Join Get to Space via Balloon with the Bloon
Now that the Space Shuttle program has been essentially grounded, it is time to start thinking of new ways to leave the atmosphere.
Virgin Galactic may be banking on expensive trips with space planes, but this is the first time that I have heard of traveling to space via balloon.
This lighter-than-air spacecraft, the Bloon, will reach 22 miles (36 kilometers) into space. That is enough to see the curvature of the Earth, but not enough to float the passengers with zero gravity. Check out the video after the jump to see what it might look like.
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The Zike, world’s first hybrid scooter
If you are too old for a trike, and love to ride a bike, maybe you would like a Zike. I realize that intro sounds like something Dr. Seuss would write, but the Zike is a real product, and is the world’s first hybrid scooter.
I suppose by “hybrid scooter”, the company means it is the first product to successfully combine a scooter, bicycle, and stair-stepper together. Inventor Nathan Scolari was “compelled to combat the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States”, and this is what he researched and created.
Zike will introduce four models to the marketplace. The Hotshot is an entry level model for children ages 5-8. The Flyby is the next step up for children ages 8-12, and it has two chains for faster speeds and increased agility. The Slingshot is for children 10 and older, and it has the speed of a BMX bike. The Saber (pictured) is a 7-speed scooter for anyone aged 12 and up.
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Fast concept car is very flaky
This is the Flake project, a concept car that even the designer does not expect to work, but solely designed for inspirational purposes.
The “flakes” on the car are carbon fiber microspoilers, and they are programmed to shift around during the drive to enhance speed and performance. As you might have guessed, the flakes go flat when it is time for a burst of speed. Turning causes the flakes on one side of the car to stand up, which “locks” the car to the road.
There is a video of it after the jump, and I can assure you, that although it may look real, it is CG. You may also notice that unusual lack of tires, which the designer calls D-Wheels. These extendable legs allow for an adjustable contact surface.
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Second Flight of DARPA’s HTV-2 does not go as well as its first
DARPA is always coming out with some interesting experimental stuff, and the latest is the Falcon Hypersonic Technology 2 (HTV-2).
It was just given a field test today, and it was launched aboard a Minotaur IV Lite rock from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. It was expected to glide over the Pacific Ocean and deliberately splash down near Kwajalein Atoll, 4,000 miles away at a speed of 13,000 miles per hour.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like things went as planned. DARPA has reported via tweet that “downrange assets did not reacquire tracking or telemetry. #HTV2 has an autonomous flight termination capability”. What you see in the image is an artist’s conception.
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The OutRun AR Project
Some of you might remember playing a game back in the eighties known as Out Run. Imagine playing the same game, but instead of an arcade, you are on a moving vehicle?
This is the Out Run project, by Garnet Hertz. It uses an electric golf cart that allows players to navigate their way around real-life courses using arcade controls.
It uses some customized software that can automatically look in front of a car and then reproduce the route on the game cabin’s screen. It even does it in 8-bit form! You can check it out in a video after the jump.
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Shadowhawk UAV, one tiny copter that could come after you
What you are seeing here is no toy helicopter, but the Shadowhawk UAV (Unmanned Air Vehicle).
This helicopter is about 49 pounds, and you probably want to watch the video after the jump to see it in action. According to my Source, the Shadowhawk is already being used to track pirates off the Horn of Africa. Apparently, it is also used to enforce law on U.S. streets.
It also comes with the option of turbine or piston engines, thermal cameras, range fingers, and laser pointers. For those who want some weapons, it is also possible to install 37 mm or 40 mm grenade launchers, 12 gauge shotgun rounds, or even taser batons.
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Tour bus has detachable bikes
This is the “Bike Guide Concept”, a way of travel that could be the next form of tourism.
As you can tell from the image, the Bike Guide uses bikes attached to the bus itself. The bus has a screen to announce information about the next destination, and then each bike has a screen to share even more. Screens are also used in bus stops, and the user scans their credit card to arrange a bike/bus tour.
You can watch a video of it after the jump, and you see that the bus parks and drops off the bikes. The tourists pedal around the attraction, and I believe that there is a timer on each bike to let the rider know when it is time to return them.
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Bracketron does the Dual USB Charger
Most devices these days have a USB port, and it goes without saying that this also means a USB charger is in order to keep said device juiced up at all times. Of course, finding a USB port wherever you are is definitely harder than looking for the ordinary, standard issue power outlet – after all, it isn’t as though all power outlets have a dedicated USB port crammed in at the moment, although we do wish it were otherwise.
Bracketron has every intention to make sure that no matter where you go, especially if you’re a heavy road user, will be able to keep your USB-powered devices juiced up before you arrive at your destination, and it does so in style with the Dual USB Charger. As with many other heavy duty electronic devices in your vehicle that need power, the 12V cigarette lighter port is taken advantage of. Sure, you lose your car’s lighter in the process, but that’s a small price to pay to make sure your phone’s all juiced up for that important meeting in an hour’s time. Wanna smoke? Carry a Zippo lighter with you then.
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