Archive for August, 2009
Transmissions are fascinating technology
The age of steam really turned up the ante on mechanical power that could be directed to any task. Unlike wind, or even water, steam was on demand and “controllable”. Our modern day vehicle engines are the air-pumps that derive very closely from steam.
But often the power needs to be be geared up or down, and transmissions are the mechanical genious that handles that.
The next two pictures are from bycicle parts, just ad demostration on how far one can take an idea.
First, the Rohloff 14 gear internal gear hub. One look and you will be amazed at the sheer audacity of this component, and shocked by its quality and price.
And then the rather curious, and no less impressive NuVinci Continuously-Variable Bicycle Hub.
Click on the pictures, follow the links. This is very interesting bits of technology.
Learning: The Differential
Mad props to AutoBlog
Fuelly
Posted by barista in Fuel Economy on 08/09/2009
I used to run a blog called ‘ymmv’, and it was double/triple++ entendre about the world and naturally cars. I used the term “Fuel Economy” as double meaning as well, and often debated writing a good tracking web software for at least some “utility to the world”.
Well, I need no longer do that given that Fuelly does just that.
You can track your own vehicle and see the aggregate view of select vehicles as well. It’s a goldmine of information if you are planning to buy a car, and would like to see what the “real world numbers” look like.
Kudos to them. I may still write my own … when I find myself bored 
Health Canada finds bisphenol A in bottles marked ‘BPA-free’
Posted by barista in Interweeb! on 08/08/2009
Props to the Ottawa Citizen for their article, though Health Canada seems to play down the findings of bisphenol A in baby bottles. Global news article.
Braess Paradox: Removing highways makes city traffic move easier
Posted by barista in Interweeb! on 08/04/2009
AutoBlogGreen’s article starts with the “O RLY” exclaim … since this is a hard thing to belive. Over the weekend, this same topic came up among friends, and so I dug this piece back out of my archives.
To quote:
Reed and Freemark cite the Braess Paradox and each driver thinking of ways to optimize their route as key players in the “add more roads, get more traffic” conundrum. When the city highways in these four examples were torn down, people naturally found other ways to get around, dispersing the traffic flow.
-
You are currently browsing the archives for August, 2009
