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Whirling Twirling Propeller Trike

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the mit-students-with-to-much-time dept.

hankmt writes "A student at MIT has built a tricycle that applies force to a giant rear fan, instead of directly to the wheels. The effect...well, it's best to look for yourself, but it would be pretty useful on the post-apocalyptic roads of the Australian Outback. The blades of the trike even have built in LED lights which display colored patterns...and also warn pedestrians of their impending deaths."

2 of 136 comments (clear)

  1. Looks like something for Burning Man by Animats · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The Burning Man crowd likes stuff like that. It's too late for this year's Department of Mutant Vehicles registration, though.

    By playa standards, this is unambitious. Check out the Neverwas Haul, a steam-powered 3-story Victorian house on wheels that moves under its own power.

  2. Reminds me of a pilot... by iknownuttin · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Actually, the bike pulls to the right. So by rolling up his right pant leg that side creates less drag, which helps trim the bike back to the left.

    I once knew a pilot for parachutists and he would trim the plane so well that all he did to turn was to lean in the direction he wanted to go. I believe it was a C172 or something small like that.

    --
    I prefer Flambe as apposed flamebait.