DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF by Maryanne Kane, Journalist
DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF
By Journalists Edward Kane & Maryanne Kane
CHINA MAY FULFILL A NASA SPACE DREAM
- China is developing a huge, hypersonic "rail gun" to launch hypersonic planes. The rail gun is based on Maglev hyperloop technology. NASA has dreamed of achieving this new space launch system for decades. Here are some facts:
- The rail gun launch approach is a far less expensive way to send people to space than current methods
- The technology combines electromagnetic launch with hypersonic flight
- The launch rail-track would accelerate the plane to Mach 1.6
- The plane would separate from the track, fire up its engines and enter space at 7-times the speed of sound
- China has built the most sophisticated electromagnetic propulsion facility in the world to test the space launch system
- They have even done aerodynamic redesign of a plane to be part of the testing
- In addition: China says their work on the rail gun also fosters their development of hyperloop Maglev trains.
A MAJOR CHANGE IN TRAFFIC LIGHTS?
- A new study indicates that adding a white traffic signal to the traditional red, yellow and green signals could help end traffic congestion. Here are the facts:
- Researchers say adding a 4th traffic signal - a white one - to the traditional 3-light system could cut traffic congestion at signals by more than 25%
- The white signal would let autonomous cars control the flow of traffic
- The research was done by scientists at North Carolina State University
- It is clearly predicated on the growing use of autonomous, self-driving cars
- It taps into the computing power of AVs to expedite traffic at intersections
- This concept gets even more efficient with increasing numbers of autonomous cars
- The concept is getting a lot of interest because of its potential global use and the practicality of easy traffic congestion as driving starts going autonomous.
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