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More details in the linked pdf file.. a low pressurized tube with pods floating on air cushions together with EM propulsion and braking.. cool, but probably not going to be build any day soon

It would be great indeed, but even though the cost of the high speed train is a factor 10x higher, the prototype nature and hence relatively lower TRL of this system will probably not have it favoured. Best chance is that he develops a working prototype, one that might not even transport humans at the moment and for short distances, then maybe the project can take off

Actually, he was talking about a prototype: "I am somewhat tempted to at least make a demonstration prototype," Musk said in a conference call with reporters on Monday. "Perhaps I'll create a sub-scale version that's operating, and then hand it over to somebody else." "I think I'll probably end up doing that," he said. http://allthingsd.com/20130812/elon-musk-will-likely-build-his-own-hyperloop-prototype/

The prototyped EV equipped with a wireless power feeding system is based on the electric version of Volkswagen's "Golf." IHI Corp announced Nov 22, 2011, that it has added a wireless power receiving function to an electric vehicle (EV) and begun to test it by simulating actual use conditions.

Related to yesterday's post on RNA computers

NASA has tested a prototype of a new design for a small uranium reactor as a power source for deep space exploration. In principle this should pose a smaller radiation danger during launch and more energy per mass compared to RTGs.

The best robot prototype videos in ICRA conference. Nice whiskered robots and "self-supervised" self learning robot hands using CNNs.

Researchers in the US have built a new type of solar cell that emits light as well as absorbs it, making it the most efficient solar cell ever developed. The efficiency of their prototype cell allows it to convert 28.6% of the Sun's energy into electricity.

well, the text is at best misleading ... the most efficient solar cells are well over 35% and approach the 40s with concentration! what they have done is to increase the limit of a single junction cell it seems to me ... still, nteresting though from text most details on how this was done are missing ... paper is not yet published, correct?

I learn of it in a workshop few weaks ago. It's on GaAs and I think that the key theoretical aspects are explained here: http://arxiv.org/abs/1106.1603

Luke Skywalker?

nice demonstration what rapid manufacturing can already achieve!

nice demonstration what rapid manufacturing can already achieve!

StarTiger: similar, yet different from the way the ACT does things. Seems like a very interesting programme.

Nice initiative and also a good approach, problem-oriented within a fixed time frame. Could definitely be a highly motivating approach, similar to GTOC... I think the ACT should do this more often, targeted at future technologies and/or missions. The team could be structured around 'problems' instead of 'research areas', this will promote multidisciplinary work as well, plus it will also focus activities more. The problems, or more broadly concepts, are identified by the team and a few get chosen as main activities. Subsequent RF and YGT hiring is then done to strenghten the research team. These projects have a maximum lifetime maybe of 1 year? Thoughts?

I'm impressed already by what an innovative group of experts and researchers was able to achieve when resourcefully targeted at coming up with the project's name...

Does any of you know this Berlin based Design Research Lab - they seem to do some interesting "stuff"

Do you know this one ? (no time to go through the bookmarks...)

They just got 1.7 million euros from the EU "to build the laboratory prototypes of the key components of the electric sail": http://en.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/press-release/121643

very interesting info indeed!!

"Within a few years we will see the first true prototype of a spaceship that will take us between worlds," Worden said. this sounds to me a bit too much like Pete Worden :-) but I really like this one :-) One of those billionaires might be Google's Larry Page, who is keenly interested in space travel and NASA Ames's research. "Larry asked me a couple weeks ago how much it would cost to send people one way to Mars and I told him $10 billion, and his response was, 'Can you get it down to 1 or 2 billion?,'" Worden told the Long Now audience. "So now we're starting to get a little argument over the price."

nice article - should be a nice tool to make your own small cubesat - who will be first?

who in the group will build the first fabber? bets are open ...

yes! very much so!!! is he in Holland? since would also probably be nice to get some first hand experience from him/her ....

but what would we do with it...? any idea ?

European researchers have built prototypes that combine plastic solar cells with ultrathin, flexible batteries.

Cell Press and Elsevier have launched a project called Article of the Future that is an ongoing collaboration with the scientific community to redefine how the scientific article is presented online....

well - none of the two examples that they have given show much imagination - don't think that any of these will be better than just using the full screen pdf, my preferred way after printing and reading on paper ... btw: Kevin: are you still around? could we meet?

maybe we should get one of these ... love it!!!

I want one of these !!!

very nice!!! thanks for sharing ...