Porsche has already tricked out its racing cars with kinetic energy recovery systems, and now it looks like its more mainstream 911 is getting the hybrid transmission treatment, too. Citing anonymous sources, our sister site Autoblog reports that the entire range of the next-gen coupe is going to use these systems, which don’t store energy in a battery, but instead capture kinetic energy during deceleration using a flywheel mechanism. Even without that sleuthing, a series of spy shots (including that one up there) reveal that the auto maker has expanded the wheelbase length by just enough so that it can accommodate a KERS between the gearbox and the engine. What does this mean for the 911? Well, these same sources say the entry-level Carrera is on track to surpass its rated 4.7-second 0 to 60 time and that it will generally be lighter, faster, more energy-efficient, and go farther on a gallon. Can’t afford a low-end Porsche? Well, you can still ogle the eye candy at the source link.

Next-gen Porsche 911 getting hybrid transmission system? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 May 2011 20:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The disc brakes system uses brake pads, and this type of system has many advantages over drum brakes. So, why are they different? It all has to do with how force is applied when you press the brake pedal. The pads are important in the overall functioning on the brakes.. Brake pads are steel backing plates with friction material bound to their surface. They face the disc brake rotor and convert the kinetic energy of the car to thermal energy by friction. When you apply pressure to the brake pedal, this is what forces the vehicle to stop.

The brake caliper contains two brake pads. Their friction surfaces face the rotor. When the brakes are hydraulically applied, the caliper clamps or squeezes these two pads together. The pads are then pushed into the spinning rotor to slow or stop the moving vehicle. These pads will heat when they come into contact with the rotor. When the contact occurs, small amounts of friction material are transferred to the discs and they in turn become dull gray. When this happens, the brake pads and disc are both now considered friction material and will stick to each other. This is what makes the moving vehicle slow down or stop.

Most vehicles seen on the road only have two pads per caliper as this is more than sufficient to stop cars and trucks of this type. In contrast, racing calipers have up to six pads as they need more stopping force. This is due to the high speeds seen in this sport and makes the car safer for the drivers as they race around the track. Consider stopping your car at 65 miles an hour. How much space do you need to do so? Now consider the high speeds seen in car racing and you will understand why the brakes must be much more powerful to stop in a small area.

In large part due to brake pads, disc brakes have many advantages over drum brakes.. Disc brakes stop better than drum brakes and they work effectively in wet conditions. The same cannot be said for drum brakes.. Disc brakes are also quieter than other types and much of this is due to the pads. Best of all, there is no breaking in period after you install a new set of pads. Consider all of this when purchasing a new car as it can make a difference in how well a vehicle performs.

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Every type of wiper blades combination in existence today has a young lady called Ms Anderson for its acclaim. All the way back in nineteen hundred and four a individual of Alabama came up with the forerunner prototype that would blaze a trail for all following styles of wiper blades, a hundred years such is the success of this straight forward design that it is located at all four corners of the Earth. Her everyday design was propelled by hand and required a giant amount of manual energy to operate; things have definitely come a long way with the latest models today electric powered and rain sensor accoutered. This style of a simple hand shaft apparatus was inspired by the tram drivers in New York who were compelled to clean their wind screens by putting their hands out of the cab and onto the wind screen in order to wiper it. The initial wiper blades model was composed of a system of twin brushes capable of wiping down a straight piece of glass by means of a handle. Later designs would add the now common rubber wiper blades and eventually propelled by an electric motor. The fore runner of the electric motor was something named a vacuum pump, this device created a pressure difference which could then be harnessed to create kinetic energy.

The problem with this device was that as the engine revs went up the power of the vacuum descended rapidly, so at high speeds the wipers would come to a total halt. The wide spread up take of the wipers was in a big part due to the industrial revolution and a man named Mr Ford who made it his work in life to manufacture affordable cars. By nine teen sixteen the wipers was fixed as standard to all automobiles which soon started to number in the millions before the end of the twentieth century. Today you will find this awesome windscreen wipers design on all sorts from boats and trucks to even hovercraft and helicopters.

The latest generation of replacement wiper blades has many different settings which can be tailored appropriately to the prevailing weather states such is the wide spread success of this everyday format. The latest innovation comes in the form of rain sensors, these devices were invented by Citroen and measure the amount of resistance met by the replacement wiper blades and changes the power accordingly. Another great leap forwards in replacement wiper blades design came about when the standard rubber insert was eventually replaced by an enterprising individual with an insert made exclusively of a substance known as silicone. This revolutionary new material makes life much easier for all concerned, by its very nature it is an extremely durable substance lasting numerous millions of cycles and out performing all other types of replacement wiper blades. Silicone is so incredibly underactive that it can be evident to moisture, cold, heat, ozone, and acid, pollution any thing and it will not decompose. Another great feature is its amazing feature to resist changes in temperature; silicone replacement wiper blades will not stick to your wind screen into his winter nor melt to your windscreen in summer.

By Evan Ackerman

At the end of last month, Nokia filed a patent for a “piezoelectric kinetic energy harvester” for mobile phones. If they get it to work, it will enable mobile phones to charge themselves. Brillliant! Why didn’t I think of that?

I’ll tell you why I didn’t think of that. It’s because a “piezoelectric kinetic energy harvester” works by generating electricity from crystals which are compressed by movement. So, the catch is (of course there’s a catch), you have to be moving for the phone to charge. As in, not sedentary in front of the computer. This means that people like me will have dead cell phones 99% of the time, with the remaining 1% of uptime due to bedroom to bathroom transitions plus trips to the fridge. Maybe I’ll just strap it to my cat and bust out the laser pointer for a few hours, that should do the trick.

Cat or no cat, it’s always good to see big companies trying to innovate when it comes to green energy and infinite phone calls. Or at least, it’s good to see them take the first tentative steps in the form of a patent.

[ Nokia Patent ] VIA [ New Scientist ]

By David Ponce

Unveiled on December 15th at the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change, the Copenhagen Wheel is an MIT project that aims to “to promote cycling by extending the range of distance people can cover and by making the whole riding experience smoother so that even steep inclines are no longer a barrier to comfortable cycling.” It’s a device that can be retrofitted to any bike and does a whole bunch of stuff. For one, through a type of KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System), it stores energy every time you apply the brakes and gives it back to you when it senses you might need it, like when going uphill. Additionally, there’s an iPhone app (connected through Bluetooth) that would allow you to track a number of variables such as “speed, direction and distance traveled. [It would also] collect data on air pollution and even the proximity of the rider’s friends.”

The initial prototypes of the Copenhagen Wheel were developed along with company Ducati Energia and the Italian Ministry of the Environment. It is expected that the wheel will go into production next year, with a tag price competitive with that of a standard electric bike

Keep reading for a video of the device in action.

VIA [ PopSci ]

By Chris Scott Barr

When you hear the term wristwatch, you generally think of a timepiece that you wear on your wrist. Well someone is looking to change that definition. There isn’t a whole lot of information on his design, but I am going to assume for now that it is only a concept. The idea is a subdermal implant or “electric tattoo” that can function as a watch.

It uses your natural kinetic energy for power (not unlike some watches out there) and somehow uses a wireless signal to sync up with an external clock to make sure it is correct. It only illuminates when you hold your wrist up to look at it. A very cool idea, if it could work.

[ Behance ] VIA [ TrendHunter ]