The Future is Now

[michaelmaclauchlan]

Random Saturday morning thoughts: I love technology. Technology that safe, clean and for the good of the planet. I love World's Fairs, science exhibits and the like. It’s cause for hope for the future that brings joy.

It’s fun to see what our grandparents thought the future would bring: romanticized yes, yet not all happened as planned -but some things did.

http://www.davidszondy.com/future/futurepast.htm








Flying Cars update:





More info at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3676694.stm

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/ ... 8454.shtml

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05/15/nextfest_wrap/


I hope these flying cars use computer navigation only (keep the humans out of the picture). Punch in destination and due time, and let the computer/GPS figure out the flight details such as speed needed, synchronizing with other real time flight plans, collision avoidance and much more. Complex stuff but if we have scores of millions of these in 100 years from now – watch out!

Worst case: we may have up to 360 degrees of direction (for direct point to point flight) and therefore need 360 altitudes (crossing the altitudes for take off and landings would be a nightmare!) Probably resemblance to current air traffic (vector flight, longer but less reserved altitudes needed, will evolve).

Off to set up an intra-continental video conference via the Internet…(2-D color/audio only sigh... where is that hologram projector?)

[Mark Gardner]

I'd like to take this slightly sideways - a lot of things I saw as a kid have come rapidly into reality - talking to your computer, for instance - but the computer is a fraction of the size the writer thought it would be back then, and it's here a lot faster and at a lower cost then anyone could have guessed.

Anyone who watched "star trek" et al will know where I'm coming from - the only area we've not really got to is mobile power - the hand "phasers" would be technically possible (apart from the "stun" setting!) with the right power source? & maybe propulsion systems and anti-grav.

We're miles ahead on the "greenhouse" effect?

Anyone else see these things progressing so fast?

[wadcorp]

.

[BeechwoodAve]

If you like the past's vision of the future, you might enjoy this series of radio dramas... very funny and the sounds and music are GREAT!

http://www.zbs.org/catalog/index.php?cP ... 90af02d272

Beech

[michaelmaclauchlan]

Fly by wire , blended wing. Claims to be quiet and fuel efficient – will it get built? 200+ passenger airliner. M

======================






info at:

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,62448-0.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6113418.stm
http://travel.howstuffworks.com/sai.htm
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/11 ... index.html
http://www.popsci.com/popsci/aviationsp ... drcrd.html

[SpaceIntruderDetector]

Yes your last posting a while back inspired my muse to create these Flying "Hood ornament" Wing type aircraft a sort of 50's like design. I'm sure this thing would crash and burn shortly after take-off pure style; no functional considerations at all.

One of my many takes on our retro-future heritage , done in Sketchup 5 and POV Ray render engine

[michaelmaclauchlan]

Yes your last posting a while back inspired my muse to create these Flying "Hood ornament" Wing type aircraft a sort of 50's like design. I'm sure this thing would crash and burn shortly after take-off pure style; no functional considerations at all.

============

Fun ! The pix on the left looks like a bird -- the wings are big, so I'm hoping you have powerful engins to lift that plane

Thx for sharing, M

[michaelmaclauchlan]

Where's Batman?

5-passenger prototype.

120 MPH, $ 500K , hydrofoil, up to 8' waves, uses ground effect

More info at: http://www.seaphantom.com/

[michaelmaclauchlan]

Hard to put into words.. the future of electronic music interfaces?

Video/audio demo at:

http://mtg.upf.edu/reactable/videos/demo2_basic2.mp4


More at: http://mtg.upf.edu/reactable/

[Culo]

Yes your last posting a while back inspired my muse to create these Flying "Hood ornament" Wing type aircraft a sort of 50's like design. I'm sure this thing would crash and burn shortly after take-off pure style; no functional considerations at all.

============

Fun ! The pix on the left looks like a bird -- the wings are big, so I'm hoping you have powerful engines to lift that plane

Thx for sharing, M

your musings are very close to the B-35


and B-49



Flying Wing aircraft proposed & built by Jack Northrop in the late 40's...the 35 was prop driven & the 49 was jet powered... they were not put into production because of political reasons (the US gov insisted that Northrop merge with Convair (General Dynamics) & Jack refused, so the orders were canceled and ALL full size prototype aircraft were ordered destroyed so that there would be no trace of these mighty aircraft, so ahead of their time...
Jack Northrop's design was eventually vindicated with the production of the B-2 Stealth Bomber




after someone remembered that those early flying wings were almost invisible to radar when viewed from the front.... even the wingspans are the same, 172 ft...

Flying Wing aircraft actually take much less engine to fly as all surfaces create lift & there is NO drag from a fuselage like in conventional designs...

there is one small Northrop wing that not only survives, but remarkably still FLIES, thanks to the tireless group of individuals (many of whom were retired Northrop employees) who worked over a 15 yr period to restore the last remaining N9M prototype (72 ft wingspan)... it lives at the Air Museum at the Chino Airport in Chino Calif & flies regularly thru the summer at air shows all over the west coast... (it is currently down for maintenance after a small engine fire last summer, donations appreciated)

[Culo]

Fly by wire , blended wing. Claims to be quiet and fuel efficient – will it get built? 200+ passenger airliner.

Swore I've posted this here once before- old-zimers creepin’ up on me?

Enjoy, Michael

======================




info at:

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,62448-0.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6113418.stm
http://travel.howstuffworks.com/sai.htm
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/11 ... index.html[color=yellow]

Sadly Boeing has now canceled all development of that very forward thinking design...
Sj

[michaelmaclauchlan]

http://jet-man.com/playervideo.swf?video=jetman2007.flv

[Mark Gardner]

http://jet-man.com/playervideo.swf?video=jetman2007.flv

This is, like, so absolutely amazing!

Truely the future - in our time!

Thanks M

[SpaceIntruderDetector]

Sadly Boeing has now canceled all development of that very forward thinking design...
Sj

As Charlton Heston put it in "Planet of the Apes" : DAMN!

[MondoJohnny]

What's so great about that particular model anyway? Is that the one that cruises into space?

[BlueSilver]

I love watching older movies where people go into the future. They go to year 2000, and we all drive hovercrafts, wear metallic clothing, and we have robot servants.

I love stuff like that.

Even today's stuff about the future.

I bet years from now, the future people will laugh at what we thought the future would be like.

The world is weird like that.

[michaelmaclauchlan]

Got $ 25,000?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTNz6NftP34

[michaelmaclauchlan]

What's so great about that particular model anyway? Is that the one that cruises into space?

Hi MJ !, Mostly it is the appearance of the plane- for me, I find it artistic. The fuel savings and quiet engine design seemed highly desirable too. Sad to hear this will not be pursued (at this time).


Regarding your question re planes (rockets) that cruise into space, the SSTO (single stage to orbit)
is still a few years away.

Some fun photos:



Early Concepts:






More recent concepts:

X-33/Ventue Star (I think the X-33 was a smaller test vehicle: if it worked then the Venture Star would have been built)



X-33/Venture Star


X34 (launched from a plane)



The X-33/Venture Star and X-34 are not being pursued these days.

Roton RotaryRocket (also a non-active program: test flight 1999, closed doors 2001) A private firm designed this rocket: it was designed to take off as a rocket and land helicopter-like. I read author Tom Clancy lost over $30M of his investment.



Video (how the Roton would land): http://youtube.com/watch?v=YimESTSeKR4

Skipping over some other X planes to this future one:

X51a Scramjet (first flight 2009?)

Alternate computer image (not sure which one will be most accurate)


The X51a info is over a year old, I haven’t check my facts to see if it’s still planned.

Enjoy !

[rickwith]

http://jet-man.com/playervideo.swf?video=jetman2007.flv

How cool is that! I love it! Thanks!

[rickwith]

I worked with Saab and Volvo on an exhibit/installation in DC through the Swedish Trade Council and Embassy.
Some of the prototypes were truly amazing with green technology at the forefront. The Aero X is one example

http://www.saabusa.com/saabjsp/concepts/index.jsp

[demona dragon]

The flying car of the future?

http://www.urbanaero.com/Urban_Main.htm

The coolest is the short video:

http://www.urbanaero.com/Downloads/Hummingbird.mpg

[michaelmaclauchlan]

Looking for the next cool interface between you and your computer (or your bionic arm/leg/spinal cord replacement)?



http://www.emotiv.com/2_0/2_1.htm

[michaelmaclauchlan]

more at

http://blogs.motortrend.com/6205371/car ... a-reality/

and

http://www.pal-v.com/

[michaelmaclauchlan]

The future space suit ?



http://mvl.mit.edu/EVA/biosuit/index.html

http://www.space.com/businesstechnology ... suits.html


http://media.techeblog.com/images/mit-space-suit.jpg

[Culo]

Hold the phone... meet the X-48B... Boeing's latest flying prototype... this is only a 22ft span, but is proofing the computer data before pressing on to a full size prototype.. so it looks like Blended Wing technology is coming after all... Boeing has so many orders for 787's that they now have the money for this type research apparently...

[michaelmaclauchlan]

http://www.teslamotors.com/design/gallery-body.php

[michaelmaclauchlan]

Cost: $80M
Flight test est to be in 2011
Sales starting in 2014
Range: 4600 miles (Chicago to Rome for example)
Speed: Mach 1.6 to 1.8 (NY to LA in 2 hours)
Passengers: 12


More at: http://tinyurl.com/2dkstc

[michaelmaclauchlan]

Prototype
Displacement: 18 inches
Passengers are 12 feet above the sea
The 4 titanium legs have suspension to minimize rough seas

Images: http://www.gizmag.com/go/6777/picture/30896/

Info:

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/2007-07-1 ... an-travel/
http://popsci.typepad.com/popsci/megapixels/index.html
http://www.technologynewsdaily.com/node/5822

[michaelmaclauchlan]

Who needs chemical rockets? Wonder if we'll see this in our lifetime. Experiments are on-going






Articles:

http://www.space.com/businesstechnology ... 327-1.html
http://www.elevator2010.org/

X Prize 2010
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5792719/

[michaelmaclauchlan]

Bio-fueled (including liposuction fuel); holder of the circumnavigation powerboat record 60 days; 23 hrs and 49 minutes. Cuts through the waves rather than over them.