Mỹ chuẩn bị đưa khí cầu lái Blue Devil 2 do thám vào sử dụng

Không quân Mỹ dự kiến vào tháng 2/2012 sẽ chính thức đưa vào biên chế trang bị loại khí cầu lái mới mang tên Blue Devil 2 được chế tạo trong khuôn khổ chương trình Blue Devil. Theo Aviation Week, hợp đồng nghiên cứu, chế tạo loại khí cầu lái do thám này có trị giá 82,6 triệu USD đã được Không quân Mỹ ký kết với Hãng MAV6 vào tháng 10/2010. Chuyến bay thử nghiệm đầu tiên của Blue Devil 2 sẽ được tiến hành vào tháng 9 năm nay. Loại khí cầu lái do thám mới này hoặc sẽ được điều khiển bằng người lái ngồi trong khoang chuyên dụng của khí cầu hoặc sẽ điều khiển từ dưới mặt đất. Nó có chiều dài 7 m, rộng 3 m, cao 2,1 m và có khả năng hoạt động do thám liên tục trên không trong vòng 5 ngày. Blue Devil 2 sẽ được trang bị rất nhiều thiết bị điện tử hiện đại, công nghệ cao như: bộ cảm biến, các máy quay hồng ngoại và điện quang có độ phân giải cao cùng hệ thống radar do thám. Trước Blue Devil 2, Hãng MAV6 cũng đã từng bàn giao chiếc máy bay do thám Blue Devil 1phát triển dựa trên máy bay do thám Hawker Beechcraft King Air 90 cho Không quân Mỹ vào tháng 12/2010. Về cơ bản Blue Devil 1 cũng được trang bị các thiết bị do thám điện tử như trên khí cầu láiBlue Devil 2. Tuy nhiên, Không quân Mỹ chỉ coi máy bay do thám không người lái như một thiết bị trung gian, dùng tạm trước khi cho ra đời khí cầu lái do thám dạng mềm. Các nhà quân sự Mỹ dự định, sau khi chính thức đưa Blue Devil 2 vào biên chế tác chiến sẽ ngừng sử dụng máy bay do thám không người lái Blue Devil 1 vì hiệu quả sử dụng không cao.

Theo Giaoduc.net

Never Too Old for a Computer

There’s this perception that the silver generation gets intimidated by technology and can find it difficult to get savvy with gadgets. Four of my family members…all above 65 years and only one of them is comfortable with computers. So maybe the perception is true, and this is why designers likeRyan Klinger are spending hours on designing a laptop especially for them. Personal Computing for Older Adults can be a solution, and it has my support!

Designer: Ryan Klinger

Hubless Bike

I’ve seen a handful of hubless concept bikes but the Synapse Bike goes one further with integrated electric motors to assist the rider. The design opens up the entire bike, giving the designer control over structural elements (in this case, lack thereof). It’s minimal, elegant, slightly aggressive, but overall dynamic. It’s like riding on no support structure at all.

Designer: Sylvain Gerber

Compact Water Purification

NextOfKin Creatives goal in designing the EcoWater CES purification system was to deconstruct and reduce the system to its core components and simplest form to create the most compact design available. Three main cylindrical shapes make up the core and house the primary components: the filtration column, hot water tank, and re-engineered compact water pump. The cylinders are angled forward to create a sense of motion and play for the user, while paying an homage to the classic pitcher.

Designer: NextOfKin Creatives

Apple is Seeking a Jr. Industrial Designer in Cupertino, CA

Jr. Industrial Designer

Apple

Cupertino, CA

The Apple Industrial Design group is seeking a junior designer with a traditional industrial design focus. Ideal candidates will be:

+ Highly motivated, determined problem-solvers with a rigorous attention to detail

+ Curious about how something is made and how it works

+ Passionate and knowledgeable about materials

+ Hands-on, without depending solely on virtual design tools

+ Collaborative, flexible, adaptable

+ Recent graduates or 1-2 years out of school

» view

The best design jobs and portfolios hang out at Coroflot.

Future Sole 2011 Student Design Competition

Calling all sneaker-freakers and basketball heads! The 2011 Future Sole student design competition is open for submissions. Here's your chance to design shoes for Jordan, Converse or Nike or graphics for Jordan apparel and get your designs reviewed by Jordan, Converse and Nike designers. With three different brand histories all built on the love of the game, this is your opportunity to explore a range of different design strategies through the lens of basketball performance and history.

Find out more about the student design competition (open to High School and College Students) at the Mesh01 Future Sole site and get your entries ready in by July 1st!

Caztek Engineering's City Cycle to Make Cycling and/or Drinking Fun Again

...or not fun (again?), depending on how much more you like one activity over the other.

That's right, St. Paul's Caztek Engineering has combined (at least) two good ideas into a single, arguably less sensible one: the City Cycle is a mobile pub and a people-powered bus. It's unclear as to whether the idea of a combination bus+bar or a bus+bike came first, but either way, Caztek has arrived at a vehicle that involves "bicycling while seated at a bar-rail perpendicular to the direction of travel."

You can bet your compound drivetrain that we have video and documentation:

If the City Cycle seems a bit ill-suited for the Twin Cities—which boast a strong cycling culture despite brutal winters—the appropriately slow-moving inebriation / transportation hybrid was actually designed for City Cycle Tours, LLC, of St. Petersburg, Florida. Similarly, president and project lead Casimir Sienkiewicz of Caztek acknowledges both his debt to their European predecessors and the practical issue of cycling under the influence:

"Rhett Reynolds of City Cycle Tours provided us with the uncommon opportunity to do a ground-up, design-and-build project. Similar contraptions are quite popular in Europe where they operate as group events, even allowing the consumption of beer for the pedalers. Of course, the driver, who is in complete control of the vehicle, is an employee of the rental company and is not allowed to consume alcohol.

While I have my doubts about whether it's a particularly efficient mode of transportation, it's definitely a "party on wheels": "Additional City Cycle features include in-floor coolers, ample storage, purse hooks, cup holders, LED lighting, a six-speaker sound system and built-in keg storage."

I also like that its name implies that "City" somehow equals "Drinking."

As for the actual innovation behind the design, the City Cycle was initially modeled in 3D CAD (SolidWorks), with a focus on user experience, "the goal being to not only comfortably accommodate many body types while efficiently powering the vehicle but climbing on and off safely, being able to socialize and enjoy the ride." A full, 4-link coil suspension ensures minimal spillage.

And what good would the dedicated website be if Caztek didn't provide the requisite series of making-of photos?

Bright Ideas Lighting Design Competition!

Don't miss out on this weekend's deadline for Inhabitat's Bright Ideaslighting design competition with Phillips. They're looking for eco-friendly, future-forward lamp designs that incorporate upcycled materials and some smart (and sustainable) design solutions. Not only are they giving away $2000 in prize money but the grand prize winner will be featured on Inhabitat. DEADLINE for entry is SATURDAY, MAY 22nd!