tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post2345130758998820914..comments2024-03-09T04:13:55.185-06:00Comments on Open PRT specification project: PRT is Dead. Long live PRT!Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303568401426087509noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-60872034162764905612019-11-21T04:42:48.198-06:002019-11-21T04:42:48.198-06:00Thank you for sharing information. Wonderful blog ...Thank you for sharing information. Wonderful blog & good post.Its really helpful for me, waiting for a more new post. Keep Blogging!<br /><a href="https://www.gymwarehouse.co.uk/product-category/gym-packages/school-gym-equipment/" rel="nofollow">School Gym Equipment</a>Gym Warehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12460243314178152906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-56314032234570599522019-11-05T00:00:00.314-06:002019-11-05T00:00:00.314-06:00I was scrolling the internet like every day, there...<br />I was scrolling the internet like every day, there I found this article which is related to my interest. The way you covered the knowledge about the subject and the <a href="https://agrawalconstruction.com/category/5-bhk-bungalows/" rel="nofollow">Bungalows in chunabhatti bhopal</a> was worth to read, it undoubtedly cleared my vision and thoughts towards B <a href="https://agrawalconstruction.com%20%E2%80%BA%20sagar-high-street" rel="nofollow">Commercial Shops on ayodhya bypass road</a>. Your writing skills and the way you portrayed the examples are very impressive. The knowledge about <a href="https://agrawalconstruction.com%20%E2%80%BA%20sagar-green-hills" rel="nofollow">flats in chunabhatti bhopal</a> is well covered. Thank you for putting this highly informative article on the internet which is clearing the vision about top builders in Bhopal and who are making an impact in the real estate sector by building such amazing townships.<br />chetanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17696027129245875964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-32047095612086623592016-12-19T21:35:55.332-06:002016-12-19T21:35:55.332-06:00Hi James - DTB responds! (and all that)...
That mo...Hi James - DTB responds! (and all that)...<br />That mock-up is ridiculously bad. Where is Godzilla when you need him? <br /><br />I had the first of four wheels working on a 1/8 scale model that would be progammable, able to climb straight up, reverse, etc. but it was devilishly hard to troubleshoot electronic problems. I took my circuitry from the breadboard to a "printed" circuit board and it just never worked, and after spending endless hours I sort of lost interest. Also the hardware (resin coated electromagnetic coils) were insanely finicky. I would kill two to make one. I just don't have time for that although it sure would have been nice.<br /> <br />I think the videos that Ollie has for his Metrino (previously MISTER) do a good job of making the case, as do the Bubbles and Beams animations. Actually his is the only other existing system that could qualify as SMART in that it can inherently work in 3D if he were to so adapt it. The open source program "Blender" makes 3D simulations that are Hollywood grade but learning it is a real bear. I tried to import my Sketchup model to give it a shiny skin and reflective windows with little success - (I could only do simple shapes) and that was just for still-shots. Making it animate takes it to another level. <br /><br />I do think someone should point Elon Musk in our direction. A little serpentine beam in the sky makes so much more sense than boring through the ground. That is like the man-sized copper telephone cable they first crossed the Atlantic with as opposed to a skinny,flexible fiber-optic one. It is a "big-pipe" slow-flow solution from the past. <br /><br />I think you will like my next post, due shortly, as I have pretty much laid down the procedure to construct a Mama Bear, although my last line basically states that "baby bear" is still just a gleam in my eye. I am currently working on it though. <br /> Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16303568401426087509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-19386322986633957222016-12-19T12:06:25.096-06:002016-12-19T12:06:25.096-06:00Maybe (if a kickstarter is ever attempted) someone...Maybe (if a kickstarter is ever attempted) someone could build a small Scalextric sized tabletop model. Not with fully functioning bogies. Just with a magnet or even a piece of string in the track to pull a pod around.<br /><br />Looking at another picture of the chinese straddle bus table top model, you can see the metal tracks for the cars which are clearly slotcars, I think they must have just digitally edited out the metal tracks in the earlier animated gif.<br /><br />https://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/GettyImages-535149466.jpg<br /><br />On the other hand, maybe that money would just be better spent towards Dan or someone trying to build a baby bear sized bogie?<br /><br />I also see that Elon Musk has realized that electric cars won't solve the congestion problem, but is proposing expensive tunnels as a solution. If only he (or the puclic) knew and cared about a PRT on cheap elevated rails.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07246271017778857980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-496397664969399122016-12-16T02:04:22.131-06:002016-12-16T02:04:22.131-06:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09486531624125459426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-81059773604296647332016-12-11T21:24:58.461-06:002016-12-11T21:24:58.461-06:00Dan The Blogger Responds:
Hi James, I'm finall...Dan The Blogger Responds:<br />Hi James, I'm finally back in civilization. I wish I had the time to push things forward myself. I must say, though, that I really think PRT is as close as it has been since back in the days when Raytheon, Messerschmidt, Boeing and other biggies were all toying with the idea.<br /><br />When you say "cut-down" I assume you mean scaled-down, if you are also saying "full-featured." Unfortunately that is, perhaps, harder because motors and tires and such do not come in miniature versions, and doing a whole separate engineering job is essentially doing the hardest part twice.<br /> <br />While away from the internet, I did manage to do some design work in the evenings. I will be posting a basically buildable bogie design shortly, which is detailed enough to take bids on constructing. Maybe somebody in academia can use such a project or something. It needs to be matched with drivers and controllers though.<br /><br />One thing I can do is to do the same for Baby Bear, which is smaller and less capable and therefore should come out much cheaper. It will take me a lot of time though. I had a working model in the works for a while, but I was unable to get my motor drivers to work, even after several weeks to trying., so that project is on hold. Have patience! Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16303568401426087509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-49958706743028917982016-12-10T08:32:32.733-06:002016-12-10T08:32:32.733-06:00Is there anything that can be done to move this fo...Is there anything that can be done to move this forward other than just waiting for the future to turn up one day?<br /><br />I'm living in a city in Australia (Brisbane) that is basically a sprawling auto dystopia. Probably on a par with Houston. We do have some commuter rail, but the nearest station is about 500m walk from my house with no parking, and we have 30 to 35 degree Celsius heat here for most of summer. Also the city is already to spread out to get anywhere in reasonable enough time in trains with stations within walking distance of most destinations.<br /><br />Would it be possible to build a cut down model, but still fully featured? I know Dan said that the bogie is basically as complicated as a CNC machine, not that I know how complex one of those is.<br /><br />I did note that the silly (when you dig into it) Chinese Straddle Bus got lots of media attention with a 'model' back in May 2016. It was a series of animated GIFs that for some reason were compelling to look at which I have lined to below:<br /><br />https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-alupn-QadYc/V0R8w1qczNI/AAAAAAABJP4/ci2JmpKRat8XbaXqy-tCYEjDMuKe9HlFgCLcB/s640/straddlebus.gif<br /><br />They also produced a CGI animation that was somehow boring to look at. Maybe we are getting so used to seeing CGI mock ups that they are now boring for some reason?<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1gTzc7-IbQAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07246271017778857980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-20775731071364443072016-12-10T08:29:17.660-06:002016-12-10T08:29:17.660-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07246271017778857980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-29267173833490794882016-12-07T22:47:13.102-06:002016-12-07T22:47:13.102-06:00Dan the Blogger is back for the winter! Daniel, I ...Dan the Blogger is back for the winter! Daniel, I am a big fan of master-planned cities, and really wish someone would "step up to the plate." With rents the way they are in Silicon Valley, it seems like an Apple or Google could just pick some gorgeous location where everybody would want to live, if they could, and just start from scratch. I've seen plans for floating pyramids and other off-shore schemes that seem like they could work, especially if you are collecting rent from 100,000 software engineers! I would add, though, that my systems are pretty much designed for the present, both in the practical and budget conscious design of the hardware, and in being highly optimized for cities as they currently are. <br /><br />John, thanks for your comment and I will be getting back to you on that email shortly... <br />I had cut a giant hole in a perfectly good cabin with winter setting in while buying a backhoe/loader or I would have been a bit more attentive...<br /><br />I am curious as to your numbers. How many passengers? Have you worked out the vehicle density/throughput figures? Please share! Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16303568401426087509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-73797570874255762612016-11-26T13:46:19.409-06:002016-11-26T13:46:19.409-06:00Dan the blogger is currently off the grid...
Sorry...Dan the blogger is currently off the grid...<br />Sorry folks, not only am I away from the internet, but I seem to be unable to even log on to my blog at the local library. Frankly, I have a heap of stuff to do up here in the woods anyway, before the snows make further work impossible. I will be back in civilization by the second week of December.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-61620117240687610302016-10-28T04:29:27.208-05:002016-10-28T04:29:27.208-05:00Since I first read this latest blog post, I have r...Since I first read this latest blog post, I have read Infrastructure Australia's audit of all of Australia's infrastructure, and their subsequent plan (500+ pages).<br />They calculated that the Direct Economic Contribution (DEC) from transport was huge, calculated from what we pay less what it costs, and urban transport was most significant. Bus, tram and train users paid only 22% of the cost for providing the service. They talk about market failure, ask that the subsidy be removed; and ask that there is open competition for service provision, implying open systems.<br />I took one of their projects, Melbourne city to airport train network extension, costing $5B with fares covering only half the interest cost, and I compared it to a PRT route, city to airport, costing $406M and making a profit. This route has no need to provide last mile service at either end.<br />We have a Prime Minister promoting innovation.<br />It will be interesting to see the response.<br />Kindest regardsAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05553628099663369316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-5094150612626642702016-10-22T11:58:54.779-05:002016-10-22T11:58:54.779-05:00As Einstein suggested, in order to solve a problem...As Einstein suggested, in order to solve a problem we have to leave the framework within which we created the problem, we have to study our new system, its conditions, and based on our examinations we have to create a totally new system.<br /><br />Any PRT supporter is asking the following question over and over: what PRT is missing from getting its acceptance and mass deployment? Truth is, this is a million dollar question.<br /><br />However, there is a way to figure this out. The answer is not coming from a think tank who’s predicting the future, is coming - guess what - from the future itself <br /><br />Bear with me. Let’s imagine we are living in the future, more precisely: year 2116: we wake up in a single detached house… (yes, in 2116 the Earth would still be large enough for single detached homes) <br />…We look through the window and we see that we are located on a palm-like town like the Dubai’s Palm Islands. We have 2 kids… (just hypothetically): the smallest is a middle school student: we put him on a PRT car which gets programmed wirelessly and automatically through his iPhone77 to drive him to the school located at the “trunk” of the “palm”. His big brother just started university and he will take the PRT to the base of the palm to get the subway to a nearby palm-like town and then he will continue his ride through another PRT network to his university of choice. Don’t worry: it’s a 30 minute ride and he’s not driving all this time but watching courses.<br /><br />As soon as we get rid of the kids we take a closer look at the PRT (no, don’t ask where is the wife, she has already embarked on the PRT just before the kids got their breakfast). Like spies from a movie, we take impetuously pictures of the PRT with our iPhone so we can sell the ideas to the guys from the past: the PRT has its network embedded underneath the road (yes, in 2116 there will still be roads but they will be just for emergency vehicles or family vehicles, not for weekday personal transportation).<br /><br />Because the palm architecture with waterbeds, the roads are elevated and the PRT tracks are sideways, underneath the road/sidewalks. The access to the PRT is from every house, from the basement of the house, so nobody will do shovelling in the winter. Walking or jogging through the PRT path is a four-season activity with nice views of the water and beach. These windows of the PRT tunnels are in-between the houses to make sure nobody gets phobia if inside the PRT path would be too dark.<br /><br />The PRT vehicle is a 1.5-occupancy vehicle running on elevated tracks. In the residential area is buried under the sidewalks but in the “downtown” is either buried or elevated on posts. The vehicle itself is a 2000 mpg electric vehicle running on V2G technology which can be also driven manually in case of emergency. The motor and switching technology is based on openprtspecs… but let’s stop here because we have already found the answer we were looking for: <br />…what PRT is missing is (moment of suspense like at the best talent contest shows): THE INFRASTRUCTURE, a PRT network built on a totally NEW city INFRASTRUCTURE.<br /><br />How can this be possible to build a new infrastructure? Yes, it is possible. Who is living today in a 100-year house? Not so many. Maybe 10%. Who will live in 2116 in a 100-year house? Not so many. The new infrastructure would be possible to build it if we start building it now. We have to start a totally new system, an out-of-box system. Who’ll have the honour and courage to start it?<br /><br />Hello? Hello? Is anybody out there?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03725992140051874352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-19535746915731086092016-09-29T22:29:32.287-05:002016-09-29T22:29:32.287-05:00I guess you are right - the charity set up as a &#...I guess you are right - the charity set up as a 'pitch' to this foundation is a lot of work for a long shot.<br /><br />Setting the thing up would be a proper project. Not just setting up the charity but communicating with the other stateholders, who you would struggle to get responses from as you wouldn't yet have 'money on the table'.<br /><br />And the fact that it is new... I guess you'd have to run it for a few years first to overcome that chicken and egg problem.<br /><br />And you'd probably need someone in the NE of England to meet face to face with people when the time comes.<br /><br />I am definitely not the person to drive this at the moment as I have chronic sinusitis.<br /><br />Jim (James)http://www.interestingtopicsbyjimbo.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-33384826098938860242016-09-29T15:36:40.870-05:002016-09-29T15:36:40.870-05:00Dan the blogger responds -
Jim, those are good an...Dan the blogger responds - <br />Jim, those are good and doable ideas. I hesitate to pursue such details because then you define a system by them, and that becomes yet another detail which must be learned by someone new to the system. Two many bells and whistles can obscure what lies beneath! What I mostly want to do is to define a track that enables those or other possibilities, or rather forecloses fewer possibilities than other designs. If that track is then adopted, what rides on it can evolve over time. I do find the idea of a double bogie vehicle having its two bogies take different paths interesting and provocative. I have a feeling that early GRT stations probably will not have the space constraints to require such a system, however, so the track configuration to allow this should probably double as a means to have a pair of PRT vehicles to each have there own stall.<br /><br />As far as a charity, that is a tall order. There are a world of ambitious or even unscrupulous people out there who are looking for a way to be in the middle of lots of tax free money. (just look at the US presidential candidates!) For this reason charities and other non-profits are not something you can just throw together on a whim. They need to file lots of legal docs, have officers, report their salaries, etc. Every country has different rules, and I know absolutely nothing about how England treats the matter. I suspect, however, that what is needed is an existent, reputable organization, such as a university, that has an established program or wants to establish one. They (not us) must be the "charity," and that entity must make the decisions regarding any budgeting. No reputable charity will pass money to another charity that has no track record, or at least they shouldn't. <br /> Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16303568401426087509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-59684529281242034742016-09-28T05:00:24.165-05:002016-09-28T05:00:24.165-05:00Demo system - I got asked by a charity trustee to ...Demo system - I got asked by a charity trustee to suggest some 'science' causes to donate to (only to go into a pool of considered charities, so it is a long shot). There are three other trustees who make the decision on where to give funds too.<br /><br />Also the charity has to be doing work in the north east of England or Wales.<br /><br />Plus I think they are inclined to donate to things with a human impact element (they were musing about giving to a homeless charity).<br /><br />Maybe if we set up a charity to sponsor post grad engineering students to do a project to build a small demo system between two campuses? That might tickle their fancy?Jim (James)https://interestingtopicsbyjimbo.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-56380624692552527092016-09-28T04:55:13.116-05:002016-09-28T04:55:13.116-05:00Yeah a scissor mechanism or cable could work. But ...Yeah a scissor mechanism or cable could work. But if you had the same bogies on the 2 seater pods, just two bogies on the 10 seater pods, that might reduce costs. Also looking at some of your dual mode drawings were the pod detaches from the bogie - why not use the bogies to move mainly 10 seater GRT pods during rush hour, then attach a 2 seater pod for times outside rush hour to allow for more individual trips.<br /><br />If Elon Musk and Better place can build a robotic battery swapping system for electric cars, surely robotic pod swapping is doable.Jim (James)https://interestingtopicsbyjimbo.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-71444150325063694452016-09-26T18:46:26.213-05:002016-09-26T18:46:26.213-05:00Dan the Blogger answers from the local library...
...Dan the Blogger answers from the local library...<br />Hi Jim, thanks for posting. I have (once again) been "off the grid" trying to make use of every last moment of summer sunshine up on my land. If it doesn't rain, I just loose track of time!<br /><br />Yes, indeed, the GRT vehicles could work as you suggest. I don't think I would start out that way, however. They also could be lowered via a scissor mechanism or by cable, for that matter.<br />My worry is that GRT and PRT are already too much for many people to absorb. People feel safer with evolutionary change, by and large. <br /><br />The matter of the cost for a bare-bones system is very hard to answer. For example, where would you put it? Would you take it on the road? What, exactly would it demo? Would it have a complete software package? Who would own it? Is there a business model that is compelling without taxpayer money? <br /><br />I think the best model is some sort of collaboration wherein everybody gets something out of it, win or lose. In other words, all money spent was earmarked for something similar anyway, although I am still sketchy on the details! Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16303568401426087509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063450658421522356.post-55405971028968932392016-09-21T04:58:22.134-05:002016-09-21T04:58:22.134-05:00Why couldn't a GRT vehicle go down a steep or ...Why couldn't a GRT vehicle go down a steep or vertical slope? Is it because it would have two bogies and the cab would not be able to rotate sideways 90 degrees and hang downwards like the single bogie vehicles in your previous sketches?<br /><br />If the track split in two and the rear bogie took a separate parallel track would the cab then not be able to travel sideways at 90 degrees between the two parallel tracks? And if those tracks sloped to vertical would the cab not then be able to hang downwards?<br /><br />I imagine that this would aid the design of busy central stations as you could have GRT vehicles rising up vertically.<br /><br />You'd use your NFC smartphone to tag into the station and let it know your destination, and a message would appear on your phone telling you to go to bay X or queue Y where the GRT vehicles to that station are currently departing from.<br /><br />Also how much would a bare bones demo system cost? And is there anyone in the north east of England or Wales who could set up a regional charity to get this implemented?Jimhttp://www.deagerevolution.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com