Tag Archives: ideas

Motorsport

Toyota Patents Air-Filled Pickup Beds To Keep Stuff In Place

Auto producers file patents for numerous concepts each single day, and generally, you come throughout one which’s truly fascinating. It appears Toyota is considering inside the field on this one.

Patent number US 11,858,408 B1 was initially filed again in June 2022 however printed early this yr. In essence, it is an air mattress caught to the underside of a pickup mattress cowl. Flip a change and it inflates downward into the mattress, pushing into and surrounding in any other case unfastened gadgets, holding them neatly in place till you flip one other change to deflate it. Or till a pointy nook of the metal cabinets you are hauling punctures the bladder. Presumably, Toyota assumes this would not be used with gadgets which have the potential to tear by way of plastic, vinyl, material, or no matter this huge air bladder is made from.

As you would possibly count on, it is inflated with an air compressor put in within the mattress between the internal wall and outer sheet steel. The patent description says it could possibly be hooked into the truck’s pc mind, monitoring stress on the bladder (or bladders) to maintain issues safe.

It does seem to be a novel solution to hold the groceries or that cool set of used golf golf equipment you scored at a storage sale from skidding across the mattress whereas driving house. Toyota particularly makes use of the time period “air mattress” within the patent’s description. In reality, it is referenced as getting used for tenting, be it on the bottom or within the mattress of the truck.


Technology

10 Unbelievable Ways ChatGPT Shook Up The World In 2023

So you have turned to ChatGPT for assist producing concepts, or possibly you have used it to create visible photos from textual content prompts, one thing that is now potential since OpenAI integrated Dall-E into its paid ChatGPT Plus. Now what? Who owns the output from ChatGPT? How are you able to belief ChatGPT’s output is not infringing on different copyright house owners? Can you even copyright what you have generated?

The solutions are advanced, and the legal guidelines as written and utilized at the moment lag behind the applied sciences. In half, the query comes again to the definition of artwork and authentic work versus by-product work, necessary distinctions contemplating writers and artists are creating all types of “original” work with the assistance of ChatGPT and promoting it to shoppers. Beyond that, is it authentic work, given AI learns from present content material, and does so with out attribution? Further, whenever you’re utilizing generative AI in a picture editor or on a tool just like the Google Pixel 8 Pro, what share of that {photograph} is your actual, authentic work?

OpenAI is not clear about how the ChatGPT mannequin trains on present content material. The firm acknowledged the copyright elephant within the room at a November developer day, when OpenAI founder and CEO Sam Altman introduced OpenAI will cowl the prices of copyright litigation for its Enterprise and developer prospects. This is an effective begin that matches guarantees by Microsoft, Adobe, Google, Amazon, Getty Images, and Shutterstock, however it additionally leaves free and ChatGPT Plus customers on their very own to navigate these waters — which have gotten murkier every single day.

News

From the archive: on this day in 1955

“Here – for the first time – is a car specially designed to appeal to the woman who has very definite ideas about the car she wants her husband to buy,” read an ad in 1955. 

“While to all outward appearances this special One-O-Four is entirely suitable for everyday business use, [it also has many] luxury features carrying a strong feminine appeal.”

Today, most women would find it insulting for a car maker to try and attract them with a special set of maps, rugs, a picnic set, and an in-dash vanity case containing Max Factor cosmetics.

In motoring, as in many aspects of life, it has been a long struggle to eliminate chauvinism. Interestingly, it was a woman named Bertha Benz (the wife of Karl) who took the first significant car journey in 1885, and others soon followed her.

In 1898, an anonymous Brit wrote to us saying, “When I decided to have a motor and drive it myself, I found it quite easy. In fact, I think a woman would be a better driver than a man. I’m surprised that I don’t see more ladies driving alone.”

Women driver

However, during that time, women couldn’t vote, open a bank account, or have many jobs, so men often complained about them driving. “Women should not drive,” one asserted in 1905. They believed that women were better off staying at home and that they lacked the nerve to drive on crowded streets.

When Britain’s men had to go to war in the Great War, driving jobs had to be filled by women, which turned out to be helpful for their cause. A lieutenant colonel wrote that many women joined with no experience, which made for nerve-racking times. However, thousands of women quickly acquired the necessary skill and experience and successfully replaced men in those roles.

In the 1920s, it became more acceptable for women to lead independent lives, so many more women took up driving. Elizabeth Butler noticed that the gender split was fairly even at motor shows, and she noted that no car company made separate cars for men and women because their needs as drivers were practically the same. ‘Latona’ encouraged those who were nervous, saying, “Has any woman ever admitted she could not use a pedal sewing machine? No! Well, if she can do that, which means using her feet, hands, and brain at the same time, then she can soon drive a car.”

Motorsport

Ford Crown Victoria “Cobra Vic” with 320 HP and Manual Transmission is Available for Sale

In the 1990s, Ford’s Special Vehicle Team had ambitious plans for performance vehicles. One of their ideas was an SVT Crown Victoria, featuring a five-speed manual transmission and an engine from a Mustang Cobra. Although this car was never produced, Roush took inspiration from the concept and built 18 “Cobra Vics” for the Bob Bondurant driving school in Arizona. Now, one of these rare vehicles is up for sale.

The Ford Crown Victoria is currently listed on Bring A Trailer. As of September 21, the highest bid stands at $23,000, with less than a day remaining in the auction. According to the listing, the car was purchased from the Bondurant estate in 2022 and still bears faded Bondurant markings. Although parts of the vehicle have been repainted, the description notes that the clearcoat is cracked, and there are faded areas.

Despite being 23 years old, this Ford Crown Victoria has only 600 miles on the odometer. This figure is impressive, especially considering the car’s large size. These miles were likely accumulated during its time at the driving school’s race track. The vehicle is in running condition, as seen in the accompanying walkaround video. The “Cobra Vic” still drives like a new car.


News

Under the skin: The tech making EV batteries smaller and cheaper

Sometimes, the most straightforward ideas are right in front of us, ready to enhance the already relatively simple engineering of electric vehicles (EVs).

Compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, EVs are simpler because they eliminate the complexity of fueling and exhaust systems, as well as the intricate emission-treatment paraphernalia.

However, EVs are still considered relatively complex due to the advanced science and electronics that power them. Stellantis, in collaboration with battery manufacturer Saft, has recently introduced the Intelligent Battery Integrated System (Ibis) to further simplify EV components using an innovative approach to battery technology.

EV powertrains consist of several basic elements. The battery, which stores and charges direct current (DC) electricity, powers the electric motors. These motors require alternating current (AC) like a regular household supply, so they are equipped with inverters to convert between AC and DC power.

Additionally, an on-board charger converts AC current from the grid into DC power to charge the battery.

EV batteries, more correctly referred to as battery packs, consist of numerous small, low-voltage lithium-ion cells. These cells are grouped into modules within the pack. Consequently, while a battery pack might generate 400V or 800V, each individual module can have as low as 11V depending on the pack’s size and design.

The Ibis project takes inspiration from photovoltaic systems to reduce EV hardware. Solar power systems use multiple solar panels that produce DC electricity, which is then fed to a single inverter to convert it into AC power. Alternatively, microinverters can be used to convert DC power to AC power as it leaves each individual panel.

The Ibis project adopts a similar approach. Each battery module includes a microinverter and a charger, eliminating the need for a separate on-board charger and a high-voltage inverter(s) for multiple drive motors.

By the end, the complete battery pack produces AC power to directly supply the motor, instead of DC power. Stellantis believes that this approach will benefit smaller EVs where space is a premium. Furthermore, this approach may be more cost-effective, as multiple smaller charger and inverter electronics are likely cheaper than their high-voltage counterparts that they replace.

While the Ibis project demonstrates innovative thinking to enhance EVs, it may not be compatible with other concepts like Volkswagen’s aim to integrate individual cells directly into the car’s chassis (“Cell2Car”).