Compact multipurpose scooter for crowded megacities

TUM CREATE unveils revolutionary 2-wheeler at EV Taiwan 2013

2013-04-13

(Press-News.org) The design brief for the VOI was to develop a two-wheel transporter that is as agile and affordable as a scooter and, at the same time, as safe and comfortable as a car. With its compact size and maneuverability, the two-wheel electric scooter is designed as a transporter for densely populated megacities and offers a comprehensive solution to metropolises where congested traffic is a major problem.

Positioning the rider behind allows for a compact design and the use of an enclosed passenger cabin that shields occupants from the elements. The enclosure also offers added rigidity and stiffness to the vehicle chassis, which provides additional passenger protection.

With the VOI, business people are able to commute quickly, comfortably and safely through the gridlocks to rush from one meeting to another. It can also address the 'First/Last Mile Problem', where it complements an existing metro railway and public transport system, to offer commuters intermediate transportation between the stations to their destinations.

Furthermore, the VOI is not just limited to transporting passengers. Its modular front pod can be swapped for a cargo box or even a mobile kitchen – making it a multipurpose vehicle. It is not only a more efficient mode of transport; it also reduces pollution within a metropolis with zero tailpipe emissions. Thanks to its lightweight design, the VOI is capable of reaching a nominal range of 80 km and has a maximum speed of 45 km/h.

Project VOI is an urban mobility concept developed by final-year students from both universities and is a Work-in-Progress prototype to demonstrate the possibilities of future mobility. This project is just one of many research and development works undertaken by over 100 scientists, researchers and engineers from more than 20 countries at TUM CREATE. The cutting-edge research covers topics ranging from molecules to megacities including areas such as: electrochemistry, electric vehicle battery packs, embedded systems, air conditioning, simulation and modeling, and infrastructure.

TUM CREATE will mark another significant milestone and set history later this year when it will present the electric taxi prototype, codenamed EVA, at the Tokyo Motorshow – Asia's largest and most important automotive trade show. EVA is a platform to showcase the research, development and innovations of TUM CREATE.

INFORMATION:

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New device could cut costs on household products, pharmaceuticals

2013-04-13

Sometimes cost saving comes in nanoscale packages. A new procedure that thickens and thins fluid at the micron level could save consumers and manufacturers money, particularly for soap products that depend on certain molecules to effectively deal with grease and dirt. Researchers at the University of Washington published their findings online April 9 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Read the back of most shampoos and dishwashing detergents and you'll find the word "surfactant" in the list of active ingredients. Surfactant molecules are tiny, yet ...

NASA satellite imagery shows Cyclone Imelda one-sided

2013-04-13

An upper-level low pressure system is sapping the cloud and thunderstorm development on the western side of Cyclone Victoria in the Southern Indian Ocean. New NASA satellite imagery showed that the bulk of rainfall was located east of the storm's center. At 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT) on April 12, Tropical Cyclone Imelda was tropical storm strength with maximum sustained winds near 45 knots (51.7 mph/83.3 kph). Imelda was centered near 14.1 south latitude and 58.9 east longitude, about 465 miles north-northeast of La Reunion Island. Imelda is moving to the south-southeast at ...

New bird flu strain seen adapting to mammals, humans

2013-04-13

MADISON – A genetic analysis of the avian flu virus responsible for at least nine human deaths in China portrays a virus evolving to adapt to human cells, raising concern about its potential to spark a new global flu pandemic. The collaborative study, conducted by a group led by Masato Tashiro of the Influenza Virus Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, and Yoshihiro Kawaoka of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Tokyo, appears in the current edition (April 11, 2013) of the journal Eurosurveillance. The group examined the genetic ...

MR images taken during the systole phase improve diagnoses of scars on the heart

2013-04-13

MR images taken when the ventricles of the heart relax and fill with blood and then when the ventricles contract and eject blood to the rest of the body provide a more complete picture of the extent of myocardial scar in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, a new study finds. Detection of scar is important because it helps identify patients who are at higher risk of a fatal event, said Dr. James Fernandez, the first author of the study. The standard protocol to determine scar in these patients is to collect just diastolic data (when the ventricles relax), said Dr. Fernandez. ...

Decreasing KV reduces radiation dose in lumbar spine CT without compromising quality

2013-04-13

An algorithm that takes the patient's size into consideration can cut radiation dose by 41% in lumbar spine CT without compromising the diagnostic quality of the images, a new study shows. Researchers at Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital in Seoul, Korea examined 107 patients using semi-automated attenuation-based tube potential selection which optimized tube potential at 100 kilovoltage, rather than the standard 120 kilovoltage. Decreasing the kilovoltage decreased the radiation dose from a mean of 21.78 mGy to a mean of 12.77 mGy, but it can increase the image noise (graininess ...

Additional imaging gives better view and reduces complications in patients needing gastric tubes

2013-04-13

Additional fluoroscopic and CT views can substantially reduce complications that occur during percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy, a procedure used for patients who require a gastric tube for nutritional support. "In a study of 146 patients, we saw a major complications rate of 5.9%," said Dr. Erich Lang, of SUNY Downstate Medical Center, in Brooklyn, NY and lead author of the study. Major complications included organ injury with hemorrhage and colonic perforation, he said. Minor complications, such as tube leakage or dislodgement, occurred in 17.6% of patients, he said. ...

New breast imaging algorithm brings breast cancer diagnosis and treatment to underserved area of Uganda

2013-04-13

Radiologists are a step closer to implementing a program in an underserved region of Uganda for diagnosing and treating women with palpable breast masses. The program combines a unique diagnostic algorithm along with targeted community outreach, said medical student Chris Duncan working with the organization Imaging the World. Imaging the World, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing diagnostic imaging to underserved areas around the world, has multiple obstetrical imaging programs currently operating in Uganda and plans to expand both the obstetric imaging and ...

Tomosynthesis improves detection of infiltrating ductal carcinoma in patients with increased risk

2013-04-13

Tomosynthesis (3D mammography) is better able to show infiltrating ductal carcinoma than 2D mammography in women at increased risk of breast cancer, a new study shows. As part of the study, six breast imaging specialists reviewed both 2D and 3D mammography images of 56 cancers diagnosed in patients at intermediate or high risk of breast cancer. "We found that 41% (23/56 cancers) were better seen on tomosynthesis and 4% (2/56) were only seen on tomosynthesis," said Dr. Sarah O'Connell, a lead author of the study. Thirty percent of cancers (17/56) were better seen on ...

Dual energy CT accurately identifies ACL tears in emergency department

2013-04-13

Dual energy CT is an effective way to evaluate emergency department patients with possible anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, a new study shows. ACL tears are one of the most frequent ligamentous injuries of the knee; they are not commonly diagnosed in the emergency department because they are not seen on plain x-rays. Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, imaged the knees of 27 patients using dual energy CT -- 16 of the patients had confirmed ACL tears, while 11 had no history of trauma, said Dr. Katrina Glazebook, a lead author of the study. The images were ...

MDCT helps better determine valve implant size for transcatheter aortic valve in patients with aortic stenosis

2013-04-13

MDCT is a better way to measure annular size in patients with aortic stenosis who are candidates for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) than two dimensional echocardiography, a new study indicates. The study included 69 patients who underwent an MDCT scan as well as transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography before having a TAVI, said Dr. Vineeta Sethi, lead author of the study. TAVI is done to treat patients with severe aortic stenosis who are not surgical candidates. Aortic stenosis is a common disorder in the elderly. "Measurement of the aortic ...

Children who grow up with pets or on farms may develop allergies at lower rates because their gut microbiome develops with more anaerobic commensals, per fecal analysis in small cohort study

North American Early Paleoindians almost 13,000 years ago used the bones of canids, felids, and hares to create needles in modern-day Wyoming, potentially to make the tailored fur garments which enabl

Higher levels of democracy and lower levels of corruption are associated with more doctors, independent of healthcare spending, per cross-sectional study of 134 countries

Compact multipurpose scooter for crowded megacities

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: