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FutureTruck challenges teams of engineering students from 15 top North American universities to re-engineer 2002 Ford Explorers to reduce emissions and achieve at least a 25 percent improvement in fuel economy.
Managed by the Argonne National Laboratory's Center for Transportation Research and led by Ford Motor Co. and the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, FutureTruck helps develop hundreds of highly skilled engineers. The competition builds the students' awareness of fuel-saving technologies and prepares them to lead the auto industry in the 21st Century.
After months of work, the teams took their vehicles to Ford's Michigan Proving Ground in Romeo, Michigan, on June 15 and 16 for a comprehensive safety evaluation, and a battery of static and dynamic testing.
The Visteon Award was created specifically to evaluate the innovative application of electrical systems and electronics in the vehicles. A team of judges, including Visteon engineers Tom Gioia, Greg Gumkowski and John Quigley, as well as Randy Visintainer and Prasad Prasad of Ford, selected the University of Tennessee team after inspecting the vehicles and questioning the teams over the last two days. Penn State University finished second and the University of Wisconsin came in third.
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The useful side of cool design easy to overlook in objects that we've been using everyday
By Mark Curtis.
When we think about design, we think about, for the most part, objects and systems that are exciting, stimulating to the senses and, invariably, as costly as a week's wage or more. But the reality is that design - good, bad and indifferent - surrounds us everyday. At its best, design is useful and even invaluable. Think about a product design you couldn't do without. Whether it's a favourite kitchen appliance or a favourite chair, the best designs fulfill daily needs.
Past masters of design like Achille Castiglioni and Joe Colombo didn't shy away from the occasional flashy design statement, but by and large their work was grounded in the pursuit of design that was inherently useful. Castiglioni re-imagined found objects in work such as his Toio lamp and Colombo envisioned new systems of living with his 1960s kitchen designs.
The products of these design greats are among more than 100 similarly useful designs showcased in Humble Masterpieces, an exhibit at New York's Museum of Modern Art which runs until the end of September. The exhibit celebrates everyday design, from the hair barrette and packaging bubble wrap to pocket flashlights, safety pins and zippers.
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KTM's Race Team Manager Kurt Nicoll recently tested a two-wheel drive system during the world famous Erzberg Rally in Austria and came away from the experience very impressed.
According to project leader and KTM Chief Technical Designer, Wolfgang Felber, "We're testing a mechanical hydraulic system with a pre-set torque distribution between the front and rear wheel. The system is fairly well developed, but it can be improved upon. Overall, KTM wants to be at the forefront of testing the suitability of two-wheel drive systems under all conditions."
When asked whether he feels that an all wheel drive system would benefit an amateur or a competition rider more, Kurt Nicoll said, "I think that the two-wheel drive design has many advantages, particularly for the amateur rider, simply because the competition riders already have a very good feel for traction and they are used to a slipping rear wheel. However, I believe that the two-wheel drive will yield great rewards for everyone."
In commenting on the possibility of future serial production, Felber said, "At the moment, the advantages versus disadvantage of two wheel drive compared to conventional drive pretty much balance each other out. Only after further testing will a decision be made to produce a limited series."
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An increasing number of TV consumers are buying high-end, high-definition plasma screens and thin panel LCD displays, ABC News reported Wednesday.
The network said scientists at Royal Philips Electronics in the Netherlands have spent years studying how to produce 3D video images from two-dimensional display technologies.
The company showed its latest effort, a mixture of both old and new 3-D techniques, at a recent trade conference.
Philips' 3-D display consists of an LCD panel similar in appearance to the flat screens used in portable and desktop computers, ABC noted. But on the surface of the screen is a thin layer of half-cylindrical tubes called "lenticular lenses" that are placed at a slight slant from vertical.
Wilbert Ijzerman, senior scientist with the Philips 3-D research, said the result is viewers don't have to sit directly in front of the screen to see the 3-D effects.
"In the past, attempts to make 3D TV have always been based on (using) goggles," says Ijzerman. "Our technology allows you to sit virtually anywhere. There are no 'hot spots.'"
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YUMI is a new conception for street lighting integrated with urban decoration; the lamp post can include a flower pot, a litter bin or a seat.
Designed by DA2 and produced by the italian company Ghisamestieri srl.
Yumi [its name is the one of the ancient long japanese bow] was presented to the international Fair Light + Building 2004 in Frankfurt [Germany].
For the technical sheet and more information visit the link.
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