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/

Smart Cars: Bigger than you may think!!

The Smart Car

Electric Cars

Not many people know about electric cars let alone what happened to them. This video here will explain them and what happened to them!!

Ze Plane Ze Plane!

When we think of planes we think of typical passenger planes. Here are a few other types of planes that we seldom forget about.
http://www.airshowfan.com/airshow-airplanes.htm

Roads and Highways

From Maine to Florida and from New Jersey to California in the US two to six lane highways and interstates stretch an amazing 43,500 miles. This cobweb of macadam and concrete inner connect our cities, boroughs and burgs, allowing us to transport ourselves and our goods with ease.
The US uses a numbering system which identifies and helps would be travelers get to their destination. Highways start with the number 1 and end at 101. Odd numbered highways run north to south and even numbered highways run from east to west. The longest US highway is US route 20, running from Boston Massachusetts and ending in Newport Oregon a staggering 3,365 miles.
Although some roads are a frustration of traffic and road rage, others take us to some of the most scenic areas in the continental US. They are truly a modern marvel and they are an essential part of transportation today.

Sight-seeing II

Another way to sight see in Miami, is to take a boat ride to see where the rich and famous live. While out on the boat, we saw another means of transportation to go sight seeing, a helicopter. We never saw the helicopter in the air, and I wonder why. Could it be it cost too much to rent or that the view is only the top of houses, etc. How much can you really see from the air? These two ways certainly get you around a lot faster than a car.

Sight-seeing

These Suntrike convertibles are cars you can rent in Miami, FL. It is a great way to get around to see the sights. As you can see, these moms where out for a day with their sons showing them the strip in Miami. The only problem with renting a car to sight see here, is the traffic, it was bumper to bumper. We found that it was quicker to walk down this street than to drive. But you have to admit, these cars are pretty neat to drive around in.

"The Segway"

One of the latest crazes in the transportation world is the Segway. You may have seen this nifty device around shopping malls, campuses or souped-up models driven by urban police forces. The first Segway was named Ginger, for Ginger Rodgers, and was the brain child of inventor Dean Kamen. Kamen’s HT (human transport) was conceived in 1995 and hit the shelves for the public in 2002. The standard HT can support 250 lbs, move at 12.5 miles per hour and has a range of 17 miles between charges, of its NiCad or NiMH rechargeable battery. Kamen thought that this device might be a great way to conserve fossil fuels and congestion in urban areas, which I agree with, however, with an average cost of $5,000.00 I don’t think people will be rushing to buy them. As with all new innovations time and competition will eventually make this a more reasonably priced mode of transportation; until then we will just have to live with the traffic.

Ships

I found some interested things on the history of ship and what kinds of ships there was a long time ago. This link gives you information and interactive tours
http://www.abc.net.au/navigators/ships/history.htm

This video that I found is really cool. It talks about how someone with power wanted ships to be floating temples.

http://www.history.com/video.do?name=ancientdiscoveries&bcpid=1766638671&bclid=1672160985&bctid=1659814562

What an Idea!

Everything you need to know about the wheel and how important it has been and will continue to be

http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/wheel.htm

The most basic form of transportation - OUR OWN TWO LEGS

Sesame Street - The Invention of The Wheel

This youtube video is a way to teach children a simple way the wheel was invented. I find it funny because transportation has come a long way and traffic is crazy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNRXG8Izprk

In The Beginning There Was "The Wheel"

The wheel is an invention that touches us every day—

One that we take for granted,

One that we burden and abuse,

And one that keeps on giving even under heavy loads.

The wheel was invented somewhere between 3000 and 4000 BC. It has since made it into just about every item that shakes, rattles or rolls. The first wheels were thought to be made of stone; although durable, this made for a hard, bumpy ride. Wheels to follow where crafted from wood, then rubber and now rubber with a barrier of air to cushion our pampered derrieres.

The first wheels where used primarily for carts to haul early man’s goods, but as the cart became more complex, so did the use of the wheel; for example,

gears and pulleys

and

steering wheels.

It is hard to imagine a world without wheels.

Thank you, Cave Man Carl, for your contribution to society.

Combined Art Project Video