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Toyota is teaching teens how to build fuel-cell cars
Toyota has launched a new project to teach high school students how to build fuel cell cars. Well, OK, the company is teaching them how to build small, remote-controlled fuel cell cars, but it's hoping that's enough to ignite their interest in the technology. The automaker's Hydrogen Horizon Automotive Challenge isn't a full-blown, multi-year program like the drone and robotics course offered at one Japanese high school. But it will teach teens about climate change and the importance of alternative energy for a whole semester.
Disney's robot car drives up walls
As clever as robotic cars may be, they have one obvious disadvantage over flying drones: their journey stops the moment they run into a wall. Disney Research and ETH Zurich have a clever workaround, however. Their prototype VertiGo robot uses two tilting propellers to drive up walls, adjusting its thrust to stick to the surface even if it has to travel over uneven surfaces like bricks. The result, as you'll see below, is uncanny -- all it takes is a quick push from the propellers to have this machine defying gravity.
Open Source Remote Control lets you pilot just about any drone
Drones and other remotely piloted vehicles are inherently limited by their controls; you frequently have to switch controllers when you switch vehicles, and you can usually forget about customization. You might not have to worry if the Open Source Remote Control (OSRC) project gets off the ground, however. The long-in-development peripheral uses a mix of modular hardware and Linux-based software that lets you steer just about any unmanned machine. On top of a programmable interface, you can swap in new wireless modules and shoulder switches to either accommodate new drones or improve existing controls. You can also attach a 4.8-inch touchscreen module (typically for a first-person view), use cellular networks or even share one vehicle between multiple operators -- handy if you're at a flying club or shooting a movie.
This R/C racer can shame sports cars with a 188mph top speed
The R/C Bullet might be tiny, but it's so fast it can leave some supercars in the dust. The 1:10 scale model with four-wheel drive was recently timed at 188mph, beating its own 171.96mph world record (as shown after the break). The spaceship-like speeder is the brainchild of Nic Case, already a savant in making radio-controlled cars and breaking records. He built a Schumacher Mi3 R/C before the Bullet, which also held the Guinness World Record in 2008. In fact, he's refining the Bullet even further, hoping to top 200mph. Unfortunately for R/C enthusiasts out there, it doesn't look like he has any plans to mass produce his creation -- you're probably better off saving up for a still-speedy-but-much-slower Traxxas.
Arduino project has Sega Rally cabinets steer RC cars: like the game with more bruised ankles (video)
We've seen attempts at recreating video game racing in real life. For Artica and The Arcade Man, there's no desire to preserve the illusion -- they've jury-rigged two Sega Rally cabinets to control the strictly real-world racing experiences of RC cars. Their two-machine setup from the recent Codebits VI event in Portugal yanks the original arcade computing power in favor of an Arduino-powered system that maps the steering wheel and pedals to the tiny vehicles through a wireless Xbee link. The setup does make a nod to traditional video games through the cameras, however: drivers can pick either an arcade-style overhead camera or jump to a cabin-level view. The only true challenge during the build process was to find viable displays for the rigs, as the original CRTs proved too problematic for the retrofit. Some might consider it sacrilege to gut a classic cabinet for the sake of some RC action, but the end result is a racing experience that's at once very familiar and yet surprisingly fresh. Spectators had better watch their feet, though -- the competition might get fierce out there.
RC car modded with Arduino, controlled by iPad
This is great -- developer Wannes Vermeulen has hacked a toy remote control car with an Arduino board and hooked it up to an iPad to drive it around. You can see video of the project in action over on Vimeo right now. It's not anything too special these days, as you can buy lots of RC vehicles that are controlled with an iPad or an iPhone app, but as a DIY project, it's pretty amazing. There's actually an Android smartphone on the car itself to provide camera information and wifi access, and I believe, according to the description, that it also connects to a laptop, which then sends information to the iPad. So it's a pretty complicated setup, especially given that there are vehicles which will do this out of the box. But making it from all of these pieces is really cool no matter what. [via Make]
Traxxas X0-1 RC car can reach 100 mph, decimate your bank account in under five seconds (video)
In the off-chance that you haven't already started holiday shopping for your favorite Engadget editors, we'd like to turn your attention to the new X0-1 from hobby RC car manufacturer, Traxxas. This little speed demon can do zero to 60MPH in 2.3 seconds and zero to 100MPH in a cool 4.92 seconds. The diminutive sports car also has built-in speed, voltage and RPM monitoring. It'll go on sale December 30th for $1,100, for a slightly belated -- and rather expensive -- gift for the Fast and the Furious reenactor in your life. Video of this sucker in action after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
iOS-controlled iW500 RC car defies gravity, paint job may drive you up the wall (video)
Driving cars on the floor is so passe, which is exactly why you need iHelicoter's wall-scaling iW500. We've seen similar gravity-defying propositions in the past, but this is the first to be controlled by your iOS device. Belying its 90s toy looks, the car attaches itself to vertical surfaces with a sealed vacuum that even has enough suck to drive upside-down across your ceiling. As you'll see in the video after the break, controls are handled using the built-in accelerometer on your phone or tablet as well as the touchscreen interface on the dedicated app. It'll join a crowded starting grid of iPhone-friendly RC cars, helicopters and monster trucks, priced at $59.99.
AppSpeed Monster Truck is controlled by your iPad, iPad, iPad (video)
What Dexim's tiny AppSpeed Monster Truck lacks in actual car crushing prowess, it makes up in Apple device compatibility -- and that's gotta account for something, right? The little RC car can be controlled by users' iPhones, iPads or iPod touches, with the help of the company's iOS app, utilizing the devices' built-in accelerometer for 360 degree control of the Monster Truck. The car will be available for $69. As for the app, that will be offered for free through iTunes. Video and PR after the break, break, break.
Engadget's back to school guide 2011: fun stuff!
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Since the weekend is finally upon us, we figured now's as good a time as any to sit back, relax, and have some fun. Play along with our fun stuff picks -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! It's Friday, and that can only mean one thing: two days of parties, sleeping in, and seeing your campus transform from a vehicle of intense education to a spring break-like haven of drunken delight. We've rounded up a few toys to help you relax before you head back to class -- a memory card reader that doubles as a pocket mirror, an Arduino-powered car that can stream video from the dorm hall, and an electric-powered sports car that can drive you and a friend far from campus for a pricey weekend getaway -- so kick off the shoes and prepare to embrace these 48 hours of freedom. And when it's time to get back to the books, we have the gear for that too -- and we're giving it away! Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win, and check out our giveaway page for more details.
Cam-wielding RC car used to investigate roadside bomb, saves lives in Afghanistan
The US military spends billions of dollars each year beefing up wartime tech, but a low-budget hacked RC car recently served as an unlikely hero, saving six soliders' lives in Afghanistan. The home-built rig, which included a wireless security camera mounted on a Traxxas Stampede remote-controlled truck, cost about $500 when it was built in 2007. Since then, Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Fessenden has used it to locate roadside bombs, until it tripped a detonation sensor during a patrol last month, in turn saving Fessenden and fellow troops from coming head-to-head with 500 pounds of explosives. Unfortunately the RC cam didn't survive the attack, so Ernie, the solider's brother who built the first model, is currently working on a replacement. Sure, a half-grand may seem like a laughable sum compared to the Pentagon's annual budget, but if the proven gadget gets enough attention, perhaps Chinese-made toys will play a role in entertaining our kids, and protecting our troops.
3D-printed Mario Kart turtle shells race to rescue American economy
As soon as you see these little RC Koopa shells, you know that life can't be that bad. In fact, they've already had a hallelujah-inducing impact on the world of the 3D-printing genius who created them. Ten days ago, Michael Curry (aka Skimbal) was among America's 13.9 million unemployed, having been unceremoniously booted out of his ailing architect's firm. All he had was a $700 MakerBot printer to stop his hands from idling, but he made the most of it. MakerBot saw his stuff and were as bowled over as we are, so they just gave the guy a job. We're dusting off our Wii controllers and even those little plastic steering wheels in celebration.
RC car runs on soda can rings, Doc Brown approves (video)
Many a future engineer was inspired by Back to the Future's Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown, and not just because he proved that unkempt eccentrics could truly change the world. No, he also pioneered Mr. Fusion, the coffee maker/cold fusion reactor that turned garbage into energy. And while we're still waiting for cold fusion and time travel to become a reality, today we're all one step closer to waste-powered cars. A pair of Spanish engineers have recently unveiled the dAlH2Orean (see what they did there?), a R/C car that runs on aluminum. Dropping a few soda can tabs into a tank of sodium hydroxide produces enough hydrogen to power the little speedster for 40 minutes – at almost 20mph. Hit the video above to see it in action, along with your daily helping of the Chemical Brothers. Fitting.
RixRover is the cheap RC car controlled by a rather more expensive Arduino and netbook combo (video)
Driving RC cars never gets old, but driving them over the internet is truly something magical. Welcome to the RixRover, the creation of Quebecer Pierric Gimmig. It's a cheap RC truck fitted with big knobby tires that's had its ABS body removed, replaced by an Arduino board and a netbook. The car itself cost about $45, the Arduino about $30, and Eee PC 1005-series netbook about $200. But the result, being able to drive the car over remotely via streaming video, why that's quite simply priceless. Video after the break and, if you want to try your hand at this, there's some source code on the other end of the source link.
ZMP's City Simulator Experiment takes the driver out of the car, keeps the helmet just in case (video)
ZMP has done some great things in the past -- well, except maybe Miuro, the roving iPod dock that ensured your PMP would always be just out of reach. Lately the company has been focusing on self-driving cars like the RoboCar MEV, and while this little one most certainly does have a driver, that driver is not actually in the car. It's a potential roadway revolution. Just imagine being able to partake in your morning commute from the safety of your own home! Right now it's just a little RC car (not unlike Malte Jehmlich's telepresence Wipeout from last year) being steered by what looks like a Logitech Driving Force GT, making us hope that the next Gran Turismo offers a mode just like this -- minus the headgear.
Kinect gets own set of wheels, drives a car, nothing can stop it now (video)
Yeah, we're a sucker for a good Kinect hack, and we're a sucker for anything involving RC cars, too. Happy day for us, then, as the two come together in blissful harmony with this project from Michael Schweitzer and Michael Himmelsbach at the University of Bundeswehr Munich. It's a 1:10 scale auto with Microsoft's fancy cam mounted up front and what looks to be a surplus Dell XPS M1330 riding in style on the back. The laptop is running a simplified version of the object-avoidance software used by the team to propel a full-sized and similarly autonomous VW, obviously shrunken down a bit for this application. This little 'un is a little shaky right now, but that's largely because they haven't managed to get an accurate odometer working yet. Still, it does avoid obstacles, as you can see, and now all it needs is some Lexan bodywork before it can look pimpin' when cruising the strip -- autonomously, of course. Update: This post was updated to clarify how the object avoidance software was used previously.
Lamborghini dishes out a Reventon you can actually afford: a 1:10 scale RC car
At long last even us plebeian supercar lovers can afford to say we own a Lambo. And we wouldn't even be lying if we claimed it had an internal combustion engine (3cc, vroom vroom!), hydraulic shock absorbers, disc brakes, or permanent all-wheel drive. Such must have been the stringent requirements handed down from Lamborghini HQ to DeAgostini, which has scored the license to produce a limited run of 65 1:10 scale models of the Reventon. The radio-controlled mini-supercars haven't been priced yet, but we suspect they'll fall quite a few zeroes short of the real deal's $1.2 million sticker. Update: As it turns out, these come in parts and can be built up if you keep buying a collection of 65 "booklets." Each one costs €8 and the remote control is priced at €60, leading you to a total around €580 ($737) [Thanks, wii_willie!]
Call of Duty: Black Ops Prestige Edition ships with full-blown RC spy vehicle
We tell ya, these game bundles are getting completely out of hand... and we love it. If you reckoned that Modern Warfare 2 Prestige Edition bundle was hot stuff, wait till you get a load of this. Call of Duty: Black Ops Prestige Edition (promo video beyond the break) just went up for pre-order at select retailers in the US, and if we had to guess, we'd surmise that every last one of 'em will claimed in just a few hours. Aside from getting a beastly box, the game itself and some sort of medal, the package also includes a fully functional RC spy car, complete with a camera that sends back video and audio to the owner's LCD-equipped controller. There's absolutely no telling what the MSRP on this thing will be, but our comrades over at Joystiq are pegging it at $149.99. Mom, dad -- go ahead and add this to our holiday wish list.
German designer brings Wipeout racing game to life, burns up cardboard tracks with an R/C car (video)
The intersection of video games and real life is a fantastic place to play, as evidenced by Roombas, Halo and the occasional six-string guitar, but all you really need to blur reality is a webcam, an R/C car and a studio filled with cardboard. That's what Malte Jehmlich and company used to create this rendition of Wipeout, which moves practically as fast as the PlayStation original due to the blinding scale speed of its 1/28 model cars. It's all controlled by an arcade racing cabinet complete with steering wheel and on-screen display wirelessly connected to an Arduino board. Originally a two-month hobby project, the designers are presently working towards an advanced version with force feedback and powerups (including boost!) using sensors built right into the track -- and hopefully a forklift to lug all that corrugated wood pulp around. See it in action after the break.
Remote Control Mario Kart toys tested, don't drift but do shoot (video)
To win at Mario Kart on a console you must master two things: drifting and power-ups. Half of that is replicated in these R/C Mario Kart toys, which we saw standing still last month but now can finally see in action motoring around what looks to be either Corporate Carpet Raceway or CDR Castle. The controller emits that familiar jingling item select sound when you've snagged a virtual power-up, and you can see how mushrooms boost your speed while banana peels cause your opponents' cars to freak out. Sadly there is no drifting to be found in this version of the game, but we're wondering if a little tape on the rear wheels wouldn't help address that shortcoming. [Thanks, Jarom]
