Pavegen Systems at interbuild exhibition. Flexible paving slabs that generte energy from people’s footsteps to power street lighting, wayfinding solutions, and other low energy applications.
Basically, these “paving slabs” can generate “as much as 2.1 watts of electricity per hour” simply by having people walk on them. This kind of tech is very impressive and surely stands out in the “be green” world we live in today. Pavegen Systems is currently testing it out in East London and they plan to have them installed more widely sometime in 2010.
The ULTra (Urban Light Transit) Personal Pod “is an electric, battery-powered, 100-mpg-equivalent, elevate PRT (personal rapid transit) system.” They are fully automated, so there is non need for a driver. They drive around at up to 25 mph and can hold between 4-5 passengers at a time. They run on a “special road network” that can be build near airports, office buildings, and universities. The Pod itself has a very modern look and feel; it reminds me of the transportation pods used in “Minority Report.” This may be the closest we ever get to an actual “flying car” (or a transportation medium that happens above on-ground traffic). With the price of gas still fluctuating and the dependency on foreign fuel still an issue in the US, this new transportation system may be the key to a brighter future. OK, that sounded like a creepy infomercial, but still! The best news is that the first implementation of the system is scheduled to start later this year at the London Heathrow Airport. Check out the video above to learn more about the Pod, and see the gallery below for some shots of what the futuristic and stylish system will look like if implementated in the real world.
