Kinetic Energy
Hiking has its share of highs and lows. One of the less pleasing aspects is ensuring you have an adequate source of energy to power your personal electronic equipment. There are a number of renewable energy options available that you may consider when planning your next hiking trip. You could harness the sun’s energy and use a solar-powered charger or solar-wrapped batteries. Perhaps you might choose to use wind power to keep you in touch with the world? But wouldn’t it be great if you could harness power using your own kinetic energy? It makes sense. You’re using your legs all day, surely all that sweat, pain and muscle fatigue is good for something? Enter the Etive – a concept device that uses kinetic energy as a power source for recharging all the electronic gadgets you bring to the great outdoors. Read More
September 14, 2008 The quest for ever more efficient use of the energy gleaned from the internal combustion engine will see F1 using a kinetic energy recovery system from 2009, but it appears the innovative forces of motorsport competition may also extend to the Le Mans Racing Series. Peugeot Sport will use the final round of the 2008 Le Mans Series at Silverstone to unveil a 908 HDi FAP equipped with hybrid power featuring a kinetic energy recovery system. Currently, every racing car in the world wastes most of the energy it has used in reaching maximum speed down the straight when that energy is dissipated in the form of heat via the brakes. Peugeot’s HY technology enables a proportion of the kinetic energy produced under braking to be either recovered or stored. Read More
July 6, 2007 Researchers at the University of Southampton have developed a kinetic energy generator which derives electrical energy from the vibrations and movements that occur within its environment. Developed by Dr Steve Beeby and his team at the University's School of Electronics & Computer Science (ECS), the tiny generator (less than 1 cubic cm in size) is 10 times more powerful than anything yet developed in the field and could form the basis of technology for self-powered pace makers and other embedded applications that require periodic replacement of batteries. Read More
June 6, 2007 In 2009, Formula One (F1) motor racing is introducing new rules that will lower the environmental impact of the sport. Part of this is to recover deceleration energy that can be stored for acceleration. The first commercial product resultant from this mandated new direction in technology will come from vehicle transmission design and manufacturing company Xtrac. A licence arrangement will enable Xtrac to exploit Torotrak’s full-toroidal traction drive technology to develop highly efficient and compact continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) for use in the new kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) proposed for F1. Whatsmore, the system holds much promise for use in road cars. Very cool technology indeed! Detailed images. Read More
September 28, 2006 Things are progressing swimmingly for the Compact Kinetic Energy Missile (CKEM) following a successful guided test flight of its Compact Kinetic Energy Missile (CKEM) against a reinforced urban structure (RUS) recently at Eglin Air Force Base. CKEM is the next generation anti-tank missile. It is less than 60 inches long and weighs less than 100 pounds, yet has an extended range for direct fire, line-of-sight engagements and provides the Infantry Brigade Combat Teams, Stryker Brigades and Future Combat System platforms overwhelming lethality overmatch against all potential target sets. CKEM will provide an extended range kill capability that does not exist in currently fielded ground-to-ground anti-armor systems. Read More
September 21, 2005 Lockheed Martin has successfully conducted a sled test of its Compact Kinetic Energy Missile (CKEM) recently at the High Speed Test Track at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The test evaluated penetration data and the lethality mechanism of the CKEM missiles' design. Test objectives were achieved. The missile was accelerated by test track rocket motors to a velocity representing a long-range mission, and was tested against an armored tank turret. A second lethality test is scheduled for later this year, and will be against an up-armored tank. Lockheed Martin is co-funding the tests with the U.S. Army Aviation Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) in Huntsville, AL. Read More
