Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) unveiled a prototype car that can fold itself almost in half with just the press of a button on the driver's smartphone.
In-Soo Suh, an associate professor of the Graduate School for Green
Transportation at KAIST, named the car the Armadillo-T. After the car is
parked, a stabilizing wheel pops out from underneath, followed by the
back of the car curling forwards and upwards, much like its namesake roly-poly desert mammal. The Armadillo-T shrinks down to a little under five-and-a-half feet.
Suh and his colleagues have found additional ways to bring cutting edge technology to the Armadillo-T. In place of side view mirrors are cameras that both take up less space and reduce blind spots by providing a more comprehensive side view. The car can also be partly controlled from the smartphone, allowing drivers to step out and better see how they're navigating tricky parking spaces.
"This car is ideal for urban travels, including car-sharing and transit transfer," said Suh in a statement. "I expect that people living in cities will eventually shift their preferences from bulky, petro-engine cars to smaller and lighter electric cars."
Smart Car Ad Wows and Underwhelms With Crushing Weight on Top
Nick Gianaris, the executive director of the Composite Vehicle Research Center at Michigan State University, noted that the Armadillo-T has four individual motors in each of the wheels, rather than one centralized motor. "The speed of the car is limited, but the control of each motor provides you safety," he told ABC News.
People who complained about the Smart car's lack of speed probably won't find much solace in the Armadillo-T. The prototype car's top speed currently stands at around 37 miles per hour, half as fast as the Smart car's 75 miles per hour.
Overall, Gianaris thinks that though the car is futuristic looking, it's also realistic.
"It's going to be a lot of touching and feeling around," he said in regards to the Armadillo-T's future. "But it's a good thing."
According to KAIST's statement, three shrunken Armadillo-T's can fit in a single five-meter parking spot. However, Suh and his colleagues haven't provided information on how a car could get out if it's cramped bumper-to-bumper between other cars.
"I guess it would be kind of similar to New York City and high-density parking with ramps," said Gianaris. "You have to find a way to park more cars into the same amount of space."
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Suh and his colleagues have found additional ways to bring cutting edge technology to the Armadillo-T. In place of side view mirrors are cameras that both take up less space and reduce blind spots by providing a more comprehensive side view. The car can also be partly controlled from the smartphone, allowing drivers to step out and better see how they're navigating tricky parking spaces.
"This car is ideal for urban travels, including car-sharing and transit transfer," said Suh in a statement. "I expect that people living in cities will eventually shift their preferences from bulky, petro-engine cars to smaller and lighter electric cars."
Smart Car Ad Wows and Underwhelms With Crushing Weight on Top
Nick Gianaris, the executive director of the Composite Vehicle Research Center at Michigan State University, noted that the Armadillo-T has four individual motors in each of the wheels, rather than one centralized motor. "The speed of the car is limited, but the control of each motor provides you safety," he told ABC News.
People who complained about the Smart car's lack of speed probably won't find much solace in the Armadillo-T. The prototype car's top speed currently stands at around 37 miles per hour, half as fast as the Smart car's 75 miles per hour.
Overall, Gianaris thinks that though the car is futuristic looking, it's also realistic.
"It's going to be a lot of touching and feeling around," he said in regards to the Armadillo-T's future. "But it's a good thing."
According to KAIST's statement, three shrunken Armadillo-T's can fit in a single five-meter parking spot. However, Suh and his colleagues haven't provided information on how a car could get out if it's cramped bumper-to-bumper between other cars.
"I guess it would be kind of similar to New York City and high-density parking with ramps," said Gianaris. "You have to find a way to park more cars into the same amount of space."
Original Post :- CLICK HERE
High and Mighty
JUNE 11, 2013
The
Frank Gehry–designed New York by Gehry tower, which was completed in
the spring of 2011, rises 76 stories over Lower Manhattan and stands 870
feet tall, making it the tallest residential building in North America.
Also lending to the structure’s unmistakability is its asymmetrical
steel facade, which appears to ripple like fabric. Ninety-six percent of
the 899 residences in this landmark design have been rented, but one of
the three recently completed penthouse units—Penthouse North—is still available.
This 3,771-square-foot unit, which is being offered for $35,000 per month, includes 10-foot-high ceilings, white oak floors, and east and west views. Fittings and appliances from Dornbracht, Duravit, Liebherr, and Miele outfit the space, as do motorized solar shades, built-in speakers, and radiant-heat flooring. Giant bay windows allow residents to “step into space,” says the architect.
Amenities available to all residents include concierge and valet services, a screening room with Gehry-designed amphitheater seating, a library, a catering kitchen, a private dining room, a fitness center and spa, a game room with golf simulators, and a 50-foot swimming pool with retractable glass doors and a wraparound sundeck.
This 3,771-square-foot unit, which is being offered for $35,000 per month, includes 10-foot-high ceilings, white oak floors, and east and west views. Fittings and appliances from Dornbracht, Duravit, Liebherr, and Miele outfit the space, as do motorized solar shades, built-in speakers, and radiant-heat flooring. Giant bay windows allow residents to “step into space,” says the architect.
Amenities available to all residents include concierge and valet services, a screening room with Gehry-designed amphitheater seating, a library, a catering kitchen, a private dining room, a fitness center and spa, a game room with golf simulators, and a 50-foot swimming pool with retractable glass doors and a wraparound sundeck.
High and Mighty
JUNE 11, 2013
The
Frank Gehry–designed New York by Gehry tower, which was completed in
the spring of 2011, rises 76 stories over Lower Manhattan and stands 870
feet tall, making it the tallest residential building in North America.
Also lending to the structure’s unmistakability is its asymmetrical
steel facade, which appears to ripple like fabric. Ninety-six percent of
the 899 residences in this landmark design have been rented, but one of
the three recently completed penthouse units—Penthouse North—is still available.
This 3,771-square-foot unit, which is being offered for $35,000 per month, includes 10-foot-high ceilings, white oak floors, and east and west views. Fittings and appliances from Dornbracht, Duravit, Liebherr, and Miele outfit the space, as do motorized solar shades, built-in speakers, and radiant-heat flooring. Giant bay windows allow residents to “step into space,” says the architect.
Amenities available to all residents include concierge and valet services, a screening room with Gehry-designed amphitheater seating, a library, a catering kitchen, a private dining room, a fitness center and spa, a game room with golf simulators, and a 50-foot swimming pool with retractable glass doors and a wraparound sundeck.
This 3,771-square-foot unit, which is being offered for $35,000 per month, includes 10-foot-high ceilings, white oak floors, and east and west views. Fittings and appliances from Dornbracht, Duravit, Liebherr, and Miele outfit the space, as do motorized solar shades, built-in speakers, and radiant-heat flooring. Giant bay windows allow residents to “step into space,” says the architect.
Amenities available to all residents include concierge and valet services, a screening room with Gehry-designed amphitheater seating, a library, a catering kitchen, a private dining room, a fitness center and spa, a game room with golf simulators, and a 50-foot swimming pool with retractable glass doors and a wraparound sundeck.
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