem to refute this claim, but he may retain a lawyer to try and fight the charges nonetheless. Yeah, good luck with that, dude. [Daily News via Core77]

Here’s an easy and inexpensive way to keep your car’s 12V battery charged. Place this solar-powered charger on the dash or window for best sun exposure, then plug it into the car’s cigarette lighter. It sends a “trickle” charge to the battery, preventing it from being drained by the clock, radio memory or an alarm which uses power even when the ignition is off. Great for use with ATVs, snow vehicles and vintage cars that are used infrequently. Suction cups hold it on the windshield or garage window. 10-ft. power cable. Includes a battery clamp adapter that lets you connect it directly to a battery, if desired.

It will cost you $29.95 to bring home the Coleman Solar Battery Charger. Perfect for folks with fleets of vintage cars, while we poor plebeians who find it difficult enough to maintain a single car aren’t to likely to run into a dead battery situation from NOT using our vehicle often enough.

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[ Coleman Solar Battery Charger copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Imagine, future vehicles may have interiors that reconfigure themselves to each passenger. Conductive polymers infused with nanotubes stretch and contract when electric currents pass thru them, stiffening and softening where needed. This system is also perfect for hauling cargo, keeping things perfectly snug. In this day in age there is no point in having fixed layouts - 2 seaters, 4 seaters should be history. Wave Seat is an open source platform where users can create their own layout to facilatate conversation or privacy.

Designer: Jung Hoon Rhee

That's different.

Jeff Johnston's August 22, 2008 Washington Times article introduced me to a whole new world in terms of the road; his story follows.

A-frame style RV offers efficiency

Without a doubt, the "A Frame" style fold-down trailers [above] are among the most unusual looking units in the campground when compared to the usual crop of recreational vehicles.

Only two manufacturers build this type of RV. One such A Frame is built by Chalet RV of Albany, Ore. (www.chaletrv.com, 541-791-4610).

With the new XL 1938 "Dormer," Chalet has added a ream of functional interior space that allows creature comforts only dreamed of in this kind of trailer. They did it by adding the fold-up dormer-type roof extension.

These A-frame models offer features common to both tent trailers and hardwall models. The XL body is configured much like that of a tent trailer, but this unit has solid roof panels, hinged at the front and back walls, which pivot up from the center to form the A-shape roof. The triangular sidewalls, hinged to the lower fixed body wall, then swing up and manually latch into place.

The XL also adds the swing-up Dormer roof segment and its associated fold-up endwall and sidewalls.

A pair of folded inner hardwalls, which hinge and clamp easily into place, isolate the bath from the living quarters. Setting up the entire trailer is about a three minute, or less, process.

To ease the setup chore, the main roof raises electrically via a convenient switch near the entry door. The other wall panels are lightweight and lift easily into place.

A fold-down tent trailer has reams of sleeping space on its slide-out end beds, but it also has the fabric sidewalls and their associated characteristics.

The XL living area is contained within the solid lower body dimension, but it also has full insulation all around and the extra security and weatherproofing inherent with solid walls.

The size is a trade-off many A-frame trailer owners are happy to live with.

While the sloping roof sections do cut into the interior space somewhat, the Dormer expands that space in a big way. In the 1938 Dormer model floorplan the end bath has a full 6 feet 8 inches of headroom and the bath area is a full 36 inches deep so there's lots of room for bathroom-associated activities.

The shower is 23 inches wide by 36 inches deep and that's more space than is available in many larger RVs.

At the aft end the trailer has a huge U-shaped dinette that makes down into a 6-foot 8-inch by 6-foot 2-inch bed.

My wife and I were pleasantly surprised by how comfortable the bed was for sleeping, given that it's made of seat cushions rearranged into a bed as needed.

The streetside galley contains the usual appointments and allows for standard campsite meal preparations, but counter space is tight.

We moved the portable dinette table close by for extra working space.

Fluid capacities include 25 gallons freshwater, 15 gallons grey water, 5 gallons black water (cassette style toilet), and dual 4.5-gallon propane tanks.

This trailer offers two distinct advantages for today's RVer. At 2,780 pounds wet (unloaded), it can be towed by many smaller, downsized vehicles.

Due to its low-profile shape in road-ready form - about 6 feet, 3 inches tall overall including skylight bubble - the trailer has less wind resistance and is less prone to uncivil road manners when the weather turns blustery.

Both characteristics translate into a trailer that requires less fuel to tow, and it can possibly be towed by the vehicle you have in your driveway so no major vehicle purchase is needed.

We towed the XL with a Toyota FJ Cruiser [below],



which has a 5,000-pound tow rating. Although the FJ has a fairly modest 105-inch wheelbase, it proved a highly stable and capable tow rig in conjunction with the XL.

True to form, the XL reacted very little to wind or passing truck traffic.

There's little of the push-pull sensation when a semi in a big hurry blows past on the freeway, and that kind of towing comfort makes a trip a lot more fun.

The rubber-torsion independent-suspension axle cushions the trailer ride and helps it float gracefully over bumps and divots in the pavement.

The XL 1938 carries a $25,575 price tag when equipped with a few popular options, including aluminum mag wheels ($245), wood-grain vinyl flooring upgrade ($210), the 12,000 Btu air conditioner with heat pump ($1,125), microwave oven ($155) and a few others.

The general design and folding roof hardware account for the somewhat higher price compared to a standard hardwall RV - and it's also a well-built unit so that counts for a lot.

The RVer looking for something a bit different in a lightweight, fuel-stingy trailer might find the new XL 1938 model a fine alternative with more than enough living space in a compact package.

Hanson's trial was among recent criminal cases around the country in which authorities used GPS navigation devices to help establish a defendant's whereabouts. Experts say such evidence will almost certainly become more common in court as GPS systems become more affordable and show up in more vehicles.

Other recent cases include a rapist who plead after a judge ruled GPS data from his car could be used against him, and an arsonist parked 100 yards from the house he torched: his own!

GPS Helps Prosecute Criminals [AP]

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M2E announced their motion-powered battery charger last year. With magnets and coils in tow, M2E says that their motion-powered battery charger generates enough juice over 6 hours of cumulative human-motion to add 30 to 60 minutes of extra talk time on a mobile phone. And, a standard wall-plug allows you to use an electrical hookup to juice-up your portable device - you know, for those times when 6 hours of cumulative motion just sounds like too much for your lazy behind to deal with.

The company has plans to integrate its motion-powered technology in hybrid and electric vehicles - converting the jarring bumps on the road in to extended drive-time. For now, M2E is aiming to have their portable charger on market next year. We can’t wait.

[Via: SmartPlanet]

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