Virgin Galactic Commercial Flights set for 2011

toyota i-unit

The i-unit is an ultra-compact single seater four wheeled Toyota concept car. It debuted at the World Expo 2005, held in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The vehicle is a cross between a Microcar, a motorcycle, and a vehicular exoskeleton. The goal of Toyota is to provide a personal mobility, which can be used on roads but also does not hinder interaction with pedestrians. For this the i-unit has two possible setups. First, there is an upright low speed setup, where the rider has a higher position and can have conversations face-to-face with pedestrians and can move among people. This upright position can be transformed while driving to a low position, where the rider sits much lower and more reclined. This high speed setup has a much lower center of gravity and is for driving at higher speeds. The i-unit weighs 180 kilograms. It contains a lithium ion battery and features Intelligent Transport System technology. The rear wheels are powered by electric motors, and the device is steered with the front wheels. In the upright position it has a turning radius of 0.9 metres (35.4 in), which means it can turn on the spot. The vehicle is controlled by two joystick-like devices at the front of the armrests, and uses a Drive-by-wire technology. An Intelligent Transport System (ITS) technology aims to reduce the likelihood of accidents.

The color of the lights can change according to the preferences or emotions of the operator. The shape was designed to symbolize a leaf, and the design incorporates environmentally friendly materials such as kenaf.[Wikipedia]

All we need is a little air!

Who would of thought that all we would need is air to power our cars. The fantasy is becoming a reality, check it out.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/03/31/the_air_car.jpg&imgrefurl=http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com/energy/2007/04/a_car_that_runs.html&usg=__QeMSb6j7odumGQ5DH4tcrziNPxA=&h=291&w=400&sz=21&hl=en&start=2&tbnid=CFt5a9DX97pXXM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bair%2Bcar%26hl%3Den

Car of the Future

Mazda Nagare

This future car was introduced at the car show in LA. It's definitely different. The driver sits in the middle of the car. There are seats in the back for two passengers. You can click on the link to view more pictures and to watch a video.

http://dvice.com/archives/2006/12/mazda_nagare_concept_car_go_wi.php

Future Air Transportation

Artist's rendering of Boeing Phantom Works' X-51A WaveRider.

Boeing Hunting Beach released this picture of a future rocket. It moves 4,200 miles per hour. It will be used as "hypersonic military missle, a space cargo transporter or a rapidly-deployable reconnaissance aircraft." They are also going to try to make it a passenger airliner, that could transport "travelers from Washington D.C. to London in 2 hours." You can read more about the X-51A at the link provided.

http://sciencedude.freedomblogging.com/2009/03/26/boeing-hb-unveils-the-future-of-transportation/22909/

Views of Future Transportation

This video is posted by Honda. I thought it was interesting. There are many different people talking about what they think transportation will be like in the year 2088. They talk about cars that are better for our environment. It was interesting to hear their predictions of the future.

http://dreams.honda.com/videos/mobility-2088/

Future of Transportation

Check out the below link. There are some really cool ideas for future modes of transportation. What I liked about the site is that it explains the details of the idea, when it could happen, how it works and the reason people need the innovation. Enjoy!

http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/01249/