OMoCo

The Congo has it, JUST WOOD

2008-07-30T21:49:00.001+12:00

http://www.kk.org/streetuse/archives/2008/05/wooden_bikes.php

Just another cool bike

2008-07-23T13:30:00.001+12:00

I know I'm not technically doing OMoCo anymore but I thought this looked real cool :)

http://www.tuvie.com/proxima-concept-a-merge-between-a-car-and-a-motorbike

ErockIt

2008-05-27T22:38:00.002+12:00

Hi folks in NZ,

Last evening I recorded a movie and by this way I recorded also the German news with this amazing bike.

It runs like a bicycle with a electric engine. Not really new, but in this case the bicycle runs as fast as you turn the pedals to a top speed of 80 km/h. After 80 km it needs new electric power. That's one point where the inventor is just working. The cost for one charge of electric power are less than 1 EUR = 2 NZD. Fascinating is also the acceleration.

Enjoy it.

Regards from Germany.

Bill has found a blimp!

2008-05-18T01:41:00.002+12:00

Hi everyone

Bill has informed me that there is a remote control blimp we can have a play with on campus...

Aparantly it is in the Science Department... It may help further our idea so we will see record our findings/experience and post it on the blog...

2008-04-29T23:01:00.004+12:00

This is an awesome concept for a hybrid airship used for freighting. Theres some really amazing buoyancy/ballast technology out there that could make airfreight the new means by which to transport goods. It's not like these things are slow either. Some of these guys reckon their airship/glider combo deal can glide at up to 200 mph!

Air Ship Freight

2008-04-29T22:54:00.003+12:00

The future of freight according to Rob, Chris and Luke....ENJOY!

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

Personal Rapid Transit

2008-04-01T13:16:00.004+13:00

Currently underdevelopment for Heathrow airport in the UK.

http://faculty.washington.edu/jbs/itrans/prtquick.htm

2008-04-01T13:16:00.002+13:00

Foot lift

2008-04-01T09:20:00.004+13:00

Bicycle over the clouds

2008-03-31T15:18:00.004+13:00

I found that accidentally last weekend. A Bicycle over the clouds. It's really built in Germany, I can't believe it, because the restrictions for vehicles in Germany are very strong. But, Markus Müller and his business partner Micheal Werner, founded a small company and built up the "Flike". Flyke - a combined word between Flying and Bicycle. It's a paraglider and a propeller provides for the necessary speed to go in the air.

Once started, the pilot controls his aerial carriage with two grips. During cloudy days, if streets and places are not to be seen, helps a navigation system for orientation. An average of 45 kilometer per hour is possible in the air. One of the longest trips led from the Baltic beach near Rostock to Hannover and back - about 400 kilometers.

Only with one stopover on to the airport of Hamburg. In Hamburg there was a small problem. An aircraft which lands, but again does not start: This was not planned in the airport computer and thus they came to both pilots didn't must pay the land fee.

On the street the Flyke is no more as fast as in the air. Bicycle and engine together have about 70 Kilogram weight. And it's forbidden to start the engine on traffic roads.

This costs for Flyke is about 10,000 euros. In addition 2,000 euros still comes for the ultraeasily flight licence.
From wind force 3 it becomes in that air a little bit uncomfortable and sometime also dangerously.
For it the fair-weather airplane is the only one nowadays the payable carriage which offers mobility in the air and on the ground.

Here is the link, but it's a german site.

http://www.br-online.de/wissen/umwelt/fliegendes-fahrrad-flyke-ID1206701202161.xml

City redesign key to reducing transport emissions: experts

2008-03-24T16:46:00.001+13:00

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/12/2187033.htm

By Daniel Hoare

Posted Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:35am AEDT
Updated Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:44am AEDT

The study by Victoria's Bus Association looked at greenhouse gas emissions from all forms of transport, including buses, cars, trucks and trains. (ABC )

Melburnians use 3.1 tonnes of carbon per person each year, compared with 1.2 tonnes per person in Greater London. (AAP: Simon Mossman)

Its population is about half the size, but each year Melbourne produces 2.5 million tonnes more greenhouse gas emissions than London.

The figures have emerged from a study by Victoria's Bus Association, which looked at greenhouse gas emissions from all forms of transport, including buses, cars, trucks and trains.

Victoria's Bus Association represents 550 private companies that operate more than 4,500 buses and coaches, so it has a vested interest in looking to the future when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Association's report into the total amount of greenhouse emissions produced by all modes of transport in Melbourne paints a somewhat disturbing picture that will provide plenty of challenges for the State Government in the years ahead.

The research compares the population of greater Melbourne to London.

It reveals that Melburnians use 3.1 tonnes of carbon per person each year, compared with 1.2 tonnes per person in Greater London.

While the report reveals a population using significantly more energy for travel, the report's authors says the figures are easily explained.

Co-author John Stanley is the executive director of Bus Association Victoria.

"London is a much more compact city and if you have a compact city with relatively high density, you can have a dense public transport network, and public transport use is very high in London," he said.

"With a compact city you have shorter trips so those sorts of factors are really fundamental to why the emissions are lower in London."

He says public transport is one part of the answer to solving the emissions problem.

"For example, a substantial improvement in the fuel efficiency of our vehicle fleet is a fundamental requirement if we are going to achieve the sort of cuts that [Professor Ross] Garnaut is talking about," he said.

"I think a lot of the electric technology starting to be looked at now hold out great potential in this regard. I think that probably is going to be the area we are going to see it, but there are some simple things too.

"If you look at car occupancy rates. I mean they average only about 1.4 people per car. If we could increase that by about 10 per cent to say 1.5, 1.6, that is about the same as doubling public transport occupancy."

Infrastructure issues

Professor Graeme Currie is from the Institute of Transport Studies at Monash University in Melbourne.

He says the use of alternative fuels is one of the key ways of reducing emissions, but there are other significant changes required for a city with the geographical spread of Melbourne.

He says urban redesign and infrastructure are central to providing solutions.

"The main constraint we have on getting people to use public transport is the fact that our systems don't cover the whole of the city," he said.

"Infrastructure from my point of view just means we have to provide people with alternatives. At the moment, most people in the city really don't have too much of an alternative other than the car, hence they use it.

"If people can walk to activities, this is a fantastic way of giving them a new alternative. It is good for their health and so forth but unfortunately most people live a long way from any activities of that type."

He says redesign is key to more environmentally friendly transport, but he acknowledges that will take time.

"By redeveloping the city, by having higher density and conglomeration around centres, this could be a way of creating new ways of living," he said.

"Our problem is that it is not going to be something that happens quickly. Getting change like that in our cities will take a while, which is why in some ways the infrastructure step is probably the first one."

World's cheapest car an 'environmental disaster' for India

2008-03-22T16:49:00.006+13:00

You know, the cities with the highest density number 3 till to number 7, are cities of India. Three interesting reports about congestion in India.

I read it accidentally on ABC news and I took it complete in our blog, because I don't know how long will it be readable (we have some links, which doesn't more working because the report was deleted).

Anyway, the link is http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/11/2136595.htm and if it doesn't work the report is below.

By South Asia correspondent Peter Lloyd

Posted Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:45pm AEDT
Updated Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:55pm AEDT

At three metres long, 1.6 metres high and 1.5 metres wide, the Nano lives up to its compact name. (Reuters: Tata)

Something akin to a motoring revolution has been unveiled in India - a compact car that will sell for a little over $2,500 when it hits the market later this year.

The makers of the Nano believe it will revolutionise how India's 1.1 billion people get around, but critics say it will be an environmental disaster in a country already plagued by chronic air and noise pollution.

The theme from Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey played as the Nano was unveiled at the annual Delhi car show by Ratan Tata, the head of India's industrial giant Tata Industries.

"We are very pleased to present these cars to you today," he said.

"They are not concept cars, they are not prototypes. They are the production cars that will roll out of the single plant later this year."

At three metres long, 1.6 metres high and 1.5 metres wide, the Nano lives up to its compact name.

It is a four-door, rear-wheel drive with a two-cylinder gasoline engine that claims to offer 20 kilometres per litre.

But the biggest attraction is not performance, it is price - 100,000 rupees - a little over $2,500 before on-road costs.

The target market is the many million of Indians who currently use a motorbike for family transport.

Environmental concerns

Still, many months before the car becomes available, potential buyers on the streets of New Delhi seem easily sold on the idea.

"Those people who are riding motorcycles these days can drive a car and they will find it easier to drive a car in the streets," one Indian man said.

"Everyone can afford this car."

The prospect of the Nano's popularity scares environmental campaigners in India, Centre for Science and Environment spokeswoman Anumita Roychowdhury said.

"There is just no room left for more cars in Delhi. If you really look at the city, the roads are already congested," she said.

"Data shows that we have even gone beyond the designed capacity of the roads.

"The traffic speed has come down drastically from 35 to 40kph to 12 to five kph [at] the peak traffic volume.

"Now that clearly brings out the fact that it is a crisis that we need to deal with, because [of] both the congestion and pollution impact.

"This cheap motorisation that is now going to explode in Indian cities, we are not prepared for it at all."

The Nano is the brainchild of Mr Tata, the 70-year-old head of the family company. And the old man bristles at criticism the car may not be eco-friendly.

"We may as well come to grips with the fact that all the things that you ask for may not be in a one-lakh (100,000 rupees) car and all the things that might be there in an eco car, may not be possible for one lakh," he said.

"Take it as it is. It's a car that's affordable, provides transport, meets all safety laws, meets all emission laws present and future.

"[It] will be a reliable form of transport which will provide Indian families an all-weather means of safe transport."

But it is not just the Nano for India. In two or three years' time, Mr Tata wants to roll out export version of the Nano to developing countries around the world.

Delhi residents cough, wheeze as pollution soars

2008-03-22T16:33:00.006+13:00

You know, the cities with the highest density number 3 till to number 7, are cities of India. Three interesting reports about congestion in india.

I read it accidentally on ABC news and I took it complete in our blog, because I don't know how long will it be readable (we have some links, which doesn't more working because the report was deleted).

Anyway, the link is http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/17/2140973.htm and if it doesn't work the report is below.

Posted Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:01pm AEDT

The total number of cars in Delhi leap 50 per cent to 1.6 million over the last five years (File photo). (Reuters: Krishnendu Halde)

A stay in India's capital often leads to a case of the notorious "Delhi belly", but as pollution rises, many visitors and residents are suffering from the Delhi itchy eye and hacking cough too.

Authorities blame the rise in pollution squarely on a jump in diesel cars, the fumes of which are routinely cited in medical studies as a major health risk.

About a third of the nearly 1,000 new cars that hit the city's roads every day are diesel models, which are becoming popular because the fuel is cheaper than petrol.

But while there is a financial saving, experts warn that it comes at a serious pollution and health cost.

They say New Delhi is rapidly losing the air quality gains made after switching its diesel bus fleet to compressed natural gas six years ago.

Pollution figures show a steady rise in diesel-linked pollution during the past five years, a period that saw the total number of cars in Delhi leap 50 per cent to 1.6 million.

Anumita Roychoudhury from New Delhi's Centre for Science and Environment notes that carbon monoxide levels are falling despite an increase in the number of petrol cars.

However, "for diesel cars, the increase in vehicle numbers and increase in nitrogen dioxide are strongly correlated," she said.

She points to "horrendously" high levels of lung-irritating soot linked to exhaust-pipe diesel emissions, which environmentalists regard as one of the most toxic forms of air pollution.

Ms Roychoudhury has urged India to adopt ultra-clean car standards cutting diesel sulphur levels.

"You need a technology leapfrog," she said.

Tiny, cheap new car

The planned launch of the world's smallest car, the Nano, by India's Tata Motors has further heightened concerns about increased congestion in the city even though it is only producing a petrol version.

The makers of the car, meant to retail for 100,000 rupees ($2,900), insist its emissions are as low or lower than any two-wheeler on Indian roads and meet European standards.

Sunita Narain, who directs the Centre for Science and Environment, says that's only half the point.

"I am not fighting the small car," she said.

"I am simply asking for many more buses and bus lanes - a complete change in mobility."

Ms Narain was behind the push for the Supreme Court to order the New Delhi bus system to shift to natural gas.

"The solution is not to ban the 100,000 rupee car, [but] tax it like crazy until it [India] has a proper mass transit system," she said.

Asthma

Doctors say they too have seen the worrying effects of the rise in diesel car numbers.

Randeep Guleria, a chest specialist at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, the country's largest public hospital, said the high pollution level triggered asthma in people where the condition previously had been latent.

"We are seeing a lot of such patients, who did not have any problems when they were outside and when they move to Delhi they suddenly develop symptoms," he said.

One of Dr Guleria's patients, 59-year-old Madhu Puri, says her asthma symptoms improve during the six months she spends with a son in New Jersey in the United States. But it is a different story when she comes back to the Indian capital.

"It has been really bad since I came back in November. I cough all night," she said.

"If I go to America or a foreign city I feel better."

A panel of US Environmental Protection Agency has described diesel fuel exhaust as a "likely human carcinogen," linking it with lung cancer and asthma attacks.

Some studies show children are among the worst-affected by the dense haze that often shrouds the city, and doctors frequently tell parents to keep their children indoors when smog levels are particularly high.

Researchers believe particulates, or tiny particles of soot, interfere with the respiratory system because they are so small they can be breathed deeply into the lungs.

In a survey of almost 12,000 city schoolchildren late last year, 17 per cent reported coughing, wheezing or breathlessness, compared to just 8 per cent of children in a rural area.

Twisha Lahiri from India's Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute led the study.

What researchers saw were the effects of "chronic exposure from living in Delhi," she said.

- AFP

Cheap cars for India threaten environment

2008-03-22T15:47:00.004+13:00

You know, the cities with the highest density number 3 till to number 7, are cities of India. Three interesting reports about congestion in india.

I read it accidentally on ABC news and I took it complete in our blog, because I don't know how long will it be readable (we have some links, which doesn't more working because the report was deleted).

Anyway, the link is http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/06/28/1964129.htm and if it doesn't work the report is below.

Posted Thu Jun 28, 2007 7:45am AEST
Updated Thu Jun 28, 2007 7:51am AEST

Roads in India are already congested with traffic. (Reuters: Krishnendu Halde)

It may be an Indian consumer's dream - cheap cars for $A3,000-$A3,600 within reach of millions of people in the swelling middle class. But it could also prove to be a traffic and environmental disaster.

Nissan Motor Co and Renault SA announced last week they were studying a $A3,600 car to compete in India against Tata Motors Ltd's planned low-cost "People's Car" targeted at a similar price to hit the market next year.

For its supporters, cheap cars like these are what the Volkswagen Beetle was to Germany or the Mini to England - the spoils of an economic boom for aspiring middle classes.

To its detractors, India will see an explosion in traffic and pollution on its already clogged roads from its more than 1.1 billion inhabitants.

It will add to India's CO2 output just as many Western nations push the Asian giant to control emissions.

Anumita Roychowdhury, associate director at the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment, says India cannot cope with expansion at this pace.

"It's just not sustainable, whether from an environmental point of view or in terms of congestion," she said.

The World Bank this year said air pollution in India was already "of great concern".

Swelling middle class

India has low car ownership rates - there are seven to eight cars per 1,000 people compared with 300-500 cars per 1,000 people in many Western nations - but annual passenger vehicle sales in India are expected to double to two million units by 2010.

In New Delhi alone, more than 200,000 vehicles are added to its streets every year, where they battle with cows, rickshaws and motorbikes for space.

It is all part of a middle class that will expand by 10 times from its current size of 50 million to 583 million by 2025, according to consultancy firm McKinsey.

Well-known Indian auto columnist Murad Ali Baig says it is a colossal market.

"The low-price car market is already robust," he said.

"Imagine what will happen when even cheaper cars are available? The question is - where are all the bloody roads to cope?"

The Government is busy trying to build and widen highways across the country, including a highway system that will link New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.

Pollution

But air pollution is already at "critical levels" in more than half of India's main cities, according to the Centre for Science and Environment.

Environmentalists say that while new cars will have emission limits, these are still 10 years behind European levels.

"Cars in India will be on the road for between 10 and 15 years and no one will monitor to see if their emissions worsen over the years," Ms Roychowdhury says.

"India is creating a car culture just when other countries are trying to learn from their mistakes."

But many Indians who weave their motorbikes in between traffic would jump on the chance of the comfort of a car.

Aman is a 39-year-old Indian chauffeur who earns about $A180 per month driving his employers' cars.

"If I can buy a 30,000 rupee scooter, then I can now hope to buy a car for 100,000 rupees when it comes out. Now, people like me can think about owning a car," he said.

"I drive cars for my employers. Maybe I will drive my own car one day."

Officials say they are boosting public transport, pointing to metro plans in major cities. In New Delhi, the Government's switch of buses and taxis to cleaner compressed natural gas (CNG) cut carbon monoxide levels by up to 80 per cent.

Companies like Tata say they upgraded all their four to six cylinder engines to meet international emissions standards. The company has manufactured CNG versions of buses.

PK Nanda, director of the government-run Central Road Research Institute, says it is a democracy so the Government cannot stop people buying cars.

"We don't want more personalised vehicles, but if there have to be more cars, small is better than large," he said.

- Reuters

dense urban areas

2008-03-20T13:53:00.014+13:00

OMoCo may create ideas for vehicle in dense urban areas. If we think about dense urban areas, we should have a look about our experience with population and area. Because our home town is often quite different to a metropolitan area. Our imagination about density is quite different. To give us a imagination, I tried it with the following charts. If you click on the picture, it should be go larger.

In the first row you see the 20 largest metropolitan areas. See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_metropolitan_areas_by_population
The blue circle shows the population, the brown circle the area. The parameters for the circles are always the same, but calculated by my own algorithm to show you the relationship. The numbers in the first row are the ranking in relationship to population. Biggest metropolitan area is Tokio, with more than 32,000,000 people. In comparison, number 4 is New York. Around 20,000,000 people, but with more space than Tokio. Have a look to number 5. It's Mombai in India, same population like New York, but really less space. You can't see a brown circle. There is no space for people. See also Kolkata - India number 14 , Cairo - Egypt number 16 and Karachi - Pakistan as number 20 .

The second row shows the city areas. It's different to the metropolitan areas, because without suburbs. See also
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_population
The numbers on the lower row shows us the ranking of density. First is Cairo, 16th in population, with a density of 37,000 people each square km. See that also in comparison to New York, 10,578 people each square km, or London 18th in population with a density of 4,697 people.
37,000 people each square km means each person has only 27 square m as space to live. Streets to drive and parks to walk are included. London City are 213 square m each person.

Interesting about density. You see, number 3 till to number 7, are cities of India.

Also the growth rate in these cities are very high. But the highest growth rate has Lagos in Nigeria. 429,870 people each year, equal 4,45 %. The second is also a africa country, Kinshasa with 4,24 %, 336,232 people. The third, Dhaka in Bangladesh is just the second in density.

Now, please think not in population, please think in cars which they want sooner or later!

Let's have a look to our city experience. First have a look to Dunedin.
You see. The area is as large as Delhi in India or Hong Kong in China. But in Dunedin are only 122,000 people. It's a density of 37 each square km. In the equal area of Dunedin live 18,600,000 people in Delhi!!!
Each people in Dunedin has a average area of 27,000 square m. You remember? Cairo has 27 square m each person.

I'm often in Zurich. Because I'm teaching at the university. Isn't it interesting, that Zurich has near the same density of population like Tokio or Seoul. I can't believe it, because Zurich is such a beautiful city. But, it's true, the traffic is sometimes a horror. Perhaps, Zurich could be a test field for vehicles which could be use in Tokio or Seoul. And, let's have a look to other small cities which could be a test field. Which part of Dunedin could be a test field for other dense urban aeras?

2008-03-20T13:09:00.001+13:00

have arrived

thks

bill

Small connected cars

2008-03-13T14:32:00.003+13:00

Thomas saw this interesting bachelor work from a German student

http://www.coroflot.com/public/individual_file.asp?from_url=true&portfolio_id=518665&individual_id=157343&sort_by=1&

Restructure of the OMoCo Blog

2008-03-12T16:31:00.002+13:00

OMoCo has a new structure. Below the Blog-Archive is now an Index and
a Link List. It's now easier to find subjects of interest. We'll work
in 2008 again with this communication platform. In 2009 we'll see
what's better.

There are two ways to send a post.

1. Go on the Blog and create a post
2. Write an e-mail and send it to the blog

I'll write a short instruction to create a new post, tag it with
labels, put a new link in the Link List, etc.

This post was send by e-mail

SOLARTAXI visit to NZ

2008-01-24T15:44:00.001+13:00

LINK TO tv3 on demand ( Don't know if TV3 knows where University of Otago is is?
tv3

Solartaxi in Dunedin NZ:
Louis Palmer presented at the Centre for Innovation at the University of Otago last night! For those that came along thanks for the questions and if you want more information just post the site or contact Thomas or myself at Design Studies.

Summary:
Louis Palmer traveled overland from the heart of Switzerland via 18 countries to the Middle East and India, from where he took a ship to his next destinations India and Indonesia – to reach Bali in time for the Climate Change Conference in early December, where the Solar taxi became a major attraction at the gates of the summit, where it served to give an emission-free lift to, amongst others, Peter Garrett, Australia’s new Minister for the Environment, Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the Nobel Prize winning IPCC, and Bianca Jagger, President of the World Future Council, and Michael Bloomberg, City Major of New York.

In Bali, he met Mike Fincken, Captain of the “Rainbow Warrior II”, who was so enthusiastic about the idea of touring the world emission free that he spontaneously invited the Solar taxi to find a temporary home on board of the Greenpeace ship – which was bound for Whangarei, New Zealand.

He liked the ideas ( OMOCO TEAM WELL DONE AGAIN for 2007 development)

http://www.solartaxi.ch

Check out this site!

2007-12-19T22:25:00.002+13:00

http://movementbureau.blogs.com/projects/cars/

Some of the same with a different viewpoint

concept cars

2007-10-19T11:43:00.002+13:00

heres a couple of links to some concept cars at the Tokyo Motor show, i particularly like this concept. its a normal sized vehicle for long trips with a smaller vehicle inside for shorter trips when you get there.

www.pinktentacle.com/2007/10/dreamy-concept-cars-at-tokyo-motor-show-2007/

this one is a portable office/car:
www.treehugger.com/files/2007/10/nissans_new_mob.php

Chris

Kero Electric Scooters in NZ

2007-09-24T19:33:00.001+12:00

I just stumbled across this site for electric scooters available in NZ. Looks like its a reletivley new business as half of the pages of the website don't work.

# Range of up to 80 km on one charge
# Top speeds of 55-65 km/h
# Travel 5000 km for 25 dollars
# No emissions and noise free
# Say farewell to parking fees and oil addiction

http://www.kero.co.nz

They just look like normal scooters except they are using electric hub motors - tiny ones

associated with: What Climate Crisis

Salt Water Fuel

2007-09-04T10:53:00.001+12:00

A cancer research lead to this finding of salt water as a potential alternative fuel. The salt water burns to provide immense heat energy. Check it out.

Landcrab

2007-08-21T17:24:00.001+12:00

This is the link to the vehicle which uses four smartdrive engines;

http://directory.betterbydesign.org.nz/main/case-studies/details/landcrab_-_electric/

Research?

2007-08-20T13:53:00.001+12:00

Hi guys, I'm trying to put all of our research together at the moment so everybody can get a copy. If possible can you all bring everything you have so far to our tuesday meeting? On memory stick or CD would be preferable. I'll make copies over the break.

Thanks,

Oren

Collaborative transport

2007-08-15T12:46:00.001+12:00

These SWARM bots have been programmed to work cooperatively to move larger masses. Relates back to the idea of trailers and having a driving force with a series of non-driving forces.

Here they drag a small child.

Infrastructure Documents

2007-08-15T10:27:00.002+12:00

I have been collecting information on infrastructure over the last wee while. Below is a few of the files I have found worth looking at.

Motivate – NZ’s leading transport newsletter (autumn 2006) – Congestion Solutions fro Auckland. This document goes thought the proposal of congestion charging and alternative means of reducing car usage in Auckland

motivate - Auckland Congestion solutions.pdf

Vagverket: Trial Implementation of a Congestion Tax in Stockholm. This document is about the whole process followed for the congestion tax implementation in Stockholm. It includes everything from the reasons why through to how is is implemented with in-car signal senders and payment over the internet.

Stockholm Congestion booklet.pdf

World Transport Policy & Practice. This is a compilation of articles on several different topics to do with urbanism and congestion. The articles include:

- What goes up must come down: Household car ownership and walking for transport.

- Trends, innovative course settings and levels for mobility & transport: Seen in the year 2030. - This article is quite interesting. The author holds a utopian view of the world if it were to progress in environmental awareness levels and development to do with sustainable mobility. (not sustainable transport – think of the difference there)

- Splintering the public realm: Using local public space for corporate economic gain.

- Effects of pedestrianism on the commercial and retail areas: Study of Kha San Road, Bangkok.

- Cycling for active transport and recreation in Australia: Status review and future directions.

- Travel in Inner City Vs Urban fringe of Adelaide: The role of Neighbourhood Design.

World transport Policy & Practice 2030.pdf

Congestion will continue to grow - This is a document that adapted from an address that Anthony Downs (Senior fellow at the Brooklings Institute, distinguished scholar and author) this is his view from 1999 on the increase in congestion.

congestion will continue to gro.pdf

Inrix Real Time Traffic Flow system Factsheet. – Looking at reducing congestion via information fed to drivers of blocked routes etc. I also have another information sheet on a Pioneer in-car unit that does the same thing as this.

Inrix Real-Time Flow Traffic Service - Fact Sheet.pdf

Pioneer Nav system.doc

The India Skybus information document.

India Skybus.pdf

The files are hosted on an online file hosting site. I hope they are available for download. They should be. if you click on the link it will bring up a window with a piece of code in it. If you look just above that there is line thats goes like this Options: > View all files in rawha116's folder > Download file [1.3MB] Just click on the download file bit to download.

EEStor

2007-08-07T16:20:00.001+12:00

i discovered this company when i was researching super-capacitors. they're very secretive but have recently come out claiming they've invented a new energy storage device which is a 10x improvement on the lead acid battery. from what i can gather its essentially a super-capacitor, but much better. there seems to be very little info on them but heres some interesting things i found.

the initial speculation - www.treehugger.com/files/2006/03/eestor_capacito_1.php

what EEStor has to say - www.treehugger.com/files/2007/01/big_news_eestor.php

if their claims are realised then this could really revolutionize energy storage

Chris

Water Powered Bike

2007-08-06T22:41:00.002+12:00

I am not sure if anyone seen this footage before, but i remembered catching a glimpse a long time ago. It is a '60 minute' documentary showcasing that an Aucklander, Steve Ryan has created 'the hydrogen fuel', (alternative water fuel source for bikes/ automobiles). Quite unreal.

Link to the company Biosfuel - http://www.biosmeanslife.com/home.html

The Skateboard

2007-08-06T20:03:00.001+12:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKI8hEPDjh8

Skateboard Chassis, interchangeable model, hydrogen-electric powered - idea developed from GM Hy-wire model.

Electric engine competition

2007-08-01T20:52:00.004+12:00

So we can get an estimate on what electric motors weigh see if you can find examples to post or bring along for tuesdays meeting. Chocolate prizes for the best power/weight ratios in 250 watt category, 500 watt category, and 1,000 watt category

Super Caps

2007-08-01T20:52:00.003+12:00

Super caps, or "capacitors" are an alternative energy storage to batteries. I don't know quite how they work- ask Andrew or Chris if interested- but from what I understand they are lighter and deliver higher power bursts for acceleration. However, this comes at a cost- they don't hold as much energy, so they don't last as long. there is also rapid dissapation when not in use. On the plus side they can be charged very quickly which is why they are used in regenerative braking. Very useful things.

Check out
http://jcwinnie.biz/wordpress/?p=2371
for an ebike which uses them and a general explaination.

All aboard the magic wheel...

2007-08-01T12:41:00.002+12:00

The Magic Wheel combines the circus clown affect of a unicycle with the, admittedly teenage, street cred’ of a board. The result is strangely alluring. Step on one side to flick it up. Wheel yourself along hell for leather and hang on for dear life.

Remember Freight was the starting KEY

2007-07-26T14:49:00.002+12:00

Interesting toothed drive & carving vehicle

2007-07-24T12:06:00.003+12:00

http://www.trucdesign.com/index.php/?2006/11/17/292-motorcycledesigncom

different

2007-07-24T11:40:00.001+12:00

http://4room.surgut.info/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=5993&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=7&vc=1

some good stuff here

City Bikes

2007-07-23T10:34:00.001+12:00

these were mentioned last tuesday. they're starting to pop up all over europe at the moment. What they're doing in paris is particularly interesting as they've applied the "enviro - friendly" filter to the surrounding services as well.

www.springwise.com/transportation/city_bike_schemes_update_from/

GM Hy-Wire

2007-07-20T09:19:00.002+12:00

Now there is nothing too exciting about this Hydrogen car but toward the end of the Top Gear video James makes a valid point about being able to interchange motor bodies for different applications. - something that was kind of covered in Tuesdays meeting to do interchanging bike trailers.

Omni-Directional Wheels

2007-07-20T09:10:00.001+12:00

AirTrax

Who said our vehicle has to only be able to move in one direction? The video is a little cheesy but nice application.

New Zealand at the forefront of Solar Power

2007-07-19T14:53:00.001+12:00

"The refining of pure silicon, although a very abundant mineral, is energy-hungry and very expensive. And whereas silicon cells need direct sunlight to operate efficiently, these cells will work efficiently in low diffuse light conditions."

-- Dr. Wayne Campbell, Massey University, Nanomaterials Research Centre

Renewable Energy Access [link]

http://www.doorsofperception.com/

2007-07-18T16:48:00.001+12:00

Not a bad statement

What is New York city planning???

2007-07-18T14:30:00.002+12:00

To to the best Industrial Design web site in the world CORE77 and download the 1.7Meg PDF. Here are a couple of pages of interest.

http://www.core77.com/blog/object_culture/smart_design_leads_team_to_wrap_up_taxi_07_5898.asp

Omoco Team now on National Radar

2007-07-16T16:18:00.001+12:00

An Omoco project summary has been published Synapses - June 2007 . This is a Otago University secondary schools quartely journal, so time to check our spelling as we will have many more viewers coming online.

For new secondary students interested in other sustainable ideas check out another blog some of us are working on ( an win an ipod shuffle possibly)

www.blueprintsfootprints.blogspot.com

Check this out

2007-07-12T12:48:00.001+12:00

Vave a look at the site:
http://www.streetstepper.com/index1.php

New electric motorcycle

2007-07-09T09:55:00.002+12:00

A US product - no real revolution but good for the radar.

http://www.enertiabike.com/

Motorcycle Protective Clothing

2007-07-04T15:56:00.003+12:00

here is a short video from the test of motorcycle protective clothing (in German):

http://www.spiegel.de/videoplayer/0,6298,19551,00.html

Basic Utility Vehicle Competition

2007-06-29T12:56:00.002+12:00

A guy called Simon at the Transport Research Labratory (TRL) put me onto this project. Every year a number of North American universities design and build machines for rural communities in developing countries and have a competition to select the best. They are simple and cheap, the engines are donated and they are to be assembled on site. Can you tell they're designed by engineers?

Find out more at the Institute For Affordable Transportation,

http://www.drivebuv.org/

2 "OLD" ideas

2007-06-26T08:53:00.004+12:00

I have been scanning inside a site : http://douglas.typepad.com/content/design/index.html

Some Gizmag links I likes these 2 ideas.

China Energy Challange

2007-06-25T13:29:00.002+12:00

Check out this link : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6769743.stm

Solar enery beakthrough

2007-05-23T11:40:00.003+12:00

I just stumbled on this article. A month ago massey university anounced they had developed a colloured dye which can harvest sunlight in shady conditions. The result of ten years of work they announce that they are the world leaders and this technology is not only greener (sic) but will cost a tenth of the cost of current silacone based photovoltics.

http://masseynews.massey.ac.nz/2007/Press_Releases/04-04-07.html

Oren

Carried away?

2007-05-23T11:40:00.002+12:00

Hi guys,
I've spent the last few days looking through some new sites. The first is
The Transport Research Laboratory ,
or TRL. They are UK based so much of their information is for developed countries but they have a section on developing countries, and sections on saftey and environmental impacts are highly relevant. They clearly have a lot of information which would be invaluable to us but they are conservative with what they share, so I've contacted them explaining who we are and what we are doing and I hope to hear back from them soon.

I found a link to them through
http://www.itdp.org/mission.html
or The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, who have a huge selection of great links, and are involved in projects such as the mass donation of bicycles to developing countries, as well as developing a bicycle specifically for african conditions, ironically called the California bike.

A final word on an article called " Urban Transportation And The Millenium Development Goals" By Walter Hook in the Global Urban Development MagazineMarch. This is also at ITDP under publications. A little long but answers many of my questions on the unique transportation needs of developing countries and reminds me that what we are doing can make a real difference.

Some highlights:

" In Africa, virtually all vehicles are imported, and there are fewer vehicle options, with land rovers, cars, a few paratransit vehicle types, maybe a few bicycles, maybe animal traction, and nothing else. Where motorcycles have been introduced, like in northern Kenya, Uganda, and Burkina Faso, they have been rapidly popularized. This paucity of vehicle types and their high cost is partly because Africa has virtually no vehicle manufacturing, motorized or non-motorized"

"While directly subsidizing bicycle ownership for the poor is generally not necessary, just to keep matters in perspective, it costs US$10 million to construct a single highway flyover. The beneficiaries of this flyover will be mixed, but mostly concentrated among wealthy motorists. This same US$10 million could buy 150,000 good quality bicycles, or cut the price in half for 300,000 modernized cycle rickshaws, creating 100,000 jobs. Put another way, you could give every man, woman, and child in Senegal a bike for US$500,000,000, roughly the cost of 10 kilometers of subway, or of one major highway. Certainly, donor agencies focused on poverty alleviation would be well advised to focus on bikes and not on highways.

This is not, however, the best approach to resolving the vehicle supply problem in Africa. Most important is to introduce competition and attract private sector investment into the African vehicle sector, both motorized and non-motorized. Joint ventures can be developed that demonstrate the existence of a robust vehicle market and then gradually induce private suppliers to shift to Africa a greater share of the value added from the production process. Greater market involvement in the transport sector would help to break down local vehicle import monopolies and engender competition among suppliers.
The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) has been developing interventions in the non-motorized vehicle supply sector in Africa, where the vehicle costs are most affordable to the poor. The California Bicycle Project, initiated by ITDP in cooperation with the Trek Bicycle Corporation, developed a bicycle specifically designed for urban Africa, and branded it the “California Bike”. By consolidating orders from small independent bicycle dealers, donor agencies, governments, and large employers, ITDP was able to reach sufficient scale to ship container-loads, reducing freight costs and unit costs. The scale of the orders allowed ITDP to negotiate orders directly with factories, bypassing the usual middlemen. In the first order, 1,920 bikes were procured. All were sold, and a 16 percent rate of return was realized. There are now 35 independent bicycle dealers acting as distributors. A second order of six containers arrived in Africa in the summer of 2005. In this way, the California Bike Coalition has been able to introduce a good quality affordable bicycle into Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, and Senegal at prices between 25 percent and 50 percent below the cost of any bike of equivalent quality.
By working to overcome market failures in the vehicle sector, rather than simply donating vehicles, donor agencies in partnership with global vehicle industries can play a more constructive role in establishing sustainable commercially viable domestic vehicle production. "

I'll contact ITDP as well, I just need to work out my damn Microsoft Passport! Righto, thanks for your time,

Oren

Human Powered

2007-05-21T11:05:00.002+12:00

This is a great site with links to all manor of human powered vehicles. Includes the expected cycle variants and whacky walking machines, mono cycles etc

http://www.geocities.com/rcgilmore3/

electronic textile link

2007-05-17T12:53:00.002+12:00

Here is a link to one of many recent reports on electronic textile development.
Currently, there is an industrial trend to move from conceptual prototypes or underdeveloped electronic textiles to products that can be washed and used without impedeing on their durability and performance. This article establishes that such developments are underway, and also briefly outlines some of the prospective uses for electronic textiles- military, medical, sporting/human performance gauging..... automotive uses are not mentioned here, but with the close human to machine interface of transportation, especially with regard to small personal two wheelers etc, smart/electronic textiles could offer all manner of solutions:
-combining communications and safety
-compactability
-water proofing/resistance
-wearability!

It may provide a platform with which to 'tap' energy produced by the human body to be stored and used in conjunction with a battery pack as power..?

-low-zero emmission

It could also include aerial/antenna devices for tracking systems safely contained in a jacket or glove etc.
Such a garment could works in conjunction with a transportation device via blue tooth etc.

http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/HONSHI/20070328/129648/

Shapeshifter - resource optimisation

2007-05-17T12:13:00.001+12:00

Shapeshift is another business that is operating under the Canterbury Innovation Incubator

This kind of technology may be handy for optimising the amount of resources we wish to use if we were considering cutting frames from a single piece of material. It may also be handy for Kate as far as safety clothing goes.

Have a look at www.shapeshifter.net.nz

Blurb from CII site:
Shapeshifter provides optimisation software for manufacturers in the apparel industry. The founder, Dr. Hamish Dean graduated from the University of Canterbury with a PhD in mechanical engineering, having developed a mathematical optimisation algorithm capable of manipulating 2-Dimensional objects in software such that they can be rearranged in a more closely packed formation.

This technology allows savings in raw materials of 1%, converting to an impressive 10% increase of profit for apparel manufacturers. This kind of improvement can save large sewn-goods manufacturers millions of dollars in raw materials each year. Furthermore, new opportunities in diamond cutting and 3-dimensional object manipulation have been trialled with impressive results

FX Adventure lightweight MX / Mountain bike

2007-05-17T11:58:00.001+12:00

Desynz has developed the FXAdventure, the world's lightest high-performance all-terrain motorcycle. At less than 45kg, the FX Adventure creates a new market category, filling the gap between motorcycles and mountain bikes.

This novel development encompasses the power to weight ratio of motorcycles with the manoeuvrability and convenient transportability of a mountain bike

Desynz is located in Christchurch. They are a small company that is working under the Christchurch City Incubator

Have a look at the videos, I have them and will put them in my outbox at University if you cannot be bothered downloading them.

Honda Parts

2007-05-16T15:01:00.001+12:00

A cool little video of honda parts using domino effect with a range of actions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddbPoZjDaOA

81mph human powered

2007-05-15T09:08:00.001+12:00

This site has some great footage of attempts at the bicycle speed record.
http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2007/03/bikerecord_0330

Electronic towbars

2007-05-06T19:53:00.001+12:00

Hi guys. I just checked and yes, there are already electronic towbars in development. They use infrared signals along with a "Lane Keeping System" and""Cruise Control". Distance between vehicles is longer than I was imagining (6-12m) but they are using trucks so... they also use them in series called ""Platooning".

It's called the "Chauffeur 2" project. An overview is at

http://www.itsforum.gr.jp/Public/E4Meetings/P01/fremont5_2_2.pdf

Oren

Designprice INTERMOT Cologne 2006

2007-05-01T16:24:00.001+12:00

here is the link to the designprice:

INTERMOT / IVM Designwettbewerb 2006 “Fashion Motorcycles, Urban Scooters and their modern surroundings”

2007-04-29T17:54:00.001+12:00

I found this article the other day which has some interesting points in it.
http://www.brookings.edu/comm/policybriefs/pb128.htm

I also found this, which is another idea for small 1-2 person car type vehicles
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3610083.stm

chris

sites

2007-04-26T13:55:00.001+12:00

This pdf a good research doc. describing the implications of transportation on the ecological footprint of a city.
http://nzsses.auckland.ac.nz/conference/2007/papers/KARLIK-NEALE-sustainable%20transport.pdf

This link for some weird small cars
http://www.electric-bikes.com/one-cars.htm

This vehicle from volvo attempting to shake the safest car in the world association, this looks scary but cool
http://www.diseno-art.com/encyclopedia/strange_vehicles/volvo_gravity_car.html

3 point carving vehicles

2007-04-20T14:44:00.001+12:00

I also found this. Is human propelled but works on the whole three point carving / camber idea

TRIKKE

http://www.trikke.com/

Cyclist Wattage

2007-04-20T14:43:00.002+12:00

For Your Information

The average "in-shape" cyclist can produce about 3 watts/kg for more than an hour (e.g., around 200 watts for a 70 kg rider), with top amateurs producing 5 watts/kg and elite athletes achieving 6 watts/kg for similar lengths of time. Elite track sprint cyclists are able to attain an instantaneous maximum output of around 2,000 watts, or in excess of 25 watts/kg; elite road cyclists may produce 1,600 to 1,700 watts as an instantaneous maximum in their burst to the finish line at the end of a five-hour long road race

news from the road - 01

2007-04-20T11:28:00.001+12:00

The World Health Organisation "WHO warns of mounting death toll on Asian roads" particularly with respect to motorcycles:

http://www.wpro.who.int/media_centre/press_releases/pr_20040405.htm

I have contacted them for more data or links . . .

- - - - -

The WHO is also part of the first United Nations Global Road Safety Week (23-29 April 2007) . . . next week . . . will watch out for any results which may come from it:

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2007/pr17/en/index.html

- - - - -

Millions of cars going to be grounded during the Olympics in Bejing as they don't know on how they can handle the traffic:

(news in German)

http://www.spiegel.de/auto/aktuell/0,1518,478070,00.html

- - - - -

The city of Guangzhou in China is prohibiting motorcycles from the inner city as they seem to be the preferred choice of criminals:

(in German)

http://www.spiegel.de/auto/aktuell/0,1518,459693,00.html

- - - - -

Sorry for links in German . . . but I am also following up in any other language . . . and will try to find English links

GPS systems avaliable

2007-04-05T09:17:00.001+12:00

I was having a conversaion outside of our group and have discovered 2 current " finder" network systems running on phone GPS chips.

http://www.navizon.com/

apparently the better interface is from a newer system magnalox with "speed coding" for the individual also.

http://www.magnalox.net/

New direction to consider

2007-04-05T09:10:00.001+12:00

To extend thinking further we should now change scale ( think small ) are there delivery systems in place currently at different SCALES to our current thinking?

Maybe we should be looking at a macro cluster of like devices that form a delivery system ' networked ants ' interconnected, able to work together or appart.

Andrew

500kmph

2007-04-05T08:46:00.001+12:00

This might give an insight as to what traveling through the city on a pendulum at 360kmph might look like. check out the video on this link.
http://www.core77.com/blog/object_culture/tgv_some_serious_velocity_5885.asp

What’s being delivered?

2007-04-02T16:02:00.001+12:00

With delivery being cited as a key contributor to city congestion, is it possible to reduce the size of delivery vehicles by delivering in bulk rather than in individually packaged items requiring further transport to remove waste?
An example is bottled drinking water or other liquid consumables. Can design provide a bulk package that allows a consumer to purchase a small quantity without compromising the safety or freshness of the product? Could a tourist visiting New Delhi confidently have a water bottle filled from a bulk supply or from a piped container that had been purified on site? Could the fizz be kept in a coke with a bulk supply product? Do the world a favour and get rid of the later all together.

Chris F

An Holistic Approach

2007-04-02T14:44:00.002+12:00

Following several meetings discussing the various collaborators views and different solutions for the pressing problem of city congestion and on-gong depletion of resources, it seems apparent that no one solution is likely to address the problem and that an holistic approach is most likely to develop integrated concepts with real life applications.
My investigations have focused primarily on vehicles and I have found a number of interesting sites on electric hub motors. Hub motors are available as a simple bolt on conversion for standard bicycles through to sophisticated applications as with this mini which uses hub motors to create a hybrid car that can achieve impressive results as shown.

http://www.pmlflightlink.com/archive/news_mini.html
http://www.pmlflightlink.com/
http://www.technologyreview.com/Biztech/18086/

Item
Original target specification
Emissions Zero
Autonomy 1500km
Top speed 200kph minimum
Acceleration 0-100kph in 6 secs
Braking No mechanical brakes
Fuel Zero carbon
BHP 250 bhp minimum

Current specification
Emissions zero for 4 hours
Autonomy 1500km
Top speed 240kph
Acceleration 0-100kph in 4.5secs
Braking No mechanical brakes
Fuel Carbon neutral option
BHP > 640 bhp

The issues with electrics are obvious however; the need for charging large banks of batteries over a long period of time may make them unattractive. Perhaps it is the charging process that should be looked at. If this mini can use regenerative braking to assist with battery charging, maybe the same process could be applied to other wasteful braking systems such as lift brakes in multistory buildings. If some key large companies that required delivery services were to collaborate to provide battery banks for small delivery vehicles, low batteries could be swaped with batteries charged from energy that would have been wasted and be providing a delivery service for the building itself. Battery technology is moving forward and smaller, faster charging efficient batteries are on the horizon.
Chris F

Ants

2007-04-02T09:07:00.001+12:00

Urban Goods Transport: The Involvement Model, based on - Ants

Imagine a world in which you never walk anywhere empty-handed, because you are always taking somebody else’s stuff along. You would have been handed it by another person, and you may need to give it to somebody else along the line before it reaches its final destination. That way, Pizzas get delivered, cats taken to the RSPCA, letters taken to the mailbox, blood samples taken to the labs, etc.

This would require three things first:

A trusting population.
A system of coordinaton.
An acceptance of the system’s value.

Here is how I suggest to solve these issues:

“A trusting population”:
If every object and every person in the world had an inseparable tracking device visible to satellites, any irregularities would be trackable, and thereby discouraged.

“A system of coordinaton”:
This would work very much like a ride share database. People would input the travels they intend to make and the transport capacities available to them in a database, which would then automatically book meeting times and places for object hand-overs, possibly in multiple form to accommodate possible cancellations or other occasions of non-meetup. This could happen entirely via email and mobile phones.

“An acceptance of the system’s value”:
The population would need to see that what goes around comes around, and they would, because as much as they carry things all the time, people give them things they ordered whenever they do. If anyone is ever identified as having provided too much service, credit will be given in the shape of being excluded from the service providing loop until the balance is clear again. As this system would do away with things such as delivery vans, petrol costs, depreciation for trucks, etc., prices would go down significantly for many things, and delivery traffic would be reduced to a mere trickle.

Chris Ebbert

Innovative Transport Solutions

2007-03-30T12:52:00.001+12:00

Hi again,

Follow the link

http://faculty.washington.edu/~jbs/itrans/siteindx.htm

for a great variety of transportaion forms. Some of them have even been made. For your browsing pleasure,

Oren

Helium

2007-03-30T12:19:00.002+12:00

Hi guys,
this is an opportunity to put in a dream of mine which I've been fostering for over 25 years. Long story short: How do you feel about a vehicle which basically maneuvers like a helicopter, using four small rotors, and which is floated with helium tanks to a degree of about 80% - making it a heavier-than-air "mini-blimp", whose weight is reduced by the helium tanks to such an extent that four modest rotors, powered by only one, centrally mounted pressurized-air driven motor and a motorcycle chain, suffice to lift it.
It would be like the Jetsons, but come true with low-tech available even to the Victorian age - well, not quite, but make it Edwardian. So, this is not difficult to do. I'll try to add a pic to make it clear (may take a while, it's at home).

Chris Ebbert

PAL-V 'Personal Air and Land Vehicle'

2007-03-27T17:08:00.004+12:00

here is a link to PAL-V 'Personal Air and Land Vehicle'

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

E-Bikes and Fuel Cell Trek

2007-03-22T12:55:00.006+12:00

Hi,
I was looking at a website created by Jonathan X Weinert, a grad student from UC Davis who is currently studying ways to make "transportation more environmentally sustainable in developing countries". He has work on fuel cells, hydrogen, and his current focus; e-bikes. Well worth looking at. Just follow the link:

jxweinert.squarespace.com

There is also a movie he posted on youtube, picturing a mass of e-bikes swarming through one of China's larger cities. Have a look at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6wQcIGx5Ew

Oren.

Welcome!

2007-03-20T20:06:00.000+12:00

Hi all, welcome to our blog. This is our 'primordial soup', a place for our ideas to meet and grow. Please post anything you have been working on or perhaps has caught your interest.

Looking at inner-city mobility in developing countries there are a number of problems that need to be addressed. Congestion and pollution are paramount.

I've mostly been looking at alternative transport infrastructure such as light rail, tram-like power sources under the road to support personal vehicles, gondola or ski-lift networks for small packages, or a way of harnessing the energy efficiency inheirent in pendulum motion, perhaps one day flying through the city like spiderman. An alternative or supplimentary infrastructure excites me because conjestion can be reduced radically, and these countries could end up leading the way.

Oren.