bet this is a bunch of bs but i jacked it from http://bbs.msnbc.com/bbs/msnbc-mysteries/posts/vs/57949.asp Imagine a vehicle that uses no fuel, has no engine,
battery, transmission, steering wheel and no driver. IT
makes certain occupations and places obsolete (Truck
drivers, Gas Stations, etc) and IT runs on a common
kinetic energy source. IT also will make traffic lights
obsolete and may even function as a secondary utility
source.
What IT is (Intelligent Transportation) is a
revolutionary new device that uses a hydraulic/magnetic
device for propulsion of vehicles. The purchasable,
private part of IT does have wheels (no, it doesn't
float; the energy requirements for such a device are too
high!) and IT has a very simple assembly, consisting of a
cab and a large "needle" pointing into the earth
below ground level that will drag the cab around. The
needle will have a ferrous material at it's tip, along
with several bearings/wheels to control friction. The
"needle" will slide into a slit in the middle of
the lane in a road, much like the needle of a record
player. However, this is only the small,
"private" and purchasable part of IT. The
'needle' will come in contact with smooth plastic pipes
embedded in the road carrying fast flowing water
(possibly even drinking water) circulated by
high-capacity water pumps. Within these pipes, there will
be long, thin (about the diameter of the pipe)
electromagnetic devices that are free-moving in the pipe
(we’ll use the euphemism ‘fish' because that is what they
are shaped like) and will flow with the current. These
devices will create a magnetic field that will extend out
of the pipe, and the ferrous 'needle' mentioned before
will be attracted to this field. As the 'fish' is pushed
by the current of running water, it will pull the
'needle' (and the car attached to it) along with it. The
'fish' and needle never come into direct contact- the
pipe is the barrier between them. When the car leaves the
road for a permanent stop, the 'fish' will turn off the
electromagnet and continue to move through the pipe until
it finds the next vehicle (You don't have a 'fish'
permanently assigned to a particular car). This whole
package will be integrated with a citywide traffic
controlling system (Computers, sensors, switches and
other miscellaneous stuff- Why he needs the help of Steve
Jobs and technology in general), eliminating the need for
a driver and traffic control. This eliminates traffic
jams also, because problem areas will automatically be
rerouted around. There are other boring details I won't
bother with (Like stopping, recharging the 'fish' while
stopping and using the water current, inter city travel,
etc.) but the system is already being successfully tested
as a prototype. The whole affair will look something like
slot cars, but they will be pulled by the track and not
have a motor in them. The efficiencies will be much
higher than the current combustion engines because you
aren't dragging round the extra weight of an energy
source, transmission, and other related items. Automobile
accidents will be rare due to this "intelligent"
system eliminating human error. Considering the previous
inventions (Drug infusion PUMP, portable insulin PUMP,
dialysis machine, and iBot the wheelchair), this
invention is completely in line with his previous
(hydraulic and transportation) ones. It also requires the
enormous sums of money that certain venture capitalists
can give him, and legislators, city planners and other
individuals to work together to make it a reality.
IT will destroy many corporations, most notably big oil
and car companies. The patents used here for a cheap,
fuel-less vehicle will make Kamen the most wealthy man on
earth at the expense of these companies and individuals.
However, he will save the American people trillions of
dollars and re-ignite our sagging economy with cheap,
reliable transportation, and he will make affordable
zero-emissions vehicles a reality.
And how do I know for sure what IT is?
Security holes the size of Texas in certain mainframes....
Watch for IT real soon. He-He.
Q: It only took him 10 minutes to assemble with
screwdrivers!
A: He’s using a small scale model with permanent magnets
as the ‘fish’. Most competent children can assemble a
train model in 10 minutes. However, laying down (real)
track is a whole different matter....
Q: Different versions of IT (Metro, etc.)?
A: Make the cab larger. (More passengers.)
Q: Wouldn’t that require huge investments by cities?
A: Cites are already strewn with underground pipes
(Water, sewer, gas) and cable (Electric, television,
telecommunications). One more near-surface set is pricey,
but it would cost as much as any other lines.
Q: I have to wait for these ‘fish’ to pick me up?
A: There will be plenty of these shuttling devices
(fishes) in the pipes (many more then there will be
vehicles). The technology for these is relatively cheap.
Wait times should be minimal.
Q: Where does the pump electricity come from?
A: The pumps will be run in the cities, using
electricity. This is why city planners are needed for
this project. (And yes, they will need lots of
electricity, but in the long run it is much more
efficient than the millions of small, heavy power plants
used now)
Q: My environment is poor for IT! (lacks water, cold,
snow, etc.)
A: The system can be set up to be independent of water
supply, and watertight in the necessary environment. The
movement of the fish will keep ice from forming, and
plows will be dragged over the road (being pulled by the
shuttling devices), providing the added benefit of cheap
snowplowing service.
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Ah screw it.
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