Wearable Motorcycle Design 234
A motorcycle design student recently came up with a wearable motorcycle design that, while cool, is unlikely to see public adoption. The bike would be capable of doing 0 to 60 is just 3 seconds with a top speed of 75 miles-per-hour and would theoretically be controlled by 36 pneumatic muscles and 2 linear actuators. I would imagine the results of a crash would be much like being strapped to the hood of your car during a collision — bonus points for form, however.
Why wearable? (Score:5, Insightful)
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Though it may deserve kudos for likely trumping the motorcycle in sheer danger factor.
Re:Why wearable? (Score:5, Funny)
This isn't wearable.
Re:Why wearable? (Score:5, Funny)
Well now I'm not so sure. I figure if you can wander through a crowd at 75mph, you shouldn't have to worry much about anyone starting a fight with you.
Though the "garment" part of the definition might not fit this item well...
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Re:Why wearable? (Score:5, Funny)
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Re:Why wearable? (Score:5, Informative)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rgWl_7nH4w&feature=related
Wheelbase issues (Score:5, Insightful)
I therefore conclude that it has one of two undocumented features: either there is a ultra-high speed gyro concealed behind the wearer ( which I regard as very unlikely ), or the frame bends so as to lean the rider forward thus lengthening the wheelbase and moving the center of gravity forward.
Re:Wheelbase issues (Score:4, Insightful)
That's the "parking" configuration (Score:3, Insightful)
More pictures. (Score:4, Insightful)
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trying to do a road trip with that would kill yourneck
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Re:Art Student "engineering" (Score:2)
Re:Art Student "engineering" (Score:4, Informative)
Just to clarify, Art Center is where many of the world's best professional transportation designers get their training. It's not unheard of for a car company to pay for a promising new designer to take off a couple years and study there. These aren't bunch of computer graphics nerds sitting around scribbling cool motorcycles in their notebooks, these are folks with money and advisers from every major auto company on Earth. They use the same engineering software and tools that GM or Ducati would use to develop a new product.
Their designs are no different from any concept car you'd see at an auto show -- sure, it may cost $20 million to make, but they aren't inventing critical materials and demanding that the whole frame is made out of Unobtanium. It may well be made entirely out of stuff that is still impractical for mass production, and that seems to be the case with a lot of these designs, but it all exists. If they say it'll do 0-60 in however many seconds, you can bet that under ideal conditions and with a couple million dollars to actually build it, that the claim is only a bit less accurate (due to more exotic materials) than the specs for any new vehicle design that hasn't yet had the first production run.
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It's not all that unbelievable. I recall seeing something on TV recently where an electric motorcycle was raced against an internal combustion motorcycle and it turned out the electric one was quicker. Both bikes were drag race style bikes.
The electric motorcycle was quicker (crossing the finish line first) but not faster (had a lower top speed). I believe it had something to do with the power range of the electric motor in relation to the power range of the IC engine. It also possibly had to do with the el
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"With seven artificial vertebrae behind the helmet that support the rider's head you could control the 'Deus Ex Machina' via 36 pneumatic muscles and 2 linear actuators with your body. Leaning forward the rider extends into the more traditional riding position but there is nothing traditional about this machine."
So, I believe you are entirely correct. My guess is that the rear wheel is powered, and the two arms allow you to lean forward for acceleration, and that
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I recall years ago ( 1981? 1982? ) reading an article in a motorcycle magazine in which the writer interviwed the lead engineers at the four major Japanese motorcycle companies. The interviews with the Honda, Yamaha, and Kawasaki people were predictable and boring.
But the Suzuki engineer said that he wanted to design cycles that behaved like animals. The particular example he gave, IIRC, was a cheetah.
He noted that when a cycle turns, it leans inward. That's good - just like an
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...He noted that when a cycle turns, it leans inward. That's good - just like an animal. But when braking, it tends to lean forward, and when accelerating it leans back. Both of those are the wrong way.
This vehicle may finally be doing it right on the acceleration. To do it right when braking would require that the arms extend foraward and the rider lean back.
From the image, it appears that the front wheels both have disc brakes, however, given the design inspiration, I wouldn't be too surprised if "slow" braking were done via regenerative braking on the rear wheel, which seems a bit more "cheetah-like", saving the front brakes for quick stops that wouldn't be accompanied by much of an angle change.
To me, the concept of being more like an animal is great for acceleration and turning, but not so great for stopping. My gut feeling is that animals just don't sto
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It's a shame there isn't an article about it~
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while I wouldn't mind trying it out a couple of times, a segway with a beefier battery sounds far safer.
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not only that but the foremost portion of the bike in the middle would be your head. Sure, you have those big wheel arms out to the side but if you hit a tree head on it would literally be head on.
Sounds like a bad plan.
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brilliant (Score:4, Funny)
This means riders crash head-forward into things. That eliminates disability and pain. Great design!
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Thanks slashdot (Score:2)
Just make sure to have a camera rolling (Score:5, Funny)
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Aerodynamics? (Score:3, Insightful)
Wait... (Score:5, Funny)
Does this mean I can now be one of those robot overlords that everyone is so eager to welcome?
Re:Wait... (Score:4, Insightful)
Dangerous, huh? (Score:5, Insightful)
Welcome to the world of motorcycles, where safety is not our primary concern. Motorcycles don't offer any protection in a crash, and never have, with few exceptions. The best you can hope for in a crash is that you get thrown one way, and your bike another so that it doesn't crush you. And wear a helmet. If safety is your primary concern, cars and buses are much safer.
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Re:Dangerous, huh? (Score:5, Informative)
the ideal way to wreck a bike (oxymoron i know) is to lay it down. This way you have some control over which way the bike slides, you can keep most of your head of the ground, and it does less damage to the bike. That is one flaw I see with this bike's design, there is no effective way to lay it down in the event you need to.
Re:Dangerous, huh? (Score:5, Informative)
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Someone mod parent up, and my original post if you want =)
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See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iWWuW4U73s [youtube.com] @ 1min 40 secs in.
Re:Dangerous, huh? (Score:5, Insightful)
Once you lay a bike down you have no control and you're just sliding along dragging your axle nuts into the pavement (usually with your leg trapped under the bike, too).
Ideally, you do everything possible to avoid a collision. But if you can't, the best thing you can do is lay on the brakes with proper (and practiced) technique and decrease your speed as much as possible before hitting the object.
This is also the recommendation of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.
Don't listen to this guy (Score:3, Informative)
No. The best you can hope for is that when you low side, you slide along on your back armor, while your leathers are soaking up the damage. Afterward, you get up and brush yourself off. With only a helmet, you slide along on your ass until you have no ass left, then it starts in on the bones underneath.
A helmet isn't enough. There are plenty of synthetic, breathable
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This would be worse.
A while back there was some guy that wanted to mandate seat belts on motorcycles. This isn't a good idea since, in a crash bikes go every which way and you don't want to end up crushed under it. The belt that connects you to your safety gear is your helmet strap.
If this thing went off its wheels I cant imagine it would provide all that much protection to the rider who is strapped into it. If nothing else your limbs are free to be torn off.
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Up and out of the impact zone, waft gently to the Earth and make your escape on foot.
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Safety sticker for same:
WARNING: Do Not Crash or Otherwise Eject in Tunnel or Underpass! WARNING!
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What about road debris? (Rocks, Tires, Trash are dangerous at high speeds too).
At least with a motorcycle, you have the windshield and the actual bike. I don't see much protection offered by this design...
Races (Score:2)
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Is there a reason... (Score:2)
http://www.greencardesign.co.uk/site/item.php?id=1210936143&category=news&subcat= [greencardesign.co.uk]
Cool! (Score:2)
can't wait to see (Score:4, Funny)
Rock + crotch = ??? (Score:2)
The gravel-transport trucks will have to update their signs "Stay back 200 feet. Not responsible for windshields or your hoo-hoo."
Knight Sabers! (Score:2)
Three wheels = ? (Score:2, Insightful)
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Trikes do have some advantages over traditional motorcycles. Cornering ability is not one of them, but straight-line stability and traction are. Plus, you never have to lay down a trike. I know that there are those who say that you should never have to l
Interesting design (Score:2)
This design comes pretty close to fitting the bill. One thing I like is that the integral helmet and racing-style seatbelt pretty much eliminates the possibility of whiplash. In my humble op
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You do realise that in a 30mph shunt with *anything*, the occupants of an SUV are dead? Usually fairly slowly, from massive internal injuries?
Crash results. (Score:3, Funny)
In Soviet accident, Yamaha Deus Ex Machina wears you!
It's been done, and it's on YouTube. (Score:4, Interesting)
Here's one that actually works. [youtube.com] It's an exoskeleton for street luge.
M.A.S.K. (Score:2)
Bubblegum Crisis! (Score:2)
Wearable motorcycles were an element of the early 90s OVA series Bubblegum Crisis (and its bastard children Bubblegum Crash and BGC 2040). See http://www.daedalnexus.net/bubblegum/crisis/bgctech.html#ksveh [daedalnexus.net] for more information.
Wearable? (Score:2)
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A wearable computer game? [wikipedia.org] Cool!
Is a crash really that different? (Score:2)
"is unlikely to see public adoption."
Why not? How is a crash on this type of vehicle any different from a crash with a regular motorcycle? Ok, so you have some impact absorption from the front fork, but you are still going to be catapulted off the bike and into either the ground or some other object (vehicle, light pole, llama, etc.). I guess the difference is then that you won't be catapu
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Movie concept (Score:3, Interesting)
Yeah, it's a cheesy idea, but it could be fun anyway.
Slshdot has let me down (Score:4, Interesting)
If it doesn't have wheels on my shoulders and a jet pack, I'm not interested.
You never know... (Score:2)
Then I looked at it and, DAMMIT, I WANT ONE!!!!!!
Damn you, Slashdot, for making me retract a kneejerk reaction! It hurts!!
Stability concerns (Score:2)
gravel gravity (Score:2, Funny)
Here's better picture (Score:2, Informative)
http://gizmodo.com/photogallery/deusexmachina/1001615643 [gizmodo.com]
The inspiration (Score:2)
tagged... (Score:3, Informative)
!wearable
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Now git offa mah lawn, I have to go crap myself or buy dentures or whatever it is old people are supposed to do.
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And yes proper gear can prevent road rash, but if you go down going 60+ and yo
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As someone who has also actually (unintentionally) put a bike down a couple of times, I can testify that it's not much fun.
Rich
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Today's tyre compounds have way more friction than your fairings, you're in control right up until the point of impact (if any) and twin caliper front
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You know you've ridden too much when you know how to land safer when you are thrown over the handlebars. nothing like having a kid in a civic run you into oncoming traffic because they did not want to go around the block to turn. That is what they told the cop. "I saw him, I did not want to go around the block again." It took 2 officers to keep me
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I'm sure there's a way to crash intentionally on this thing.
As for laying down a bike intentionally, I bet you've never done it. You lose all control and it's *always* better to be in control.
Most of the comments here tell how wrong this is on the road.
It's also wrong off-road. I've been racing since I was nine, 30 years ago. I've done motocross, ice racing, flat track, etc. You can't use the brakes to slow down when you've laid it down. You can't save it & get ba
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Easy, really (Score:2)
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But I could just be wrong.
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like I would ever ride a bike that topped out at 75. I rarely ride that fast but when you are at highway speeds and need to get out of the way of something hitting some artificial speed limitation is about the last thing you want.
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I think the main problem would be bugs with this thing. Imagine your helmet, as well as other parts of your body looking like the front of your car. It isn't pretty and its hell to wash off.
Which isn't all that different from a normal motorcycle these days. Some motorcycles have windshields, which sometimes keep some bugs off. Many motorcyclists wear full-face helmets or helmets with full face shields. Those that don't almost always wear glasses and/or goggles, and tend to be very tight-lipped while riding. I haven't done it myself, but I have been told that a 60 mph dragonfly sandwich is quite unpleasant. I will accept that as fact without any desire for personal experience.
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well at least a normal motorbike has the option of a windshield. But from experience I can tell you that you are right and that junebugs hitting you in the chest at 60 MPH hurt... a lot.