Important Innovations

Prototype Helipad and Base Source:  BART Technologies Empowering Electric Flying Burlington, Vermont based BETA Technologies is developing an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. It also has invented a fascinating piece of infrastructure for the future of flying air taxis, flying cars, drones and electric planes.  It's a prototype helipad and rapid recharge station. The design of the structure is modular and the concept is unique. Burlington International Airport A prototype structure has been built at Burlington International Airport.  It can recharge a 6-seat electric passenger plane,  which is what BETA is building, in an hour.  The structure offers lounges and other accomodations for the crew and can also serve as a way station for medical and other supplies during an emergency. Green Power BETA uses a combination of  electric power and solar charging to recharge the electric f

Smart Robotic Field Hospital Source:  CloudMinds Caregiving Robots on the Frontlines With the insidious contagion of the coronavirus pandemic, robots are being increasingly used on the frontlines of COVID 19 patient care. Caregiving robots are fast, efficient and "contagion proof". With medical staff supervising remotely, they keep doctors and nurses out of harms way. Wuhan Smart Field Hospital Wuhan, China is where the  global pandemic started.  In a smart field hospital, they temporarily used a team of robots to care for COVID 19 patients.  The robots communicated with the patients, served them meals and took their temperatures. The robots were managed by the medical team remotely. The patients also wore wristbands that gathered their blood pressure and other vitals. The patients remained in the field hospital for just a few days. Future of Medicine This field hospital in China is a glimpse at

HARDT Hyperloop of The Netherlands Source:  HARDT Hyperloop Paris to Amsterdam in 90 Minutes In The Netherlands, a proposal to develop a hyperloop network for Europe is picking up steam. This, as a feasibility study has concluded a hi-tech link, would be economically feasible. The study was commissioned by Dutch startup HARDT Hyperloop and the Province of Northern Holland.  H yperloop Travel The hyperloop mode of transportation is the brainchild of Tesla CEO Elon Musk. At the moment, he's not involved in this European project. The hyperloop involves train-like pods for travelers to be propelled through low pressure steel vacuum tubes at speeds of 600 mph plus. Commuting Times The new feasibility study concluded that a European-wide hyperloop system would have  significant benefits.  The benefits include shorter commuting  times, blurring boundaries  and growing economic benefits. The study says it c

The X Plane: X-57 Maxwell Source:  NASA image Experimental High Performance Plane  NASA has developed a fully electric  plane, the X-57 Maxwell.  It has twelve small motors and two cruise motors, all on its wings. The aircraft is experimental  but it's performance is outstanding.  NASA has optimized it for high performance cruising.  X-57 is powered by two 400 pound lithium-ion battery packs in the plane's cabin.  The battery packs contain 23 kilowatt hours of power.  This is NASA's first piloted X-Plane in 20 years. Cost Saving, Green Electric Flying The X-57 is a research platform for NASA to develop and optimize e-flying technology.  NASA says  the X-57 provides a 500% increase in high speed cruising  efficiency.  The propulsion system saves $165 per hour compared to a combusion engine.  And, it cuts the hourly operating cost of  energy from 45% to 9%. Test Flight The X-57 will undergo its