Whereas engineers make do with shape memory alloys and carbon-fiber wraps, they anticipate a future wherein even better materials could also be available for earthquake-resistant construction. And inspiration for these supplies might likely come from the animal kingdom. Consider the lowly mussel, a bivalve mollusk found connected to ocean rocks or, after it’s been removed and steamed in wine, on our dinner plate. To remain connected to their precarious perches, mussels secrete sticky fibers known as byssal threads. Some of these threads are stiff and rigid, while others are flexible and hydraulic motors manufacturers elastic. When a wave crashes on a mussel, it stays put as a result of the flexible strands absorb the shock and dissipate the power. Researchers have even calculated the precise ratio of stiff-to-flexible fibers — 80:20 — that gives the mussel its stickiness [source: Qin]. Now it’s a matter of developing building materials that mimic the mussel and its uncanny capability to stay put.
Robots work 24 hours a day and never tire of … by no means tire of … by no means tire of … doing the identical factor over and over. That makes them actually good at sure duties on an automotive assembly line, corresponding to painting, stamping and welding. However robots cannot “see” as well as people, which implies they’ve issue spotting small imperfections that want attention.
It had an austere look about it, and just one colour scheme was provided at first: deep burgundy on the hood and fenders, with the body finished in cream with reddish-brown paneling. The latter cleverly suggested, without really imitating, the mahogany-and-birch cabinet-store bodies typically found on the station wagons of that period.
Don’t get your hopes up simply yet, although. Such kits are costly and don’t exist for all makes and fashions. An even bigger downside is the truth that you’re dealing with a classic car. Your 70-yr-outdated home wouldn’t be standing without a whole lot of upkeep, upkeep and cleansing — and neither would your traditional car. The motion of stopping a car that weighs a number of thousand pounds puts plenty of put on and tear on your braking system, in addition to your automobile. Likelihood is the prevailing components of the brake system that you plan to work with will need modifications as well.