Tesla upgrades base model to 70 kWh

Tesla has just announced that its base model has just been upgraded from a 60 kWh to 70 kWh battery. Also included is:

● an upgrade to Dual motors for all wheel drive
● access to the free Supercharger network
● many of the features previously included in the tech package
● performance now slightly exceeds the standard 85

No fanfare for the apparent improvement in the 85D 0-100 kph time. As recently as last week, on the Australian site, the Model S 85D was shown as 5.4 sec for 0-100 kph (0.2 seconds faster than the 2wd 85). Today, the 85D is down to 4.6 sec. Power of the two 85 configurations are now 85 — 270 kW, & 85D — 315 kW.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1097683_breaking-new-75000-tesla-model-s-70d-awd-240-miles-of-range

https://transportevolved.com/2015/04/08/breaking-tesla-kills-entry-level-model-s-replaces-it-with-tesla-model-s-70d-makes-dual-motor-standard/

http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/08/tesla-new-model-s-70d/ / Tesla lithium ion LiIon updating lineup arbitrary model year changeovers Tesla Motors all-new Tesla Model S 70D 4WD all-wheel drive version Model S luxury sedan EPA-approved range 240 miles per charge 275 miles NEDC test cycle announcement entry-level Model S 60 EPA-approved range 208 miles per charge Model S 70D additional 32 miles range outgoing model raises entry-level price 70D best value premium sedan official press release earlier cost advantages over internal combustion engine fuel savings incentives cost of owning ownership Model S 70D single-motor Model S Tesla Model S 85 70D, 85D P85D all-wheel drive dual-motor autopilot hardware built in safety features lane departure warning automatic braking activated with Tesla’s 6.2 operating system standard additional autonomous driving features enabled in time via Tesla’s free over-the-air update system free of charge performance improved new higher-capacity model all-wheel drive optional-extra top speed has been increased 140 mph 0-60 mph dash taking place in 5.2 seconds increased battery capacity 70 kilowatt hours 60 kilowatt hours Tesla’s Supercharging network previous entry-level Model S standard on the 70D /

Solar powered bike

Credit: Solarbike/Slashgear

Photovoltaic cells in the wheels charge the torpedo-shaped battery mounted on the down tube.

Charging will be slow when riding the bike, as the angle to the Sun will be far from optimal except at sunrise & sunset, when little light will be available anyway. For this reason, it will be necessary to park the bike carefully to optimise sunlight exposure. At some latitudes, e.g. at the Equator, it will be best to lie the bike flat on the ground.

Note that full wheel covers which are part of the mounting system for the photovoltaics will improve the aerodynamics of the bike.

My guess: solar charging may make a worthwhile contribution to electric power use, depending on where & how it is parked, as well as the latitude, but plan on charging from a power point as well.

http://www.slashgear.com/solarbike-has-solar-panel-wheels-07377736/

http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/06/the-solarbike-is-a-very-real-thing/ / cities walk public transportation bicycle bike ride bikes peddling swear sweaty work electric bikes battery packs recharged Solarbike battery electric motor plugged recharge battery solar panels embedded both sides wheels parked power gathered solar panels battery solar panels sideways power solar panels face towards sun range 43 miles battery fully charged plugged in charged charging charge
/

LEAPTech — many more propellers for better performance

Credit: NASA/Wired

Aircraft create lift by driving an airfoil (wing) through the air. Airfoil & fuselage are moved through the air by an engine which creates thrust using a propeller &/or jet exhaust.

NASA’s latest research uses 18 propellers to directly drive air across the wing to generate lift. Leading Edge Asynchronous Propeller Technology — LEAPTech — is the name NASA has coined. Combustion engines are not practical for such an application, but electric motors are ideal.

At the moment, Solar Impulse 2 is part way through the first round-the-world flight by a solar-powered aircraft. It is a proof-of-concept, rather than a practical means of air travel. LEAPTech is a step towards practical electric-powered air travel.

Expected advantages include:
● shorter take off
● wings can be optimised for cruise, rather than take off & landing
● shorter (front-to-back — see image above) wing is lighter & generates less drag
● individual motors can be can run at different speeds to optimise performance



http://www.jobyaviation.com/LEAPTech/

http://www.wired.com/2015/03/nasa-straps-18-propellers-wing-science/

Follow the Solar Impulse 2 round-the-world solar-powered flight. / Solar Impulse 2 plane powered power Sun electric aircraft news journey around the world build alternative environmentally environmental green fly NASA experimental wing massive advantage exploding jet fuel batteries sky new design 18 propellers powered lithium iron phosphate batteries 31 foot wide carbon composite wing Leading Edge Asynchronous Propeller Technology project LEAPTech flight test experimental wing mounting truck dried up lakebed Edwards Air Force base California 70 mph NASA in development agency’s X-Plane program developed advanced prototype airplanes planes developed first rocket-powered airplane break the sound barrier prototypes development of the Space Shuttle propellers IEEE Spectrum blow wind directly over the wings generate lift conventional planes forward motion jet engine create lift LEAPTech take off shorter runways optimized cruising efficiency takeoff landing motor run at a different speed asynchronous optimize performance ride quality noise reduction LEAPTech new X-Plane X-57 fly at 200 mph 12,000 foot ceiling range 450 miles X-Plane aircraft vehicle new technology NASA’s real goal aviation industry electric /

Formual E, round 6, Long Beach, 04 April 2015 — video

Qualifying


Race


Complete results, including the race & qualifying:
http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/results/long-beach-eprix.aspx / Formula E Long Beach California USA sixth race all electric racing series fourth race Long Beach California USA open wheeler ePrix stadium races F1 FIA electricity sport electric vehicles EV terrific acceleration pass passing possible tracks with tight corners technology range race organizers identical cars Spark-Renault SRT_01E built French company Spark Racing Technology carbon fiber aluminum chassis Dallara electric powertrain electronics McLaren Electronics Systems Williams Advanced Engineering building 200 kiloWatt battery pack batteries powertrain generate 270 horsepower five-speed paddle shift gearbox fixed gear ratios Michelin 18 inch tires wet dry conditions sound 80 decibel whine full grid 20 cars FIA Formula E strategy street courses dedicated circuits tire wear grip management battery life charge prematurely testing drivers learn knowledge teams construction constructors constructing FanBoost pit stop second fully charged car advances in battery technology battery swaps charging battery Renault Michelin DHL Qualcomm Richard Branson Virgin Racing team Leonardo DiCaprio Venturi team lithium ion LiIon battery charge recharge range battery management system BMS /

April fools prank in mathematics class

In the light of such brilliance, all I can add is: over 4 million views as of this writing.

Enjoy:

/ viral youtube video maths math professor lecture professor teacher every year April Fools’ Day interesting pranks tech companies tech jokes Google fresh April Fools stunts Samsung HTC rose to the challenge interesting fake products maths math teacher Matthew Weathers in class the other day fake video tutorial showed in class character in the video gets some trigonometry wrong math teacher correct himself chaos ensues video YouTube hit 2 million views clever professor tech video you see is un-edited what the students saw in class Reddit used Adobe Premier After Effects on-screen video practiced about 20 times to get the timing right hilarious April Fools prank video /

jamstik+ ultra small guitar & MIDI controller

Credit: Zivix/GuitarPlayer





That’s most of the story above: it’s lots of fun, & jamstik+ with the right apps on your iPhone (or iPad or Mac) can make real music.

The detail

● still available on Kickstarter for $US229, as of this writing

● as with all portable devices, there is a tension between the competing requirements of portability & usability — a longer neck would be good when you’re playing, but not when trying to stuff it into your luggage

● only 5 frets, but via the D-pad, it has settings that give access to more than twice the range of a 21 fret guitar

● jamTutor is just what it says — a tutor program

● connects to iOS & OSX devices via Bluetooth LE

● overcomes the latency some users complained of in the original jamstik

● charges via supplied micro USB cable — no power adapter supplied, but you can use the adapter for your iOS device, or a USB port on your OSX device

Kickstarter page

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/80789521/jamstik-the-smartguitar

TechCrunch is enthusastic

http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/22/the-new-jamstik-is-a-musicians-best-friend/

http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/22/fly-or-die-the-jamstik/

Other reviews are generally positive

http://www.guitarplayer.com/gear/1012/jamstik-gets-serious-with-hexaphonic-pickup-and-bluetooth-capability--video/51477

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/introducing_jamstik_smartguitar_the_possible_future_of_guitars.html

An educator’s view

https://techinmusiced.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/jamstik-kickstarter-campaign-begins-today/

On the other hand

This negative review is about the original jamstick, but doesn’t mention the latency some have complained of:

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/09/emmy-the-great-tries-jamstik-midi-controller / playing guitar one of the most rewarding experiences you can have listen learn make music jamstik+ jamstik+ works wirelessly iPad iPhone iPod Touch Mac Macintosh iOS OSX app apps get you playing right away so easy to use strumming your first chord included apps guide how to hold a pick correctly creating your own song fingering strum finger fret frets plectrum pick watching listening people play guitar lessons afford the lessons playing chords dream creating music a reality everyone pros YouTube sensations YOU start playing Kickstarter crowd funding funded making the jamstik+ first-time jamstik players jamstik+ senses sensors where your fingers are infrared pluck a string learning incredibly intuitive always in tune connect wirelessly iOS device via Bluetooth LE low energy download launch jamTutor app walked through a series of lessons launch jamMix just start playing everything sounds good in jamMix free companion apps jamstik+ guitar MIDI controller can sound like almost any instrument you can think of drums samples synths banjo create mix entire songs companion apps your favorite music apps like GarageBand Loopy SampleTank Ableton Live build an entire song in GarageBand with the jamstik+ infrared sensors in the fretboard detect precise variations of your fingers instant feedback no delay between what you play and what you hear traditional guitar users hands hexaphonic magnetic pickup more realistic guitar feel higher resolution signal wireless Bluetooth LE connectivity works seamlessly latest BLE MIDI Protocol supported by Apple /

No batteries, no motors, this boot allows you to walk 7% more efficiently

Credit: Gizmodo

Not quite 100% efficient, the human gait. This boot captures back 7%. Not impressed? Every little bit helps.

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2015/04/this-exoskeleton-boot-saves-energy-in-an-ingenious-way/ / millions of years of evolution your feet not perfectly energy efficient exoskeletons exoskeletons researchers created a new boot unlike other exoskeletons makes walking more efficient without extra battery power source boot contraption reduces energy walk by about 7 per cent without a bulky battery pack power works differently from exoskeletons give you superhuman strength total energy expenditure is the same finding tiny inefficiencies correcting them human walking, optimised inefficiency muscles use energy even when they’re locked mechanical clutch Davide Castelvecchi Nature research exoskeleton structures lightweight carbon-based materials spring connects back of the foot just below the back of the knee attaches with a mechanical clutch Achilles tendon stretched clutch is engaged spring additional tendon stretches store energy standing leg pushes down push unleashing elastic energy clutch releases absorbs slack in the spring next cycle video sound like a robot squeaking through the woods researcher refine the boot energy gains regardless of speed and terrain squeakiness /