Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Posts: 46

"...so far nobody has managed to make one work." Well, that's kinda true but not really. NASA has been using them (in satalites I believe) and there are a number of companies offering them in several forms like, "science project" motors that run off the heat of a cup of coffee and even pellet-burning home-power generators. But you are right in that no one has created a powerful, small, commercially robust design that could, say, power a scooter or even a car (though Ford may have dabbled in Stirlings in the '70's). The Deka engineers suggested that the science and technology is available now to pull it off.

Registered: May 2000
Location:
Posts: 116

What ever happened to Ginger?

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quote:

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Originally posted by olendorf
What ever happened to Ginger?

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Registered: May 2000
Location:
Posts: 116

Now that was good!

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http://www.theitquestion.com/

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

IT's the second coming of Christ! Repent! Repent!

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 268

larger picture (173K) can be found here

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 443

interesting. hope they invent a good way to lock it up.

mc

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 100

I know, I know!

I know What Ginger is. Dean Kamen and company have been hard at work improving on their original upright standing, stair climbing wheelchair, and this one is so much more. This wheelchair, in addition to standing upright and climbing stairs incorporates a revolutionary new expansion sled that allows the user to add functionality. The add on modules, known as "Trampoline Modules" can turn the chair into a lawnmower, a tow truck and even a voice recorder! A large number of third-party developers are reportedly planning Trampoline Modules, or TpM's, including one multi-function device that will be known as the "Twelve Pack." The release date is set for second quarter 2002.

It's so much more fun making up things myself than it is listening to Chuck and Diane do it on Good Morning America. Seriously, though, Dean Kamen Doesn't seem to be making much of this new thing. I Can't understand what makes no information about a product that nobody seems to know anything about newsworthy.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

Not sure if I'd want to be cruising along at 20mph on that thing and then hit a pothole.

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Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Nebraska- the Good life
Posts: 695

quote:

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Originally posted by homer
Not sure if I'd want to be cruising along at 20mph on that thing and then hit a pothole.

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Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

quote:

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Homer- would the car in your avatar do a lot better hitting a chuckhole?

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Well, of course it would. The smart car has 4 wheels, an nclosed shell, and a much larger center of gravity. (not to mention seatbelts, airbags, and other safety features).

I'm not sure why they made the scooter a side-by-side whell configuration. The 'tipping axis' is parallel to the motion path. A motorcycle/scooter can take a pothole, because it has an elongated center of gravity when moving in a forward direction. The wheels then act as gyroscopes, stablizing the opposite axis.

It just seems like a huge design flaw (and safety concern) to have a two-wheels, side-by-side vehicle.

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
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Ok. I'll bite. What IS that thing, homer?

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quote:

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Originally posted by dick-richardson
Ok. I'll bite. What IS that thing, homer?

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It's the Mercedes-Benz Swatch mini-car

As I recall, they changed the laws in Europe so you could parallel park just by pulling in, so long as you owned that car.

You can also go to the dealer whenever you feel like it and change the panels, like a m100, I guess

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Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

It's a Smart car.

http://www.thesmart.co.uk

It's hopefully my next car. Unfortunately, they don't sell them in the US yet.

They're big in Europe (Europeans are always so much more practical than us Americans.) Namely because they're fuel efficient (something like 70mpg) and also because they're cheap and you can park them anywhere.

I probably wouldn't trek across the country in one, but they'd be great for cross-town commuting.

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Registered: Oct 2000
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I want one.

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Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

quote:

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Originally posted by homer
It's a Smart car.

http://www.thesmart.co.uk

It's hopefully my next car. Unfortunately, they don't sell them in the US yet.

They're big in Europe (Europeans are always so much more practical than us Americans.) Namely because they're fuel efficient (something like 70mpg) and also because they're cheap and you can park them anywhere.

I probably wouldn't trek across the country in one, but they'd be great for cross-town commuting.

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Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Out of my skull, back in five minutes
Posts: 1435

Originally posted by ToolkiT
Especiallyt the semi automatic transmission (like in the new porches) and quite spacious for 2 people.

There are porches with semi-automatic transmissions?
gee, mine just sits there ...

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location: "Children are a gift from God, they are a reward"
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Yeah, but your porch has to have a gated transmission. I wanted to install one on my house, but my wife vetoed it 'cause it wasn't going to look right on our 1840's centerhall colonial. I think they only look good on on of those Bauhaus inspired modern houses.

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Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Nebraska- the Good life
Posts: 695

quote:

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Originally posted by homer




Well, of course it would. The smart car has 4 wheels, an nclosed shell, and a much larger center of gravity. (not to mention seatbelts, airbags, and other safety features).

I'm not sure why they made the scooter a side-by-side whell configuration. The 'tipping axis' is parallel to the motion path. A motorcycle/scooter can take a pothole, because it has an elongated center of gravity when moving in a forward direction. The wheels then act as gyroscopes, stablizing the opposite axis.

It just seems like a huge design flaw (and safety concern) to have a two-wheels, side-by-side vehicle.

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