I’ve seen quite a few different variations on the inline skate including the addition of larger wheels for off-road travel and even an electric motor so you don’t have to exercise at all. But the Booster Blades are definitely the most unique, and quite possibly the most dangerous set of inline skates I’ve ever seen. The easiest way to wrap your head around the crazy looking mechanism is to think of the Booster Blades as a cross between a set of inline skates and a bicycle. The rider uses a natural ’stepping’ or ‘pedaling’ motion which is translated to the rear wheels via gears, sprockets and a chain to propel them forward.
Drive is via a belt over a spiral cam, which turns a 33 tooth sprocket, from which a 6mm pitch chain drives an 11 tooth sprocket on the back axle. The back axle drives the rear wheel through a freewheel, giving forward propulsion geared up 4:1.
Braking is achieved by a specially shaped brake block, which presses on the back tyre when the boot plate is tilted back. This can only be done when the mechanism is in the down position.
Apparently the Booster Blades gives the rider more speed for less effort, but they can also be ‘locked down’ and used as conventional inline skates at the push of a button. And while previous experience with inline skates is a plus, according to their website the Booster Blades still have a bit of a learning curve that’s not unlike learning to ride a bicycle.
At first glance you might think that the horse in the above photos is pulling a ridiculously over-designed carriage, but in reality it’s actually a training vehicle designed by Roush Technologies for Turkish-based Kurt Systems who trains race horses and camels. The vehicle provides trainers and veterinarians with a close-up view of the animal while it’s moving and allows them to continually monitor its vital signs at precisely controlled speeds from a walking pace all the way up to 60kph.
The striking and unusual looking machine incorporates a number of innovative and unique vehicle systems, as well as a diesel engine, automatic transmission and a spacious luxury cabin for a crew of three. Weighing in at around 4 tonnes, the vehicle effectively provides a moving enclosure similar to a starting stall, in which the animal can walk, trot or full gallop freely in a controlled environment, whilst being monitored and trained to optimise race performance.
The spacious cabin, which is mounted rearward of the horse, includes a centrally mounted driver’s seat, plus additional seats for a trainer and a veterinary specialist. Onboard systems include 12-volt and 240-volt electrical supplies, to power systems such as computerised heart, blood, oxygen and fitness monitoring. The unit also carries a range of precision hydraulically controlled accessories, such as a silicone saddle to simulate jockey weights.
The training vehicle also features electronically controlled reins which ensure that the horse is being steered in the same direction as the vehicle at all times. Since it was custom built for Kurt Systems I can only assume that the Roush Horse Trainer comes with a pretty high price tag, but given how competitive and lucrative horse racing can be, I have to wonder if they’ve signed Roush to an exclusive deal when it comes to the actual design.
I don’t own a car, but apparently those numbers posted at the gas station mean that refueling your vehicle has gotten rather expensive these days. So instead of heading out in the family minivan with the kids, why not go the bike route instead? The Zigo is a modular bicycle that allows you to carry a couple of kids in the ChildPod up front, which makes it easier to keep an eye on them while you’re riding. (As opposed to having the child sitting behind you.) When you get to your destination the ChildPod can be removed and transformed into a stroller in about 30 seconds which then allows the Zigo to be used as a standard 2-wheeled bicycle once you attach the front wheel.
At $995 from MyZigo.com it’s not the cheapest bike or stroller on the market, particularly when you consider it’s something your kids will quickly outgrow. But if it helps avoid a trip to the gas station, I guess it could be worthwhile in the long run.
The Roll-A-Bout SW-500 pictured above is the Roll-A-Bout Corporation’s flagship model and is designed to be used by people suffering from a lower leg injury in lieu of crutches or even a wheelchair. Not only can the SW-500 support up to 500 lbs, but it’s also the company’s first model that can actually be steered. (Which makes me wonder how you turn with their previous models.) Their website also claims that the ‘hopping’ motion you use to get around with the Roll-A-Bout is preferable to the ’swinging’ motion you use with crutches. Now I don’t want to make light of anyone suffering from a lower leg injury, but is this really a better alternative to a set of crutches? I can see the advantage to using this over a wheelchair, since it keeps the rest of your body active while you recover, but if I ever had the chance to play around with a Roll-A-Bout, I’m pretty sure my antics would actually result in a lower leg injury.
And believe it or not the standard SW-500 model runs $599, while an ATV or ‘off-road’ version runs $739! The lovely wire basket you see in all the photos is included in that price, but the fancy cup holder seen in that last photo is actually a $15 option.
I know a lot of people must really enjoy roller coasters, otherwise amusement parks wouldn’t be spending millions of dollars on the latest and greatest designs. But the faster/taller/twistier a coaster gets, the longer the line usually gets. So what if everyone could have their very own roller coaster and never have to wait in line again? That’s kind of the idea behind the Evento BuzzBall concept. It features a single seat inside a large outer ball that’s able to spin and roll independently of the ball itself, providing a similar experience to being on a roller coaster.
A pair of electric motors is used to power the BuzzBall, so you don’t need a steep hill to enjoy it, just a large open space. Each motor is controlled by a separate throttle which will either cause the chair to spin inside the ball or work together to push the ball forward. However, once the BuzzBall is in motion and the pilot decides to turn, their seat inside the ball will rotate against the direction of travel resulting in spins, somersaults, corkscrews, barrel rolls and other nausea inducing motions. And just remember, if you do happen to vomit inside the BuzzBall, it’s coming along on the ride with you.
While the BuzzBall’s not officially available for sale at the moment, it does appear that Evento has every intention of eventually bringing it to the market.
Here’s one for all the OhGizmo! readers who also happen to operate a billion dollar shipping company. The Thrust Fin, developed by Hyundai Heavy Industries, is designed to attach to the rudder of an existing container ship and will not only boost thrust, but also save fuel. One of the first fins was installed on an 8,600 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) container ship owned and operated by German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd a few months ago. They found that the fins do indeed reduce fuel consumption by about 4 to 6 percent, and ended up ordering them for 6 more ships in their fleet.
While 4 to 6 percent might not seem like a lot, when you consider that a large container ship can guzzle about 300 tons of fuel a day, it equates to savings of about $2.4 million a year. And since a container ship has a lifespan of about 25 years, that could add up to an overall savings of $60 million. Now I’m not exactly sure how the fins work, but they apparently operate just like an airplane’s wing, and Hyundai is hoping to eventually boost their production capacity to around 30 fins a year to keep up with the demand.
A new division of Greyhound Lines Inc. called BoltBus has recently started service between Boston’s South Station and New York’s Penn Station. (As of April 24.) Besides having fares as low as $1 depending on how far you’re going and when you book your trip (at least one seat on every bus will cost $1) the BoltBus fleet also features free wi-fi and 110V sockets on the back of every seat. So those of you who are dependent on your electronics while traveling will be able to keep in touch with the office without worrying about your batteries dying.
BoltBus has also taken a standard coach seating configuration and actually removed seats so that each passenger has an extra three inches of legroom. That might not seem like much, but to those of us over 6 feet tall, every little inch helps. On their website the company admits that the wi-fi technology they are using is relatively new and there are certain spots along their route where it may be unavailable. But even with the occasional dead spot, it’s still far better than the standard Greyhound amenities like soiled seats, sketchy passengers and that smell you just can’t put your finger on.
It’s great news that the Chevy Volt is officially going into production with a late 2010 release, but for some eco-minded commuters, even an electric car is overkill. So if you’re looking for a quick way to get around a crowded city with limited parking, an electric motorcycle might be a better alternative. The Enertia from Brammo uses a high output permanent magnet DC motor that’s powered by 6 valence lithium iron phosphate battery modules. It has a top speed of over 50 mph, and has a range of about 35-45 miles on a 3 hour charge.
The body is made from an ultra light and extremely stiff carbon fiber monocoque chassis, which also serves as the storage compartment for the battery modules. And since the Enertia is designed to be driven by just about anyone, it features a simple, single speed direct chain drive which should keep maintenance down, and doesn’t require you to be a ‘gearhead’ to keep it running. The Enertia motorcycles are expected to start shipping in the 2nd half of 2008 with the cheapest model coming in at $11,995. And you can reserve one now on the Brammo website with no deposit.
The Rail Runner looks more like a prop from a Marx Brothers movie than an eco-friendly mode of transportation. But it’s real, and if you happen to have access to a section of railroad track that isn’t frequented by a 200 ton diesel locomotive, you can spend a leisurely afternoon riding the rails via pedal power. The Rail Runner can accommodate up to 4 people (it can support about 1,200 pounds when sitting on a set of tracks) but can actually be powered by a single rider since it only weighs around 140 pounds thanks to an aluminum frame and polyurethane wheels. The base version of the Rail Runner comes with 2 seats and a price tag of $1,950 but you can add the optional ‘deck’ in the back with 2 additional seats for $135, and a sun canopy for another $165.
With the rising gas prices, it’s natural for people to look for alternative methods of transportation. This of course means that people are going to come up with some crazy contraptions. I can only guess that this is how the Magic Wheel was conceived.
Basically what this appears to be is a bike wheel attached to a rollerblade wheel with a couple of footrests. What you end up with something that is about as useful as a skateboard, without the ability to actually do cool tricks. If you’re looking for a different way to get around and don’t mind getting a lot of weird looks, then by all means drop $250 (plus $325 shipping from Singapore) on one. I’ll just stick to a bike.
Related Tags: Sports, Transportation
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