Disneyland for Dudes: Playing With Backhoes, ATVs, Weapons

Think of it as a testosterone-soaked sandbox: a German amusement park where, instead of standing in line to ride on roller coasters, you get to play with big, loud machines. For 219 euros, patrons can spend the day operating 29-ton Liebherr backhoes and 32-ton Komatsu front-end loaders, off-roading through the woods in a Mercedes-built Unimog, peeling out in a Suzuki SUV, and slinging some mud on quad bikes. The brainchild of Alexander Bammer, a former IT honcho, Männerspielplatz (literally "men's playground") began seven years ago as a one-off corporate promotion with a handful of rented earthmovers at a construction site near Kassel in central Germany. The event struck a chord with pasty execs who loved getting in touch with their inner ditchdigger. "Most men these days don't work on a construction site; they work at a desk," Bammer says. "They dream about experiences like this." So in 2004, he decided to open Männerspielplatz, just outside Kassel, as a 17-acre one-stop shop for man fantasy (slogan: "We fulfill men's dreams!").
Wired

Human canon patent

Human cannon: Fire fighters, police or special forces can only climb ladders to get onto roofs so fast. So US defence research agency DARPA patented the idea of firing them up there using a circus-inspired cannon. They say a compressed-air powered launcher 4 metres high could fire someone onto the top of a five storey building in less than 2 seconds.

ultra light platform shoes

Architects Arne van Herk and Sabien de Kleijn often mix art, design and architecture in their work. They use all sort of methods during the design process, experimenting with foam-rubber objects, flexible pieces of furniture and ultra-light, half-metre-high platform shoes.

The Hypergravity Fit-N-Flex Olympic Professional

fitness-paradise

Bicycle for space training

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute is exploring the concept of a bike-like centrifuge to be used by astronauts for inflight resistance-training exercise.

The Space Cycle recreates various levels of gravity ranging from Earth gravity to five times Earth’s gravity. The speed of rotation determines the level of gravitational force.

There's two participants: one on a bike and the other on a platform. As one person pedals, the cycle moves in a circular motion around a centralized pole. The motion generates pressure on the rider, forcing him against the seat in a manner similar to the effect of gravity on Earth. On the platform, the other person performs squat exercises.

"Space Cycle is an artificial gravity exercise gym," said Dr. Vincent J. Caiozzo at NSBRI. "The platform can be fitted with a treadmill, bike or any kind of exercise equipment and provides an environment for exercise under normal, Earth-like loading conditions."

Now if the local gym could get one of those, i might consider investing in a membership (to watch the live show.)

Scientists take the effort out of moving objects

A team led by scientists from Edinburgh University has succeeded in objects move remotely and with no direct physical effort.

They used nanotechnology to shift a tiny droplet of a thick liquid called diiodomethane up a 12-degree slope against the force of gravity. This is claimed to be the small-scale equivalent of a conventional machine lifting an object twice the height of the world's tallest building.

Professor David Leigh said: "It is the first time molecular machines have managed to talk to the real world."

The experience could mean that lifting things becomes unnecessary in the future, people would then shift objects about remotely, using laser pointers.

The team has developed a surface that is covered with synthetic molecular Teflon-like "shuttles". The components of the shuttles move up and down by a millionth of a millimetre when exposed to light. After most of the shuttle molecules change position, this prompts a change in surface properties and this in turn moves the droplets.

Via Eyebeam reBlog < The Herald. See also Nanomachines take giant leap.

Balance Substitution

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University's Neurological Sciences Institute and the University of Bologna have developed a portable "Ipod-like" device that can be used to help correct balance disorders. Scientists believe this new device, based on auditory feedback of balance, can be worn on the belt like a pager to provide regular therapy for patients with balance disorders, improving their day-to-day activities. The research is published in the current edition of the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

http://www.ohsu.edu/landing/balance/

Speedmania - Bloodhound

In just three years a 12 metre long version of this design could smash the world land speed record by reaching 1000mph, powered by a jet engine and a rocket

http://www.bloodhoundssc.swan.ac.uk/
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn15021-plans-unveiled-for-recordsmashing-1000mph-car.html

Crystal Beach Cyclone of Harry G. Traver

Some call the roller coaster the only avantgarde roller coaster ever built.

Gravitational script:

• curve out of the station onto the lift
• the chain lift
• a spiraling first drop about 90 feet tall
• a second hill which ended about 82 feet above the ground
• an abrupt left turn down the second drop at 52 degrees
• a spiral drop
• the emergency brakes
• a steep drop into the high speed figure eight
• another drop and "hops" under the lift hill
• a 210 degree high speed turn under the coaster's superstructure
• a "zigzag" or "jazz twister" track (now called trick track)
• a series of track which rose and fell like small, one foot bunny hops, leading back to the station

http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/history/designer/traver.shtml
http://www.designboom.com/history/traver.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Traver
Theme Park by Scott A. Lukas, p. 109

walking assist device by honda

honda recently unveiled its second walking assist device. the strange looking gadget is designed to support the user’s body weight, reducing the weight load on their legs. the machine consists of a seat, frame and shoes. the user simply moves as normal and the machine reduces the load on their knees and ankles. the unit weighs 6.5kg and has two battery powered motors which will last for 2 hours of use. honda has already begun testing the device at one of its factory’s.

Rocket Belts

Bell Jet Belt
Eric Scott flying the Go Fast rocket belt in front of the Niagara Aerospace Museum on 23 September 2006.

Cycle Rollercoaster

SKY CYCLE

Superstanding

HUBO-FX1 is the human-riding robot having 12 DOF. The development concept is that the robot can walk naturally with carrying a person or a load of 100kg, so the lower body takes after legs of human and the upper body takes after a chair. A person who sits on the upper body can control the robot naturally using the built-on joystick installed. It has many kinds of sensors. Each ankle has the 3-axis force/torque sensor which measures a normal force and 2 moments. Each foot has the inclination sensor which measures angle of the slope. Also the rate gyro and the inclination sensor of the body can do a stabilization of itself. HUBO-FX1 is 2m in height and 150kg in weight. It is possible to perform forward walking, backward walking, side walking and turning around.

Hovering
China's He Wenna floats above the judges while competing in the Women's Trampoline final

Bill Shannon (AKA Crutch)

"Influenced by breakdancing, hip-hop, silent film aesthetics and disability culture, Shannon's unique hybrid of movement defies gravity with devastating style and grace. Diagnosed at the age of 5 with a rare form of arthritis that affects his hips, Shannon dances on crutches, and has developed an extraordinary vocabulary with impeccable timing, fluidity and body awareness. Spatial Theory includes a live narrated video segment that that examines his street performance explorations.

Bill Shannon is known internationally as a conceptual, interdisciplinary performance and media artist. He considers his work rooted in street/club culture and informed by the fine arts. He is widely recognized in the
dance/performance world, the underground hip-hop and club dance scene as well as the disabled artist community. Shannon was recently honored with a John Simon Guggenheim (2003). His performance and video work have been presented nationally and internationally over the past ten years.

"Bill Shannon's choreography appeared to defy basic principles of balance and gravity, creating a remarkable kinetic world of its own" Jack Anderson, New York Times

"Bill Shannon dances like a new bionic man made of metal and flesh with a hip-hop heart" Sally Sommer, Dance Magazine

"He glides, he floats, he spins, he balances and crumples, all with breathtaking grace" Lisa Traiger, the Washington Post

Reading Cityscape

Parkour (sometimes abbreviated to PK) or l'art du déplacement (English: the art of movement) is an activity with the aim of moving from one point to another as efficiently and quickly as possible, using principally the abilities of the human body. It is meant to help one overcome obstacles, which can be anything in the surrounding environment—from branches and rocks to rails and concrete walls—and can be practiced in both rural and urban areas. Parkour practitioners are referred to as traceurs, or traceuses for females.

Founded by David Belle in France, parkour focuses on practicing efficient movements to develop one's body and mind to be able to overcome obstacles in an emergency.

Choreography in Altered States of Gravity

For several years now, Kitsou Dubois has been developing a process of experimental movement performed in an environment of altered gravity conditions.

She intervenes in the domain of art and science, creating an insight into the rapport between humans and their environment. By appropriating the new spaces created by space travel, she has contributed to the emergence of a new artistic space. From this new relationship with movement she brings out references, such as, the establishment of a subjective verticality, continuous flow motion, the actual existence of an "in-between" space… and this in water, on a trampoline and in a state of weightlessness aboard a parabolic flight.

These experiments have engendered a poetic domain where the video image is always present as a trace for memory. That ingrained fear of falling is overcome by the freedom apparent in the floating movement and by the release of a body no longer weighed down. Here, one can experience empty space where survival does not depend on keeping one’s balance; where one can establish an identity with no other reference but the unknown in all its instability. In Kitsou Dubois’ choreographic and visual process, the weightless body seems like the symbolic scene for the discovery of new spaces , enabling a rediscovery of the self, giving another meaning to weight and gesture.

Through dancing and working at constantly re-appropriating the body, Kitsou Dubois raises the issue of its place in our communication systems: is it a spirit, an imagination no longer confined by corporeal boundaries, or is it a physical entity which can redefine itself through the exploration of infinite time and space?

The different stages of research into altered gravity environments are all part of the very process of creation. The work is impregnated with them.

The aim is to confront different attitudes, all of which relocate the limits of the body, by taking risks – the rather abstract ones of dancers and the more practical ones of circus artists – and in the space/time approach of image and music.

Her choreographic approach puts the performers in bodily states similar to those felt in zero g. flight and defines a natural or staged milieu providing them with supports conducive to the emergence of proposals which will lead to the final choreographic style. This is an atypical one and is akin to what we call “dance in an environment”. The incessant to-and-fro from inner to outer perception takes on a theatrical form which gives the spectator the impression of weightlessness.

The lines of force which induce the tension required for the performance are the result of random situations. They have a decisive effect within the common structures engendered by experiment and research on perception.

http://www.spacearts.info/en/db/get_artist.php?id=49
http://www.orbit.zkm.de/?q=node/307
http://www.artscatalyst.org/projects/space/SPACEkitsou.html

Dry Translator

Dry Translator, a sculptural installation piece, is built in response to new trends in ‘smart architecture.’ Smart technology is being created for enhanced human interaction and control of one’s work and home environments. Interestingly what excites many is not the necessarily the enhancement of control, but really more the idea of intelligent responsiveness and heightened personal connection with the rooms they inhabit.

Dry Translator is taking this idea of responsiveness to an exaggerated degree. The idea is to create an environment so sensitive to human presence that a touch to its walls sends resonant vibrations throughout the bodies of its occupants. Whereas normally people acknowledge the presence of walls in a building as merely types of boundaries or surfaces, this piece allows them to engage with walls in newly intimate ways such as touching, patting, scratching, talking to or yelling at, and even ‘playing’ the walls as instruments. And, it also allows them to use the walls as sorts of touch messaging devices.

The piece includes two custom designed audio vests (which gallery visitors are invited to put on) and an interactive wall. Essentially what occurs with this piece is that when a participant touches the wall in the gallery, they hear the sound of their touch not locally where their fingers hit the wall, but actually on their own torso (via the vest). Inside of the wall there are several wired tentacles (picup mics) that act like stethoscopes. These are able to pick up the slightest vibrations within the drywall material. Sounds from participants touch on the wall are greatly amplified and transmitted wirelessly to the vests. The wall consequently becomes a skin-like extension of the participant’s own body. In touching the wall, their touch is mirrored back onto their torso. Participants may also record a series of touches or gestures on the wall via an interactive consol and thereby leave a message for the next participant to play back on the vest.

by Sabrina Raaf

NASA has a new tool to study the physiologic effects of microgravity

NASA

Mobile Fun

By John Kormeling

Round-about House

Freestanding row house rotating on a roundabout. By John Kormeling

Neuroaesthetics of Architecture: cognition of space

"When someone traverses a space, their brain produces an oscillating, rhythmic pattern," Hugo Spiers (neuroscientist at UCL) explains. "We tried to realize this abstract understanding into an everyday reality."

As for architecture, altering space can have a large impact on brain function. Changing the dimensions of an animal's enclosure causes grid cells to alter their scales accordingly, such that the periodicity of their firing, which is observed as the animal moves across a space, increases or decreases. Surprisingly, negotiating a corridor in opposite directions elicits completely different patterns of place-cell activity, so the same space is apparently encoded as two different places. A less surprising but still important finding is that the lack of easily recognizable landmarks causes disorientation. Spiers and his colleagues are now investigating how the brain encodes three-dimensional space. While recording neuronal activity as rats negotiated a spiral staircase, they found that place cells, but not grid cells, respond to changes in height. Thus, the brain seems to encode the vertical and horizontal dimensions in different ways.

Seedmagazine

The Most Advanced Quadruped Robot on Earth

BigDog is the alpha male of the Boston Dynamics family of robots. It is a quadruped robot that walks, runs, and climbs on rough terrain and carries heavy loads. BigDog is powered by a gasoline engine that drives a hydraulic actuation system. BigDog's legs are articulated like an animal’s, and have compliant elements that absorb shock and recycle energy from one step to the next. BigDog is the size of a large dog or small mule, measuring 1 meter long, 0.7 meters tall and 75 kg weight.

Mapping out the Neural Networks

Mapping out the neural networks of the inner ear as part of Dr. Murial Ross's study of the effects of space travel at the NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California.

Project Mercury Altitude Wind Tunnel Gimbaling Rig

MASTIF - Multiple Axis Space Test Inertia Facility - was developed for Project Mercury to train astronauts in gaining control over a spacecraft that could move in multiple directions at once--pitching, rolling and yawing all at the same time. This photo is similar to photo GPN-2000-001186, but not identical.

Manned Manuevering Unit

Mission Specialist Bruce McCandless II ventured further away from the confines and safety of his ship than any previous astronaut ever has. This space first was made possible by the Manned Manuevering Unit or MMU, a nitrogen jet propelled backpack. After a series of test maneuvers inside and above Challenger's payload bay, McCandless went "free-flying" to a distance of 320 feet away from the Orbiter. The MMU is controled by joy sticks positioned at the end of the arm rests. Moving the joy sticks left or right or by pulling them fires nitrogen jet thrusters propelling McCandless in any direction he chooses. A still camera is mounted on the upper right portion of the MMU. This stunning view shows McCandless with the MMU out there amongst the black and blue of Earth and space.

Iron Cross Attitude Simulator With Pilot

NACA High-Speed Flight Station test pilot Stan Butchart flying the Iron Cross, the mechanical reaction control simulator. High-pressure nitrogen gas expended selectively by the pilot through the small reaction control thrusters maneuvered the Iron Cross through the three axes. The exhaust plume can be seen from the aft thruster. The tanks containing the gas can be seen on the cart at the base of the pivot point of the Iron Cross. NACA technicians built the iron-frame simulator, which matched the inertia ratios of the Bell X-1B airplane, installing six jet nozzles to control the movement about the three axes of pitch, roll, and yaw.

Launch Phase Simulator at Goddard Space Flight Center

Goddard's Launch Phase Simulator or High-Capacity Centrifuge simulates vibration, G-forces and changing pressures that a spacecraft would encounter during launch and landing. To perform a test, which typically lasts one day, technicians place spacecraft components and even entire satellites in either the simulator's cylindrical test chamber (at the far left in this photo) or on its test platform at the other end (it was not installed when this photo was taken). Powered by two 1,250- horsepower motors, the facility then spins at up to 38.3 revolutions per minute to simulate a 30-g environment. (Most people experience about 2-g when they ride on a roller coaster.) Engineers monitor test results from an adjacent control room.

Bell Lunar Landing Training Vehicle

Lunar Landing Research Facility

A NASA Langley researcher "moon walks" under the Lunar Landing Research Facility's gantry.

OMEGA

OMEGA (One-Man Extravehicular Gimbal Arrangement) shown here permits unlimited freedom, and was designed around a parallel pair of 32-inch-diameter thin-line angular-contact bearings with half the balls removed to minimize friction. Tests have been conducted with OMEGA subjects in flight suits and pressure suits to determine the best gimbal restraint system and operation techniques. The test subjects are suspended in a sling support from a single RDS cable. As they translate about, the RDS tracks them, keeping the cable vertical. The test subjects operate in an effectively zero-g environment in the horizontal plane.

EVA (Extra-vehicular activity aka spacewalk) Exercise Device

The EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) Exercise Device for evaluation and effectiveness of weightlessness on astronauts during long duration spaceflights, at the NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California

Ames 5 Degrees-of-Motion Simulator

The NASA Ames 5 degrees-of-freedom motion simulator. This simulator incorporated a centrifuge with a 30 foot spin radius. The simulated cockpit located within the hooded cab at the end of the centrifuge arm was driven by motors as required by the simulation about each of its three axes (pitch, roll, and yaw). The cab was also driven through a limited range of motion along the vertical axis and of course was driven by the centrifuge arm along a curved path of fixed radius in the horizontal plane. Thus the motions that could be simulated in the cab were three angular motions, one translational motion, and a curvilinear combination of the remaining two translational motions. The curvilinear motions and associated accelerations were of course, fairly representative of airplane flight. The simulator was placed in operation early in 1961.

Reduced Gravity Walking Simulator

A test subject being suited up for studies on the Reduced Gravity Walking Simulator located in the hangar at Langley Research Center. The initial version of this simulator was located inside the hangar. Later a larger version would be located at the Lunar Landing Facility. This position meant that a person's legs experienced only one sixth of their weight, which was the equivalent of being on the lunar surface. The purpose of this simulator was to study the subject while walking, jumping or running. Researchers conducted studies of various factors such as fatigue limit, energy expenditure, and speed of locomotion.

FusionMan Makes Historic Jet-Propelled Flight

Following in the vapor trail of aviator Louis Bleriot, Yves Rossy made a historic flight of his own across the English Channel this morning. Yesterday (26th September 2008) Rossy—also known as FusionMan—became the first human to cross using jet propulsion.

Popsci

Anti-gravity Pen

Instead of using technology developed by NASA, it was actually Fisher that developed the anti-gravity ink technology for the space agency.

Afghanistan

http://www.buy-sellf.com/

Invention: Muscle-fatigue blocker

Fatigue occurs when muscles become weaker with repeated or intense exercise, or as a result of an illness.

Researchers have long thought that fatigue is caused by a build-up of lactic acid in the muscles, but in the past decade, a number of teams have shown that this process does not cause fatigue (and may in fact prevent it).

Muscle-fibre cells contract when calcium ions are released inside them, under the control of ion channels called ryanodine receptors.

Now, a growing body of evidence suggests that fatigue is actually related to how these calcium ions are released and processed. It seems that the ryanodine receptors can behave erratically after excessive exercise or due to disease, allowing calcium ions to leak out inappropriately and leading to fatigue.

So Andrew Marks at Columbia University, New York, has developed a drug that can switch those receptors back to their stable state, making it harder for fatigue to set in.

His invention may make it possible for athletes, soldiers, or anyone else doing strenuous exercise, to stave off muscle fatigue for longer.

Read the full muscle-fatigue blocker patent application.

Neutral Buoyancy

Working underwater closely simulates the weightless environment encountered by spacewalking astronauts. The underwater environment helps them learn how to position their bodies and how to maneuver themselves during an EVA, or spacewalk. Since they are actually in pressurized spacesuits, they also have an opportunity to evaluate reach, access and visibility to specific work areas.

photo courtesy joana vasconcelos

Hammer and a Feather

Gryphon

A new parachute system known as the Gryphon has been designed by ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH and Dräger (not sure how you’re meant to pronounce that). The Gryphon enables parachutists to fly through the air at high speed before opening their chutes, so they could be dropped miles away and fly to their intended targets.

The ESG Gryphon is aimed at the military market, where upon parachutists can be dropped up-to 40 kilometres away from the landing pad and then glide their silently and near invisible to any radar cover.

The next stage of development is to add small turbo jet drives which will increase the range even further and allow take offs from much lower heights. Batman eat your heart out.

Rocket Man

New Zealand inventor Glenn Martin showcased his jet pack at the EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. After 27 years developing devices to fly, he hopes to start selling them next year for around $100,000 US.

Powered by a water-cooled, 200-horsepower engine which drives the downward facing fans on either side, Martin's machines can run for 30 minutes, not bad when you consider most alternatives get you about a minute of air time.

Human Powered Centrifuge

Christian Engelmann

Gustav Zander’s machines

via Cabinet