infomancer» MIT http://www.infomancer.net Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:01:40 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Robot Wheel! http://www.infomancer.net/2010/01/robot-wheel/ http://www.infomancer.net/2010/01/robot-wheel/#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:01:49 +0000 infomancer http://www.infomancer.net/?p=70 With a name like infomancer, perhaps you can guess – I love robots.  The only dance I do in public is the robot.  I like to talk like a robot.  I like to think my brain works like a robot’s (have you seen my about page?).  I think it would be fabulous to have a robot.  So, boy, do I think this is neat.

Check out this super cute car with robot wheels from MIT!

MIT's City Car

Image via MIT's Smart Cities

This little guy is as long as I am tall (actually I’m a bit taller – he’s only 5′ long).  It’s a foldable, stackable electric car, designed by MIT’s Smart Cities for GM.  The idea is that you arrive at one of the rental stations,  swipe your credit card, drive away, and return to the back of another stack whenever you’re done.

Check out these sweet moves.  The wheels can turn 120 degrees – all four of them!  So you can pull into a parallel parking spot sideways.  No more embarrassing Austin Powers moments.

But it must be slow, since it’s electric, right?  Absolutely not!  This guy zips around at up to 55 mph, hauling you, a companion and your goodies wherever your heart desires (as long as you stay in one city).

Did I mention the robot wheels?  Each wheel basically has its own computer that controls all of its functions.

I live just a couple blocks away from a major intersection; it would be so fabulous to hop out the door and rent one of these for the day.  I’ll look forward to 2011, when it will be available.

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