Tag: Personal Transportation

Some vehicles move easily between road and rail. Meanwhile, a Portuguese startup has developed a light EV for on- and off-road driving. The reason? Its founder, the owner of an upmarket country hotel, deemed golf-carts too uncomfortable for his guests. With its aluminium frame, polymer body and waterproof soft-top, the four-seater weighs only 450kg. A low centre of gravity...

A smart vice is making laptops safe from theft. In Spain, meanwhile, a startup has developed a flexible bike lock comprising three cables, which help secure both saddle and wheels. All three cables are connected to a central, mechanised lock. The core consists of a braided steel cable, which is enclosed by short, hardened, interlocking steel sleeves. Those, again,...

Smart visors adapt to sunlight, while intelligent helmets are equipped with indicators and warn cyclists of approaching traffic. Now a German company is supporting cyclists with normal helmets to receive the help they need in an emergency. Together with a Swedish technology partner, the team has developed a smart, retrofittable buckle for chinstraps. Using an accompanying app, important medical...

Some bicycle wheels are truly otherworldly. Now a Stuttgart-based startup is focusing on personalised saddles, taking their cue from cyclists’ behinds. Using an A4 form at home cyclists record the distance between their two seat bones, and photograph it on their smartphones. Together with information on bicycle model, road performance and sitting posture, this data is fed into an...

A remotely operated life-buoy can help avert maritime disasters. Now, a Hong Kong-based startup is focusing on those who want to travel lighter. Its smart wagon, complete with electric hub motors, is remotely operated, has a range of 10 km and can move uphill and downhill at speeds of 2-7 km/h. Thanks to an integrated pocket lamp, it can...

Some devices improve hiking stamina. Now, a US startup has developed special shoes for pedestrians who want to cover ground faster. The water-resistant robot shoes are strapped on and their 8 wheels powered by miniature electric motors. Artificial intelligence captures walkers’ natural speed and stride length and adapts the electric support. The wheels only turn when users are in...

Trains offer sustainable transportation, especially when they remove CO2. Buses, too, at least compared with private cars. But the average usage rate of public transportation is only 15% in Europe. The electric ‘collective’ taxis developed by an Italian startup could soon change all that, because on shared routes, their modules combine together to make buses. Depending on the desired...

Anomalies in network traffic can be detected aurally. The amount of electronics in cars, however, is making them more and more exposed to hacking or theft. But, thanks to a US research team, there could soon be an easy solution. Drivers would simply plug the team’s device into the car’s auxiliary power outlet, which is directly connected to the...