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A US Paralympian designed Team USA's snowboard prosthetics
Mike Schultz was a professional snowmobile racer, and a damn good one at that. But in 2008, his life's course took a turn after a competition accident shattered his left knee and left him clinging to life. When his injuries began causing his kidneys to shut down, doctors decided to amputate the leg just above the knee.
UMaine's clean snowmobile runs on (a lot of) natural gas
Take a look at what these mechanical engineering students from the University of Maine say is the only natural gas-powered snowmobile in the US. Why make all these changes to what used to be a stock Arctic Cat XF1100? To compete in the Society of Automotive Engineers Clean Snowmobile Challenge, which was founded to create machines capable of running in Yellowstone Natural Park where rules about noise and emissions keep gas snowmobiles out. Changing the fuel source from gasoline to natural gas not only meant swapping out the gas tank, but also the injectors inside the motor. As you can see in the video after the break, last year's team got the beast running, but this year students are working on improving the handling and tuning.
Google's Street View hits the slopes again, stops for hot cocoa in Squaw Valley and Whistler (video)
Were you worried that Google's Street View snowmobile was put out to pasture after 2010's Winter Olympics? Relax you worrywart, as Mountain View's resurrected the snow-trottin' beast, only to unleash it upon the slopes of an additional four alpine locales. Joining existing (and updated) imagery from Vancouver's Whistler resort, 2011's additions stayed stateside, testing out the snow in Squaw Valley, Breckenridge, Deer Valley and Crystal Mountain. Yet, while the additional footage is welcome, we can't help but notice it's of vastly lower quality than that taken from last year. From exploring Swiss railroads to documenting the Amazonian river, apparently not much is off limits for street view. Which begs the question, how long until it jury-rigs a lunar rover into giving us a tour of the moon?
Panasonic chains Toughbook to a snowmobile, shows signs of life post-torture (video)
We've never questioned the rigidity of Panasonic's Toughbook line -- after all, we've been shown just how rugged these things are time and time again -- but a new video from the company is just too clever to pass over. Sure, it hardly makes any clearer what's already clear, but just in case you were still having doubts, Panny's Toughbook line is mighty tough. As in, tough enough to survive being towed behind a snowmobile in bitterly cold conditions. Unfortunately, the company only shows the screen lighting up after the ride's done, so there's still the possibility that the keyboard is totally shot -- but hey, props for being alive at all, right? Have a look yourself in the video above. [Thanks, Tsuyoshi]
Google's Street View snowmobile takes your voyeurism to the Olympic slopes
There's something deliciously futuristic about the fact that Microsoft and Google are patrolling our roads, documenting their every nook and cranny with large multidirectional cameras strapped to SUVs. But what about the unpaved wilderness? Well, Google's after that too now, with its new Street View snowmobile it's unveiled just in time for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Sure, it's a bit of a gimmick, but also it's surprisingly thrilling to chase down the various slopes in use for the Olympics, and Google Earth even has most everything mapped out in 3D for your aerial viewing pleasure. Check out a video of the snowmobile in action after the break, or hit up that source link to "hit the slopes." If something gets in your way, turn.
