Category Archives: Transportation

via TechCrunch: Tesla Working On Robotic Tentacle Charger Arms

According to TechCrunch today, electric car manufacturer Tesla is working on robotic tentacle arms that will snake from the wall and plug into your Tesla automobile to recharge it. This may seem a little quirky and not really important, but imagine the value to someone like me with a severe mobility disability! Driving a gas vehicle, and with the vast majority of gas stations being self serve, getting my vehicle refueled required help from someone else. I’ve often thought an electric car I charge at home would be easier. But, can I plug it in myself? Tesla may solve that. Now, can my ridiculously expensive and complicated driving controls be installed in a Tesla and do they make a minivan?

 

A Robot Riding a Hoverbike? Yes, Please!

The Science Channel has a way cool video on their site of a 1/3 scale experimental quad-rotor hover bike. The air vehicle is designed by Malloy Aeronautics and is claimed to be more maneuverable than a helicopter. The video is amazing.

As a person with a disability who has always used wheelchairs and scooters, I have to wonder if a small version could have the right combination of size and thrust to take the place of larger mobility devices. Flying up some stairs would rock.