In 2,022 a startup will begin selling airless bike tires that never go flat because they’re made out of a special NASA-developed metal alloy.
Category: transportation – Page 328
Artificial intelligence is evolving all by itself
Circa 2020
Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving—literally. Researchers have created software that borrows concepts from Darwinian evolution, including “survival of the fittest,” to build AI programs that improve generation after generation without human input. The program replicated decades of AI research in a matter of days, and its designers think that one day, it could discover new approaches to AI.
“While most people were taking baby steps, they took a giant leap into the unknown,” says Risto Miikkulainen, a computer scientist at the University of Texas, Austin, who was not involved with the work. “This is one of those papers that could launch a lot of future research.”
Building an AI algorithm takes time. Take neural networks, a common type of machine learning used for translating languages and driving cars. These networks loosely mimic the structure of the brain and learn from training data by altering the strength of connections between artificial neurons. Smaller subcircuits of neurons carry out specific tasks—for instance spotting road signs—and researchers can spend months working out how to connect them so they work together seamlessly.
Tool for predicting pedestrian flow expands its reach
When urban development takes place, a traffic impact assessment is often needed before a project is approved: What will happen to auto traffic if a new apartment building or business complex is constructed, or if a road is widened? On the other hand, new developments affect foot traffic as well — and yet few places study the effects of urban change on pedestrians.
A group of MIT researchers wants to alter that, by developing a model of pedestrian activity that planners and city officials can use in much the same way officials evaluate vehicle traffic. A study they have conducted of Melbourne, Australia, shows that the model works well when tested against some of the most comprehensive pedestrian data available in the world.
“Our model can predict changes in pedestrian volume resulting from changes in the built environment and the spatial distribution of population, jobs, and business establishments,” says Andres Sevtsuk, an associate professor in MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP) and lead author of a newly published paper detailing the results. “This provides a framework to understand how new developments can affect pedestrian flows on city streets.”
Japanese-Made Mk-5 eVTOL Nails Its Test Flight in California, Pre-Orders Are Now Open
Tokyo-based aircraft manufacturer Tetra Aviation revealed its first commercially available personal eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) Mk-5 just a short while ago. It happened in July at this year’s AirVenture OSHKOSH event in Wisconsin, touted the world’s greatest aviation celebration. Now the company follows with a flight demonstration of the aircraft in California.
Watch A YouTuber Shut Off A Helicopter Engine Mid-Air — Just To Prove Neil deGrasse Tyson Wrong
How do you settle an argument with someone who’s clearly in the wrong? Well, you show them a live demonstration, even if it means putting your life on the line but in the end, you have to show them who’s the boss am I right?
That’s exactly what Destin Sandlin from SmarterEveryDay YouTube channel did by shutting off the helicopter midair to prove a point. A few years ago, Neil deGrasse Tyson had made a statement that “An airplane whose engine fails is a glider. A helicopter whose engine fails is a brick.” which did not sit well with the Youtuber and he decided to prove Tyson and everyone once and for all, that that statement was in fact wrong and the reality was different. The video was shot in 2016 but it has been making the rounds once again.
For his stunt, Destin took a flight around Widgeon Lake in British Columbia with Bradley Friesen, the helicopter pilot, and discussed whether a helicopter could land safely if its engine was busted. As it turns out, that landing a helicopter with a faulty engine is very much possible with a little trick called “autorotation” and that the helicopter need not fall straight down like a brick. So they decided to test the theory in real and turned off the helicopter engine mid-flight and still managed to land safely. But this doesn’t mean you should go and try this out in your private helicopter now just cause someone with more than 16,000 hours of experience demonstrated it for the sake of argument.
Elon Musk confirms that Tesla Giga Shanghai now exceeds the Fremont Factory
Tesla Giga Shanghai has officially exceeded the Fremont Factory’s output, according to Elon Musk’s calculations. As Tesla’s main export hub, Giga Shanghai’s output will play a significant role in the company’s global growth.
“We have three new factories. Giga Shanghai has done an incredible job. And Giga Shanghai now exceeds Fremont in production,” Musk announced at the 2021 Annual Shareholders Meeting.
Musk pointed out that Tesla Giga Shanghai took roughly 11 months to build and reached full volume production a year later. Since Giga Shanghai started operations, Tesla’s production and delivery numbers have noticeably increased.
Work on Artemis I Orion nears completion, other Orions make progress
The Artemis I Orion spacecraft is currently undergoing final checkouts before the critical milestone of transportation to the Vehicle Assembly Building for final stacking, integration, and checkout ahead of launch.
Meanwhile, the Orion crew modules for the Artemis II, III, and IV missions are also continuing assembly in their processing flows.
Electric Aircraft Has Unlimited Range… With A Fleet Of Recharging Planes
Circa 2012
It’s okay, you’ve not clicked on “Green Plane Reports”, but every so often something from beyond the world of cars catches our attention.
This time, it’s electric flight. The concept is nothing new, and it’s even been alluded to by people like Elon Musk of Tesla, but for the time being it remains a true flight of fancy, rather than a working concept for passenger transportation.
The video above suggests one such way of making the concept workable. We’ll leave you to form your own thoughts, but we can forsee a few disadvantages.