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Title: When a bike and car MERGE: Futuristic C-1 can reach 100mph and will NEVER fall over thanks to its self-balancing technology
Source:
Daily Mail Online
URL Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet ... self-balancing-technology.html
Published: May 15, 2015
Author: Jack Millner
Post Date: 2015-05-15 09:36:54 by cranky
Keywords: None
Views: 471
The daily commute through congested city streets can really get you down. But now a car as thin as a motorcycle could help you cut through traffic while keeping you safe and warm. What's more, it uses gyro stabilisation to stay balanced, so unlike a motorcycle, it will never fall over. Lit Motors, creator of the C-1 self-balancing car, recently showed off their futuristic vehicle at the 2015 Invention Awards, hosted by Popular Science. Self-balancing: Lit Motors showed off their futuristic vehicle, the C-1, at the 2015 Invention Awards. The fully electric car can balance itself using a system of gyros 'Our vehicle is the future of transportation,' said founder of Lit Motors, Danny Kim, in a statement. 'It combines the romance and efficiency of a motorcycle with the safety and convenience of a car, creating the ultimate urban vehicle.' The C-1 has a top speed of 100mph (160kph) and can go from 0 to 60mph in a blistering six seconds, according to Lit Motors. But the most impressive trick the the C-1 can boast of is its ability to balance itself on just two wheels. 'The “secret sauce” of the C-1 is our patented gyroscopic stability system,' said Kim. 'Using a pair of flywheels spinning at 10,000+ rpm, our gyro system exerts 1300 ft-lbs of torque to control the tilt and lean of the vehicle. 'This allows the C-1 to lean itself into and out of turns, and is powerful enough to keep the C-1 upright, even in a collision,' he added. A spinning disk, also known as a gyro, can keep its balance where a stationary disk would fall flat, just like a bicycle wheel. 'It combines the romance and efficiency of a motorcycle with the safety and convenience of a car, creating the ultimate urban vehicle,' said the creator of the C-1 Parking made easy: Its thin design allows the driver to squeeze into parking spaces normally reserved for motorcycles All aboard: The C-1 has space for a passenger or a small amound of luggage. The founder of Lit Motors, Danny Kim, hopes the product will hit the market within two years This effect is achieved by using spinning gyros embedded in the vehicle beneath the seat. A spinning disk - also known as a gyro - can keep its balance where a stationary disk would fall flat, just like a bicycle wheel. With two of these whirling clockwise at 5,000 to 12,000 rotations per minute inside the C-1, it is able to keep its balance. A computerised stability control module can tilt the gyros to control them while turning to maintain balance. What's more, the C-1 is also environmentally friendly, powered by electricity instead of petrol. A 10.4 kilowatt-per-hour battery pack lasts 150 to 200 miles on a single charge, according to Lit Motors. While it looks small, the C-1 has enough space for a passenger in the backseat. It also allows the driver to squeeze into parking spaces normally reserved for motorcycles. Kim hopes the product will hit the market within two years and cost from $24,000 (£15,000). The Jyrobike (pictured) claims to offer children a fast and easy method to learn how to ride a bicycle. A rapidly spinning disc inside the front wheel acts as a gyroscope that stabilises the bike when a kid leans from side to side so that they don't fall over, and it can be controlled remotely by a parent A Philadelphia company has unveiled its innovative bike for children that never falls over. Called the Jyrobike, it makes clever use of gyroscopes to keep the bike balanced even when a child leans from side-to-side. According to the company, this means a child can learn to ride the bike in just one day. The Jyrobikeworks on the principle that a bike is more stable at higher speeds. Inside the front wheel of the bicycle is a fast spinning disc. This creates a gyroscopic force that balances the bike even when it is ridden slowly, as might be expected for a child getting behind the handlebars for the first time. A ‘control hub’ in the front wheel dictates how the gyroscope acts. This can also be bought separately and attached to another bike. It can change the rate that the disc in the front wheel spins to give a rider different levels of stability. This means as a rider improves, the assistance can be toned down. And ultimately, once they are comfortable, the spinning disc can be removed to reduce the weight of the front wheel by 60 per cent. 
THE BIKE THAT NEVER FALLS OVER
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