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posted on Wed, 08/20/2008 - 7:44pm
In the future, motorcycles won’t be cool.
by JGordon on Aug. 19th, 2008
in Physical Science, Scientific Enterprise, Motion, Flow of Matter and Energy, and Human Organism
in Physical Science, Scientific Enterprise, Motion, Flow of Matter and Energy, and Human Organism
A motorcycle race...: In the future!
Courtesy Private CustardA student in the transportation program of the < a href=http://www.artcenter.edu/>Art Center College of Design has invented a brand new paradox: a concept-motorcycle that is somehow simultaneously totally awesome and utterly, hopelessly dorky.
It’s a mega future tri-moto electro cyber transporto THX laser blade runner terminatrix rideable machine.
I guess they call it the conceptual exoskeleton motorcycle, Deus Ex Machina. But I think my name for it is still less dorky.
What? You want an actual description of the vehicle? Well, you could just click on the long link above, and leave Science Buzz forever, but we like you here. So at least read the rest of the post before you go.
The Deus Ex Machina is sort of a wheeled tripod, with straps and an integrated helmet to secure the rider. It parks in an upright position, but once it starts moving, the “arms” of the tripod extend forward, so the rider is in a sort of superman position. The motorcycle steers according to the rider’s body position, translating movement to 36 pneumatic muscles. Like, um, Robocop, I think.
The whole vehicle is powered with electricity, using fancy lithium ion batteries and ultracapacitors (check out ARTiFactor’s post for more on ultracapacitors), and is capable of reaching speeds of around 75 mph.
The Ultra Deus Mega Electromachina motorcycle is still very much conceptual, however. That is to say, while all the technological components exist (in some form) the vehicle itself only exists as a computer rendering at the moment. So it’s probably not very fun to ride. The designer maintains that it’s not a fantasy: “It’s a green vehicle,” he says, “and all of the numbers are based in the real world.”
The design itself seems more based in the Minority Report world, but whatev.
There’s a video here, too.
Your Comments, Thoughts, Questions, Ideas
Well, it looks to me like Vetrix is a company that makes electric (but pretty standard looking) scooters. I also found a three-wheeled Vetrix, but that's still not quite the same thing.
Here—take a look at this link for the Deus Ex Machina. Pretty different. Also, the DEM is a motorcycle for nerdy spacemen, and it doesn't actually exist yet.
posted on Thu, 08/21/2008 - 9:36am
Where are we supposed to drive this...uhmm... thing? Looks like an alien suit to me. Suit for nerdy spacemen, yes that can work.
Uncool seems an understatement.
posted on Fri, 11/21/2008 - 1:59pm
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