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At Last, Flying Cars?
ColdWetDog writes, "OK, we've all whined about the fact that we are now firmly entrenched in the 21st Century and no flying cars. So it is gratifying to see that our good friends at DARPA are finally going to do something about it." The project is called Transformer TX. "The Government's envisioned concept consists of a robust ground vehicle that is capable of configuring into a VTOL air vehicle with a maximum payload capability of approximately 1,000 lbs. ... Technologies of interest may include: hybrid electric drive, advanced batteries, adaptive wing structures, ducted fan propulsion systems, advanced lightweight heavy fuel engines, lightweight materials, advanced sensors, and flight controls for stable transition from vertical to horizontal flight. ... Like all DARPA projects Transformer TX is unlikely to succeed at all. Even if US Marine rifle companies one day do ride to war in handy four-man sky jeeps rather than cumbersome choppers or Humvees, that doesn't necessarily mean flying cars for all any more than Harriers or Ospreys did."
Well, we're part-way there:
http://store.irobot.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=2804605
Table-ized A.I.
If it can sexually service men, clean up afterwards, and then fetch beer and a pizza... then our species is doomed!
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-01/nasas-puffin-aircraft-stealthy-one-man-vtol-aircraft
Table-ized A.I.
That's a bit rich comparing a Cessna c1950 to a Honda accord c2009. Try something more contemporary aircraft like a Grob. The old Rolls Royce continental engines Cessna's use aren't exactly what you would call efficient. where as Honda and a lot of other care manufacturers have been under pressure to make large strives for fuel efficiency! anyway I am going of topic on a rather boring bit of news, I was actually expecting a physical item, like the DARPA bigdog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXJZVZFRFJc&feature=related , instead of some imaginary car that some very interesting, and generic research will be based around.
Oh and helium is impractical. Bring back hydrogen. Sure it's explosive - but so is the stuff you put in your car!
Do you drive a race car? Gasoline/Petrol is not explosive. It's actually pretty safe compared to H2. Fill a bucket with gasoline and throw a lit match in; it douses the match. The vapor is flammable, but the liquid isn't. Using huge volumes of Hydrogen safely in flimsy containers is not a simple undertaking, especially if every Tom Dick and Harry has one.