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Magnet Car

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Submitted by Quartz on Sun, 2008/07/13 - 9:54pm.

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I was imagining what it would be like if people had foreseen the problems we’re having with automobile accidents, pollution, and gasoline usage before society was too far along with installing the automobile as among the most common modes of transportation.

By now we might be using electromagnet and ball-bearing technology to design a vehicle that could run along midair rails of cylindrical permanent magnets connected pole to pole. The electromagnets could alternate polarity in sync with the passing of the permanent magnets in the rails to move forward.

The magnets could be controlled by computers so the driver would only have to set a speed and stop paying attention. It could also do things like make sure you don’t go over the speed limit or run into cars going more slowly, etc., but speed limits would be a lot less limiting if you’re stuck on a rail with around five yards of open air between you and any cars going the other direction.

And with the flexibility of the five magnetic arms on the vehicle, you would have all kinds of freedom with how to handle things like on/exit ramps, intersections, driveways, and parking lots. Not to mention carrying any luggage you have in a container with a magnet on the top stuck to one or two of your magnetic arms.


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So Cool!!

SangMing's picture

Submitted by SangMing on Mon, 2008/07/14 - 10:25am.

This is just so cool, Quartz. I've often noticed this interesting trend with visions of the future or of alternate worlds, and that's the tendency to imagine the way it would work if everyone worked together with a common goal in mind. That almost never happens in real life, certainly not in a free market economy. Too many individuals pull in too many different directions for a vision of this sort ever to become a reality.

But, oh what a cool vision! If I owned or was in charge of a society, I'd work toward making this vision a reality. It sounds as if it would work!

---------------

I get up, I walk, I fall down. Meanwhile, I keep dancing. - Hillel


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Yeah

Quartz's picture

Submitted by Quartz on Mon, 2008/07/14 - 11:07am.

I have trouble picturing a non-free market economy doing any better though. I mean you do have the head honcho telling everyone to pull in one direction, but they rarely have the motivation to do it. So you have everyone pulling in different directions vs. no one pulling anywhere at all.

Just a thought. :-J

SangMing said:

This is just so cool, Quartz. … Oh what a cool vision! If I owned or was in charge of a society, I'd work toward making this vision a reality. It sounds as if it would work!

Hehe, thanks! XD

It was actually a few years ago that I thought of this idea though, and I’m not sure it would be anywhere near the revolutionary breakthrough I imagined it would be at the time. :P Each idea has its good points and bad points, and I’m sure society will think of something before all is said and done.

For example, a computer-controlled system is all well and featureful, but what if it malfunctions or has a bug in it where a situation arises that the designers didn’t anticipate? The lives of everyone in the vehicle and maybe those in some vehicles around them would be at risk.

Not to mention, currently the only kinds of batteries that I know we have the technology to produce and that could handle the kind of massive energy usage that electromagnets holding up a ton of metal would require need to be kept at very extreme temperatures, are very delicate, and could blow up a city block if jostled too much. :-O

And you’d be in deep doo-doo if your battery ran out before you got to a place to recharge it…

So, just a few impracticalities there… ;)

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“… But as for me, I trust in [God.]” –Psalm 55:23


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Yes, in fact...

Malex's picture

Submitted by Malex on Mon, 2008/07/14 - 3:17pm.

The energy required to keep electromagnets running is far, far too much to make something like this practical.

And even if you wanted to do it despite the impracticality, no battery in the world could keep that thing in the air for long. (Instead of powering the cab from a battery, it would have to be powered through the rails.)

Furthermore, it would be much safer, more efficient, and saner overall if, instead of using magnetism to bear the weight of the car, you used a method which would reach around and rest on the top of the rail. Then instead of blowing tons of energy defying gravity, you'd only be using energy to propel yourself forward.

But, of course, now we're just redesigning your whole device. :-P

ttyl

--Alex Markley

“Suddenly, the world was a bit more orange than usual. And the bunny didn't like it.”


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Hmm

Quartz's picture

Submitted by Quartz on Mon, 2008/07/14 - 4:18pm.

It would have to be some sort of clamp around the rail so that it could open and be removed, otherwise it would truly be a redesign of the device. :)

But anyway, I’m an artist, not an engineer. So my machine wouldn’t really work, but I invented some interesting imagery for it. :D And that’s what I posted it here for.

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“… But as for me, I trust in [God.]” –Psalm 55:23


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>:D

Aisling's picture

Submitted by Aisling on Mon, 2008/07/14 - 10:30am.

It might, however, get interesting if a rider had anything metal or magnetic in his pockets...

---------------

"He speaks of Meow."

"Just feed the cat."


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Hehe

Quartz's picture

Submitted by Quartz on Mon, 2008/07/14 - 10:51am.

Ideally the heavy metal that the cab is made of would help to placate that a little. But you’d still have to be careful, especially considering the big windows. o_o

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“… But as for me, I trust in [God.]” –Psalm 55:23


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=D

Leela's picture

Submitted by Leela on Mon, 2008/07/14 - 11:49am.

Quartz, You are SO amazing!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Call 1-800-555-1234 for questions, comments, or snotty remarks.


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Hehehe

Quartz's picture

Submitted by Quartz on Mon, 2008/07/14 - 12:14pm.

Thanks! XD

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“… But as for me, I trust in [God.]” –Psalm 55:23


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