The Next Best Thing!!

CrackerJax

New Member
There is a pattern of technology before WW2 designed to IMPROVE our lives and after WW2 where things were invented to CONTROL our lives.... :wink:

I prefer the former.
 

CrackerJax

New Member
The flipping ship


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The FLIPresearch vessel (Floating Instrument Platform) is the only ship in the world having the ability to flip from a horizontal position to a vertical position while at sea. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The FLIP ship is designed to study wave height, acoustic signals, water temperature and density, and for the collection of meteorological data. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]FLIP is 108 meters long and weighs 700 long tons. According to Alan Bellows, "when in horizontal traveling mode, the long, hollow ballast area trails behind. When it reaches the desired location, the "tail" is flooded until the nose sticks straight up into the air, taking about twenty-eight minutes to reach vertical position". [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Even in stormy conditions, it is as stable as a fencepost, because most of its length lies in the untroubled waters beneath the waves.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]During the flip, the crew stand on the outside decks. Scientists and crewmembers literally walk up the walls to stay upright. Suddenly, the aft side of the barge becomes its floor. That makes for some ingenious engineering feats in equipping its bridge, galley, crew quarters and scientific laboratory. Even its head, or bathroom, had to be constructed to operate in a vertical and horizontal position.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]As you can see in the video, some of FLIP's furnishings are also built so they can rotate to a new position. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] In 1995, FLIP received a $2,000,000 modernization. The structural build is currently excellent and instrumentation will allow FLIP to be an oceanographic powerhouse in the future.[/FONT]

 

CrackerJax

New Member
Perfect ship for someone who suffers from sea sickness. :lol:

Sidenote.... Admiral Lord Nelson of British Naval history suffered from sea sickness his entire career. That's a determined person.
 

CrackerJax

New Member
Ummm.... it's not a POS .... but it doesn't solve anything either. It's just ONE MORE thing to lug around.

Apple is careful not to disturb the Iphone sales or Mac notebook sales....so they end up pushing something that threatens neither...but doesn't make any headway either.

It's a hand held SEGWAY. :lol:
 

......

Well-Known Member
I seen on the news that the wifi is broken on some of them.
I looked at it like why would I buy this when I could get a laptop with way more memory and can do everything and way more then the I pad can do.Imo its another overpriced apple product.It still looks cool though lol,I like all the apps and games it can use.
 

CrackerJax

New Member
It's really only for entertainment purposes. Until they can figure out how to get word processing in there.... keyboard...or eye typing (the next best thing!) .... it's not a netbook/notebook killer.

It is going to make Apple big $$$$ though.
 

......

Well-Known Member
Pretty much anything handheld apple puts out now will make them mad $$$$$
And yes eye typing looks pretty cool.
 

CrackerJax

New Member


Raytheon's robotic exoskeleton delivers super-human qualities

By Noel McKeegan
01:03 May 6, 2008
Raytheon Sarcos Exoskeleton Photo: Raytheon Company
Image Gallery (7 images)


May 6, 2008 The advent of the robotic age is upon us and we can expect a huge transformation in the coming decade as robots of all shapes and sizes make their presence felt in many aspects of our lives. But robots wont just stand by our side as assistants, we'll actually climb aboard and wear them like a shell or suit of armor. This type of robot - known as an exoskeleton - is being developed in various guises that deliver extraordinary strength and endurance to the wearer and have the potential to impact on military, medical, industrial and transport arenas - anywhere that personal mobility, agility and strength is required. Raytheon's progress in the field is making headline news this week thanks in part to an intriguing article appearing in the May issue of Popular Science which makes the link between the company's ongoing research for the U.S. military and the release of the much hyped superhero flick Ironman(R).
The Raytheon Sarcos team led by Dr. Stephen Jacobsen has produced a futuristic robotic exoskeleton that consists of a series of sensors, actuators and controllers that amplifies the wearer's ability, enabling 150 pound weights to be lifted several hundred times or carried without tiring, but retaining the agility to play soccer or make a mockery of a speedbag.
Under development for the U.S. Army since 2000, Jacobsen says his work is a combination of art, science, engineering and design. "People call it different things. Sometimes they call it inventing, sometimes they call it engineering. Sometimes they call it being a mad scientist. To us, it's the process of getting together, understanding the problems, goals, and then designing something to satisfy the need." And yes - Jacobsen cites going to see sci-fi movies such as Ironman as part of the imaginative process inherent in developing equipment for soldiers of the future.
The shape of exoskeletons is in no way limited to humanoid-size frame. On one end of the scale, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have produced a "Lower Extremity Exoskeleton" that connects only to the legs of the wearer, and on a much larger scale, examples like Japanese machinery and robotics manufacturer Sakakibara-Kikai's 3.4 meter tall Land Walker or tmsuk's huge Enryu (for cinematic reference think back to the Alien and Matrix film series') showcase the potential of exoskeleton systems for industrial and mining applications.
Another emerging category that will potentially have the greatest impact on the average citizen is in the use of exoskeleton devices to enhance personal mobility. Toyota's planned partner robots and the i-unit provide a glimpse of what's in store.
More info including video footage of the Exoskeleton in action can be found at the Raytheon site.


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I want one!!!! Transformers here we come!!
 

CrackerJax

New Member
Mother Earth's favorite timepiece - the Sprout watch

By Ben Coxworth

16:49 April 20, 2010


Sprout watches are reportedly 80-86% eco-friendly by weight







Sporting a Rolex watch is certainly an effective way of showing off your wealth, but what if you want to show off your environmental consciousness? What timepiece would let you do that? It would have to be something that incorporates low-impact, sustainable and biodegradable materials, that doesn’t contain hazardous substances, and that supports recycling. A good “green” name would help too… a name like Sprout.

Sprout watches claim to be 80-86% eco-friendly by weight, depending on their size. Some of the features that make them eco-friendly include:

Biodegradable corn resin bodies and buckles
Organic cotton bands
Bamboo faces
Mineral crystal lenses (as opposed to plastic)
Mercury-free batteries
Recycled/recyclable packaging

These are definitely no-frills watches - they offer an analogue time display, and that’s it. They are water-resistant, however, and have quartz movements. And hey, for $US30, you’re certainly not going to be getting one of those gas-guzzling Rolexes.
 
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