Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 43
Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 43
Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 107
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 109
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 111
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 112
Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 107
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 109
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 111
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 112
The Human as a Power-plant
I was listening to the BBC while preparing my morning oatmeal-banana-Greek yogurt combo, and heard the announcer mention energy generating sidewalks in France. Whoa! That's right, in Toulouse they are putting piezoelectric power modules–technology that uses micro-sensors to generate electricity from movement (kinetic energy)–in the ground; seeing if the harnessed juice from passers by is enough to power the streetlights. Interestingly, the project is being conducted by the Dutch company Sustainable Dance Club, who pioneered the system for their revolutionary dance floors. I researched further and found examples of this technologies successful application in other high-foot-traffic zones: grocery store check-out lines in England, and subway station turnstiles in Tokyo. In all these areas of constant weight exertion, be it from walking, jumping, or salsa and head-spins, the modules can generate a substantial charge. With further development, primarily in efficiency, piezoelectric systems could become a definitively sustainable method of powering urban spaces. We move, commute, and unfortunately rush, from place to place every day–let us recycle this energy spent.
Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 43
Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 43
Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 107
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 109
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 111
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 112
Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 107
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 109
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 111
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 112
The Mercedes-Benz of Electric Bikes
Last week I stopped by the Vespa store in Soho, for my second date with an electric bike. Although it lives amongst a colorful flock of famed scooters, the Ultra Motor A2B Metro is a horse of a different color–a full suspension, built like a tank and badass, horse that is. Design wise, it's a mix between downhill mountain bike and comfy cruiser, with a step-through frame and upright riding position, along with motorcycle-like tires, mud guards, and bomber components from Avid and Shimano. It looks cool, with all the electric bike bits neatly packaged; a 500 watt motor in the rear hub and a lithium-ion battery inside the frames down tube (doubling as a security feature here in NYC). Furthermore, it looks fun to ride, and in the end, upheld my expectations.
The section of Crosby Street on which Vespa is located is cobblestone; bad for spandex-clad road racers, great for the A2B. Bumps, pot-holes, on curbs, off curbs, the shocks ate it all up, leaving me with a sense of boundless freedom and an urge to bunny-hop. The twist throttle unleashed impressive acceleration, with a max speed of 20 mph. This limits the Ultra Motor A2B from qualifying as a moped, and negates any need for registration or riding permits, but the ride is very similar. It's closer in weight too, at 72 pounds; a bit much to push with pedals, but they are there–a good way to stretch the battery life. Charging takes a little under four hours, plugged into your standard 110v outlet. This yields a trip range of twenty miles, which can be doubled with a secondary battery pack.
It's all very appetizing aside from the $2,700 price tag. The apparent durability and economic travel benefits justify a bit of the cost, but in the end, only those willing to reduce their bank accounts will be reducing their eco-footprint with this one. Regardless of your financial situation, I recommend you check it out. Take it for a spin. Bounce around, finding urban obstacles and rolling over them. The Ultra Motor A2B Metro is a promising step for electric bikes, proving how awesomely capable, and attractive, these things can be.
Below, the sculptor himself approves!
Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 43
Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 43
Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 107
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 109
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 111
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 112
Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 107
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 109
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 111
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 112
A Test Ride at NYCEWheels
Just a few days ago I payed a visit to NYCEWheels on the upper east-side. They're an “alternative transportation” shop, specializing in electric bikes, folding bikes, and both electric and kick scooters. Although I've always seen electric bikes cruising Manhattan, laden with pizza boxes and Chinese food, I have never had the chance to take one for a spin, and wondered what on earth “pedal-assistance” felt like. The guys (Mark) at NYCEWheels were more than happy to let me take a test ride and educate me in how it all worked.
My guinea-pig-bycicle was the Sanyo Eneloop; noted as one of the smoothest and most intuitive e-bikes on the market, equipped with three switchable pedal assist modes, internal hub gearing, and “energy loop” technology that regenerates battery power when the brakes are applied. Very cool. Style wise, the bicycle sported a “retro” look, which only half excited me. I admittedly prefer meaty tires, miles of suspension, and bikes that resemble Ferraris, but the performance of this one-hundred-percent asphalt cruiser was enough to keep me grinning the whole ride. With the first pedal the 250 watt motor kicked in and I simply took off, gliding down York St., cursing with excitement.
Designed for comfort touring the Sanyo Eneloop rode likewise. It accelerates smoothly and maxes out around 18 mph. The various speeds and settings permit effortless power transfer and pedaling ease, seemingly preventing any chance of leg fatigue no matter the distance. Any considerable bumps and divots in the road did prompt some serious frame rattle, but that's what you expect from a rigid ride–and the cushy throne of a saddle kept me from feeling a thing. I even brought it off road on a hilly green in Carl Shurz park, and while the bike bucked, out of it's element, it had no problem getting to the top.
This particular electric bike is one of the top in its class. At fifty pounds, its considerably lighter than many other lithium-ion battery equipped bicycles, showcases some of the best technology in the field, and boasts a high distance per charge ratio–roughly twenty miles on a full four hour charge, depending on terrain, power mode, and energy-loop regeneration. It is not the cheapest choice at 2,295 bucks, but still less than models reaching four grand.
There are a lot of electric bikes on the market, sporting a wide range of custom specs and design, and the numbers are increasing with the popularity. Mark noted that more and more people were investing in the bikes, which after my test ride, came as no surprise. It was just plain fun. Now if I can only find that race-car aesthetic and bomber components, my trusty sport-wagon may be getting a bit less use.
Check out NYCEWheels at 1603 York Ave, and let the friendly staff set you up with a free test ride.
Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 43
Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 43
Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 35
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 107
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 109
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 111
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PDT/-7.0/DST' instead in /home/hadar3/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 112
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Training Wheels For All Ages
The Gyrowheel from Gyrobike is made to replace traditional training-wheels on children's bikes and supposedly teach better riding habits. The design uses an internal gyroscope as a self-balancing system–in this case, a battery powered, independently spinning disk inside the wheel. The precession of the inner wheel provides stabilization even at low speeds, countering the bikes wobble, improving control, and making it safer for beginning bicyclist to
learn.
It is a cool idea that I believe can go far beyond tassel-laden cruisers equipped with bells bearing Sesame Street characters. A similar system could be incorporated into adult bicycles (motorized versions as well) with equal benefits; increased balanced when moving slowly, stop and go, amongst traffic. Such a situation would not necessarily be difficult for an experienced rider, yet the addition of the Gyrowheel would make it even easier. For the less cycle-inclined commuter, such a boost in comfort and safety could make the bicycle a more reasonable transportation option–and hopefully, in suitable circumstances, relieve the dependence on a gas-guzzling automobile.
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VELOCIPEDES (FINAL) from Jonathan Fegan on Vimeo.
The bicycle is a very simple machine. A frame, two wheels, and a drivetrain. There is a freedom of form induced by the elementary function that makes the device an ideal medium for creative experimentation. We most often see the motorized version as luxed-out, souped-up, retro-fitted choppers, yet the artist Neal Fegan, of the Montana Transit Authority, has been redesigning the classic pedal-bike in ways that would excite any Harley-head. He calls them “velocipedes,” as they often employ more than two wheels,and builds each custom model by hand. They are one-of-a-kind, elegant yet edgy, with pedals and chains knit amongst bodies of woven steel: pieces of art that you can ride–and ride well, due to Fegan's intricate steering systems and desire for his bikes to perform on all sorts of terrain. Trained as a sculptor, with an engineer and artist for parents, such mechanical and creative expertise comes as little surprise.
The original velocipedes hit the market roughly a hundred and fifty years ago. The bicycle proved the most popular style and has thereafter been developed into something quite incredible; full-suspension beasts and feather-weight speed machines. Neal Fegan's creations prove that there is still room for an age-old design to grow... in stunning style.
Driving with The Jetsons
Even more alternatives to gas powered cars seem to be on the horizon. GM recently unveiled their EN-V, a fully electric concept car fashioned from the same mechanics as the Segway. The EN-V is a two seated mini car with a maximum speed of 25 mph. The EN-V is one-sixth the size of a standard family car and perfect for urban transportation. The original creators at GM and Segway hope that they can create a new market of Ultra Small Vehicles (U.S.V’s) that will be widely used by 2030.
The EN-V, short for Electric Networked Vehicle, has many innovative features that are beneficial to the busy urban worker. The steering wheel not only directs the car, but also acts as a hand accelerator and break. As an ecologically friendly concept, the EN-V will reduce urban congestion, decrease emissions, and divert our dependence on petroleum.
The EN-V’s website invites those with creative minds to submit designs for future EN-V concepts at http://www.segway.com/en-v/. We hope the Jetson's ship will continue to be a source of inspiration for the designs.
Art Review: Macoto Murayama
H. annuus
In Japan there is a saying: “unsan mushō”, which means- to disappear without a trace. When first seeing the work of Macoto Murayama, a Tokyo based artist, this phrase is instantly evoked in the mind. Like an ethereal fog, or a physical spirit apparition there is something both otherworldly but at the same time overtly biological about his art. One can find him or herself lost and perplexed by the complexity of his renderings, and ironically, in the simplicity of the image as a whole.
It can take Murayama months to create just one of his renderings. Starting with the physical dissection of captured organisms he will sometimes use a microscope to see all of its otherwise invisible characteristics. He then painstakingly sketches every detail of his subject onto paper before lastly, digitally scanning it to create a high resolution, three-dimensional computer composite.
Digital art is nothing new. It has been around in various forms since the 1970’s with the newly discovered employment of computerized modeling technology. Benoît Mandelbrot, the French mathematician, first used geometrical equations to create his famous “Fractal” images. Geometrical shapes that reflect naturally occurring mathematical sequences as found in biology, such as a leaf or an ice crystal.
It seems that today’s society has become so saturated by digital art that it now seldom recognized or noticed. It inundates our every day life from product advertisement to animated Pixar movies.
But Murayama’s work stands out. Not simply because it is ‘fine art’ separated from commercial media on a platform of pretention or theory, and also not because it ground breaking in the sense of the tools employed in its creation. It stands out because of his unique method and vision, and because of the extreme difficulty and vast complexity in its creation.
With the wide accessibility to advanced software it has perhaps been made too easy to use technology as a crutch, or even a cheat. But for Murayama, technology is instead used selectively like a single imperfect flower or branch in the ancient Japanese art of ikebana, expressly harmonizing his vision with careful and deliberate clarity.
Recycled Energy in Kinetic Art
In 1986, SEIKO unveiled the first kinetic wrist watch, abandoning the classic battery for the power of movement. A simple yet ingenious idea. Just last month, at the third annual Greener Gadgets conference and design competition in NYC, Adele Peter's “Corky,” incorporated the same technology into the wireless computer mouse. Using piezoelectric elements to generate power from the slightest hand movements (clicking, scrolling, navigating the screen) and built of one-hundred percent recycled plastic and biodegradable cork, this gizmo leaves an absolutely minimal eco-footprint.
The science of kinetics has been incorporated into progressive design since it's discovery. It has also had major impacts on art and sculpture throughout the 20th century. From Leonardo Da Vinci's self-propelled “car” of 1495, to Jean Tinguely's self-destructing “Homage to New York” (1960), and now, “Corky,” the idea has a diverse history of creative application.
One of today's most innovative sculptors, the Dutch artist Theo Jansen, has been testing the limits of kinetic-constructions on a large scale, with impressive results. Using the wind and a vast knowledge of physics, Jansen creates ornate mechanisms that walk and transform on their own–amazing in both their massive size and effortless movement. They are visually stunning. Spectacles. Masterpieces of engineering. It's no wonder he's a spokesman for BMW.
Where else can this kinetic power be creatively applied? From the minute we wake, we're in constant motion: Let us recycle this energy.
The “Green” Street Light
Sustainable City Lights. Just the name sounds good. Designed by Philips, these innovative street lights resemble futuristic flowers more than standard lampposts. During the day, the lights solar-cell equipped “pedals” open for charging, then close as evening sets. They emit only a soft glow until motion sensors detect nearby movement, at which point the LED lights shine at full power.
As Philips states on their website; “The sustainable city light concept transforms the personality of any community from industrial to ecological, harmonizing forces of nature and working with the planet, not against it.” This idea of a “personality” change is central if we are to successfully integrate eco-conscious practices into our daily lives, and surpass the detrimental tendencies which we have grown so comfortable with. Something as commonplace as a street light is just a point of take off, showing each passer-by the possibility of sustainably illuminating the urban world.
A Seascraper?
We may not be living in the post-apocalyptic realm of Waterworld, with mutant mariners and jet-ski equipped pirates hunting for remnants of a dry age, yet some of today's most cutting-edge architecture is being designed with aquatic expansion in mind. With a dwindling availability of open land and a continually rising demand, developers are turning to the sea as a promising and profitable alternative–space for both people and production.
Recently, the Canadian design firm Zigloo released a conceptual proposal for some truly futuristic housing in this area; an underwater skyscraper, or seascraper, referred to as the Gyre. From the Zigloo website: “Gyre creates a new class of Eco-tourism by bringing scientists and vacationers together to understand what is the least known environment on our planet, the ocean. As much as a skyscraper is an economical method of reducing humankind's footprint on land, Gyre goes a step further by juxtaposing that footprint to the ocean, and is perhaps its greenest feature. Its unique design permits the simultaneous application of wind, solar, and tidal energy generation technologies thereby making it truly 'off-grid'. Peaking at a depth of 400m, its ample space provides for a comfortable living and working environment, including space for shops, restaurants,
gardens, and recreation.”
Appearing to be a underwater tower with four arms at sea level, the Gyre would boast a total floor area equivalent to forty football fields. Furthermore, it would be able to move via hydro-thrusters and provide docking to the largest ships in the world. A spectacular feat of engineering. The pinnacle of technology, design, and architecture. Although the “green” aspect of this building is arguable, considering the environmental side-effects that such aquatic constructions will have on the ecosystem, the idea of supplying sustainable energy onboard is a smart one. And think, what an undeniably unique vacation experience. One that may even draw the likes of Mr. Costner.
