shockabsorber
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MIT's shock-absorbing robots are safer and more precise
Soft robots aren't just about speed and grace... they should be safer, too. To prove that point, MIT's CSAIL has developed bouncing robots whose 3D-printed soft skins act as shock absorbers. The technique revolves around printing a "programmable viscoelastic material" where every aspect of the skin (which includes solids, liquids and a rubber-like substance called TangoBlack+) is tuned to the right level of elasticity. The robot can give way where it needs to, but remain solid otherwise. As a result, it can bounce around without taking damage, and land four times more precisely than it would with an inflexible surface.
Audi's active suspension converts road jolts into electricity
Regenerative brakes capture a lot of wasted energy in hybrid and electric cars, but there's another energy source automakers could exploit: potholes. To harness those tailbone scourges, Audi developed an active suspension called eROT that replaces hydraulic shocks with electromechanical ones. "Every pothole, every bump, every curve induces kinetic energy in the car," says Audi's Dr. Stefan Knirsch. "With the new electromechanical damper system in the 48-volt electrical system, we put this energy to use.
Levant Power's GenShock absorbs energy as well as bumps (video)
Hey, who's this charming young rogue giving Ma Earth a peck on the cheek? While opinions may differ on the utility of regenerative braking, we can't envision anyone outside of Chevron or BP's head offices complaining about suspensions that generate electricity out of the bumps you encounter on the road. GenShock is just such an invention, and its creator Levant Power claims it can improve fuel efficiency by up to six percent when implemented in hybrid or all-electric vehicles, while being affordable enough to pay for itself within 18 months of installation. The company is presently targeting heavy trucks, consumer hybrids, military vehicles, and mass transit systems for implementation of its tech, which is also claimed to result in a smoother ride. Should you doubt its actual efficacy, you'll also want to know that GenShock has so far garnered awards from the US Department of Energy, MIT, and Popular Science magazine. See it on video after the break.
Regenerative shock absorbers developed by team at MIT
A team of undergrads at MIT -- led by Shakeel Avadhany and Zack Anderson -- has produced a prototype of a shock absorber for vehicles which can harness and generate electricity back into the vehicle. The team claims that their prototype increases a vehicle's fuel-efficiency by up to 10 percent by using a "hydraulic system that forces fluid through a turbine attached to a generator." There is an active electronic system for controlling and optimizing the damping for a smoother ride than regular old shocks. The team is actively seeking to develop and commercialize the product, and have already seen interest in the prototype from the United States military and also several manufacturers of trucks, which see the most benefit from the shocks... so look for these guys on Grave Digger any day now.
