Lotus Firefly, Degree Thesis by Alexandra Ciobanu, Umea Institute of Design, Sweden

8/11/2019 Lotus Firefly, Degree Thesis by Alexandra Ciobanu, Umea Institute of Design, Sweden

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LOT

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Acknowledgments

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to:

Demian Horst, Ingrid Nillson, Tony Catignani, Daniel Forsgren,for all their help and input to the project,

to all my friends and family that supported me emotionallyin this task and to God, for the great inspiration.

co

Abstract

I.INTRODUCTION

PrologueMottoBriefManifesto

techNatura

II.METHOD

Researchthe jetpackskirt hoverincontrolled qsci- visions

Technologytechnical deelectric eng

lithium-air ba F35 Lockhe air control

gyroscope son the nanos

Gesture controlbody movembiomechaniccontrollers

Biomimicrythe ight of

Vehicle attributesblending intohigh tech loo


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I


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Alexandra Ciobanu

Romanian5.07.87

Art school

BA industrial design, Romania

Erasmus exchange, Krakow, Poland

MA industrial design, Romania

Mia electric internship, France

homag

You could cof paying homage, tas I always inspirebeautifully accomcreation, the marveworld.

As a child, I gThe village where and dreams took forlandscape, and not is anthropic and artand glass, all riveangles and regulatefamily domain, I ofteblades of grass, geand exploring moreuniverse which wasmy very eyes. I wawatch them jump, I from the ground, wsheep, listen to the bnature unveiling itselunaltered, pure natuuse to say that the prst 7 years of life dyou could say that naclearly and that delike to look at things n

All the exinuenced me andway which allows mconcerning design, a

pro


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mission:defeating gravity Defeating gravity was my dream as a child. Years passed, but the idea still remained and,when I got the chance it further developed. I got mynext clue in the next chapterinternship at Mia Electric,in the south of France, where I have been living in thelarge domain of Les Roches Blanches (owned by theMoreau family), with an old castle to it, into a house(a gite) from the 19th century. On Sundays I used totake a walk, and suddenly, in this place that seemedforgotten by time and people, there was life! A lot of it!

People around running, walking, riding a horse at trap,riding a bike, driving an ATV, having picnic with the familyby the lake.

Imagine a time axis. Here it is 1900, thereis the present you, and there is the future, totallyunknown. Now see the current you, with the currenttechnologies, trapped in 1900, with all the inventionsspecic to that time span. When you are conscious ofthe situation, you start to wonder what is the hint of thenew?

So, it was almost like me, the one living in 2011,was present into a past environment, on the wrongside of the time axis. I was standing still, in the middleof a place on Earth, surrounded by different vehicles,picked from different segments of the time axis -people riding horses, people having picnic by the lake,brought in by a car, people riding bikes, people withATVs and myself using my own feet to move around.

And then I started thinking what a futurevehicle might look like if brought into this environmentwith a mixture of past and present means oftransportation.

Was there any place for a vehicle that coulddo something different? Was there any place for a

hovering vehicle?


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Supposing there would be a future wherehumankind would strongly agree that no matterhow far the technological advancements wouldgo, they would never be able to replicate thebalance of the ecosystem.

This being considered, more and more

people would vote for the preservation of the fewwild, virgin or barely touched by humans areas.There would be people specially trained to keepa keen eye and manifest care for the vegetationand wild life in special places listed to be part ofthe UNESCO`s natural heritage list. These placeswould be also open to be visited by scientists whoare looking to keep a discrete eye on mothernature without interfering with its cycle. Using anew kind of vehicle, having the above mentionedadvantages, could provide a great approachconcerning the surveillance across nature, froma distance, without affecting anything whatsoever,much like in the techniques used for land analysis,such as Remote Sensing, where the presenceof the analyst is not having a direct effect on theresearch subject.

techNatura


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It started in the 20s science ction books,and became real with the ying backpackcreated by the Romanian inventor Justin CaprHe invented the jet pack in 1956, and Henri Coandsuggested him to change the combustion system.

The story of the working prototype

starts with the communist era in Romania, whenthis inventor tried to present his concept to theRomanian military force, but they rejected it,telling him that we need tractors, not peoplewhich y. While trying his backpack, the inventorwas then accused of wanting to run away from hiscountry.

The Portable device for individual ightwas patented in 1958. I patented it four yearsbefore Wendell Moore, Cecil Martin and RobertCunnings of Bell Corporation. The Americans haveobtained the patent on 22 February 1962 and I,on July 27, 1958. Justin Caprs priority has beenrecognized by the Americans in 2002.

How does it work? It is propelled bypowerful streams of escaping gases (or in somecases liquid water) so as to allow one single user toy. The angled rear tubes strapped to ier`s backprovide both lift and forward thrust, while the chest-mounted deector tube of lower thrust maintains aconstant upward thrust. By opening the throttle tothe rear tube, calculated jumps could be made of

up to 60 metres or at low altitudes, 15 m.

the jetpack

Cover of Amazing Stories comic book, August 1928.

First jet pack pr

James Bond


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A hovercraft, also known as an air-cushionvehicle or ACV, is a craft capable of travelling overland, water, mud or ice and other surfaces bothat speed and when stationary. Hovercrafts arehybrid vessels operated by a pilot, much like anaircraft, and not as a marine vessel.

They operate by creating a cushion ofhigh-pressure air between the hull of the vesseland the surface below. Typically this cushion iscontained within a exible skirt. They usuallyhover at heights between 200 mm and 600 mmabove any surface and operate above 38km/h andcan clear gradients up to 20 degrees.

The rst practical design for hovercraftderived from a British invention in the 1950s to1960s. They are now used throughout the worldas specialised transports in disaster relief,coastguard, military and survey applications,and are used as well as for sport or passengerservice. Very large versions have been used totransport hundreds of people and vehicles acrossthe English Channel whilst others have militaryapplications used to transport tanks, soldiersand large equipment in hostile environments andrugged terrain.

Single person vehicles have beendeveloped as part of a Formula 1 hovercraftBiathlon racing version.

skirt hoveringracing

Hovercraft skirt - transition from water to land aspect.


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Controlled quantum levitation - stilla place of the mind vision, mind invention,imagination.

Quantum levitation and quantumlocking. Materials which could be used to oatand defeat gravity in such a way have what iscalled superconductivity. Superconductivity

is a phenomenon of exactly zero electricalresistance and expulsion of magnetic eldsoccurring in certain materials when cooled belowa characteristic critical temperature. It is an oldphenomenon discovered almost 100 years ago.A superconductor is dened by two properties:zero electrical resistance and the expulsion of themagnetic eld from the interior.

The concept was set-up in 1995, with theWipeout race games, being somewhat of a noveltywith regards to hovercraft racing.

Researchers at the Japan Institute ofScience and Technology have built a miniatureWipeout track, using high temperaturesuperconductors and quantum levitation. Rightnow this is fundamental research, but in the futurelarge scale transportation systems could be bui ltwith technology akin to this. This is super cool(ed). Shame it would takefar too much liquid nitrogen to make quantumlevitation trains feasible, if you could even producethe lift needed to pull off such a feat. Would any of

our resident physics geeks like to napkin-calculatehow many magnets and how much liquid nitrogenit would take to use this tech for moving a wholevehicle?

controlledquantum levitation

Wipeout track prototype.

Wipeout game.

Screen shot of th


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Star Wars style hovering vehicles.

ash speederThe ash speeder is a sleek, lightweight

repulsorlift urban landspeeder. It can y y at 2meters in altitude, at speeds of 200 km/h and it isable to carry 3 passengers and a pilot.

stap swift attack vehicle The Single Trooper Aerial Platform is anagile ying machine designed for use by the TradeFederation`s battle droids. It was designed to travel fast, high voltageenergy cells powering this machine. It was usedfor scouting and anti-personnel hunting operations. It is 2 meters tall and it can travel at amaximum speed of 400 km/h.

fc-20 speeder bike It consists of a semi-circular bodypowered by a repulsorlift and piloted with asimple steering handle. The strange, curved bodygave the FC-20 a low center of gravity, affordingits rider a dramatically improved cornering ability.It had a limited range before recharge wasrequired. It had a small repulsorlift engine withlow pitched heavy bafing which made it a veryquiet vehicle. That and its low riding height made ita popular vehicle for use in scouting. It is 1,5 meterslong, made to be driven by a single person at amaximum speed of 180km/h.

barc Speeder

It was used as a reconnaissance craft. It

sci- visions

Droid driving a STAP.


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was powered by repulsors and a turbine enginemounted in the frontal prong. The speeder wascontrolled via twin steering vanes atop the bike,and had pedals tted below. It was capable ofying at high altitudes and was sometimes used asan escort, carrying important passengers. It hadas well a version which was was used to transporta wounded clone trooper. It is 4,83 meters long,1,53 meters tall, 1,29 meters wide and it can bedriven up to a maximum speed of 520 km/h andoccasionally carry a second person.

74-z speeder bike It was referred to as the Imperialspeeder bike used for reconnaissance purposesas well as rapid transportation in combat zones. Itwas capable of reaching speeds up to and beyond500 km/h, and had a ight ceiling of 25 meters. Itwas controlled by handlebars located towardsthe front of the vehicle and foot pedals slungunderneath,used to adjust speed and altitude.

74-z speeder bike.


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This is the chapter where I start concerningabout the appearance and the technical correctitudeinvolved in the project, as you may look at it as beingdecided by the ip of a coin. Most of the ideas aresuppositions based on the current working reality. Toput it straight, it is how I think that the existent techniquewill evolve in the nearby future, based on the sametechnological trend we have from the 80`s, which isshrinking, generalizing and optimizing the technology inorder to work more effectively.

I opt to focus on the electric enginepropulsion, which is the golden key for thefuture of technology. As my presumptions are,in accordance with what researchers are doingnowadays. As the nano scale is the coolest aspect ofour world`s technology boost it is quit clear thateach technology available today will be availabletomorrow in a smaller and better version of it. Irely on the aspect that the human kind is set withthe go small trend, presuming that the techologyavailable on the next spreads will shrink. Some spoiler alerts for the futuregadgets: smart materials will start rocking ourdesign world by 2015, self-healing materials anduse of haptics on a daily basis will be availablefrom 2016 and by 2027, exoskeletons will beinvolved in the average day`s scenario.

technicaldevelopment ofthe future

.


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electric engine

The majority of todays large civiltransports are propelled by high bypass ratioengines. This type of engine deploys a largefan mechanically connected and driven by lowpressure turbines. Most power produced by thecore engine is used to rotate the fan, which in turnwill generate most of engine thrust.

Sustainability in the aviation industry calls foraircraft that are signicantly quieter and more fuelefcient than todays eet. Achieving this will requirerevolutionary new concepts, in particular, electricpropulsion. Superconducting machines offer the onlyviable path to achieve the power densities neededin airborne applications. Electrical Ducted FanConcept has been developped by NASA engineersunder a 5-year program to investigate the feasibilityof superconducting electric propulsion, and tointegrate, for the rst time, the multiple disciplinesand areas of expertise needed to design electricaircraft. It is shown that superconductivity is clearlythe enabling technology for the more efcient turbo-electric aircraft of the future.

Electric aircraft have long been considereddue to a number of operational and environmentalbenets that could be derived from such transition.Electric aeropropulsion offer tremendous benetsin the design of aircraft, ushering in the possibility ofrevolutionary concepts that are quieter and muchmore energy efcient, thus enabling sustainableaviation.

Electric aircraft engine working principle.

Exa


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lithium-air batteries

Lithium-air batteries arent a new idea:theyve been mooted since the 1970s, but thenecessary technology was well beyond thecapabilities of then-contemporary materialscience.

In IBMs lithium-air battery, oxygen isreacted with lithium to create lithium peroxide andelectrical energy. When the battery is recharged,

the process is reversed and oxygen is released in the words of IBM, this is an air-breathing battery.While conventional batteries are completely self-contained, the oxygen used in an lithium-air batteryobviously comes from the atmosphere, so thebattery itself can be much lighter.

The main thing, though, is that lithium-airenergy density is a lot higher than conventionallithium-ion batteries: The maximum energy density oflithium-air batteries is theorized to be around 12 kWh/kg, some 15 times greater than li-ion and moreimportantly, comparable to gasoline. Today, with graphene and carbon nanotubesand fancy membranes coming out of our ears, itseems that IBM with assistance from partnersAsahi Kasei and Central Glass now has thematerials required to build a lithium-air battery.


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f35 lockheedmartin lift fan

With the F35 Lockheed, the company hasgone with a new, daring propulsion system calleda lift fan. It has been an engineering challengebecause it has never been built before.

In the lift fan design, the engine sits in theusual ghter position, in the tale. A driveshaftconnects it to a huge fan placed behind the pilot. To

hover, the engine exhaust is projected downwards,but the fan is also engaged, taking air from abovethe fan and blowing it out below. That createsa balance between the two forces of thrust,and insures that the engine will not ingest hot airand choke. A powerful and stable arrangementsolution.

A Harrier takes off using rotating nozzlesthat direct engine exhaust downwards. Thismode of ight, called direct lift, demands anenormous amount of power and its dangerous,using a similar approach to the system used by thejetpack.

Normally, to acquire balance duringhover, the engine has to be in the middle. That leadsto a gap intake which feeds air. Unlike its ready forretirement predecessor, the subsonic Harrier, theF35 uses technology in a more clever manner. Cockpit of an F35, with lift fan uncovered.

Schematics of an


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air control

Symmetrical blade fans are well balanced,but because the blades are equally spaced theycreate a singular identiable frequency wave.Asymmetrical blades tend to cancel the highpitched noise, because they generate a greaterrange of multiple frequencies, which constantlyshift, therefore minimizing noise.. So it ensures aquieter and durable performance. This unequal fan

blade spacing has already been used in the newestMacBook Pro. It quietens the spinning impellerwithout sacricing performance. There are three fanmodels that feature asymmetrically aligned blades:two with 31 blades and one with 61 blades. The streamlines of the air ow, coloredbased on their velocity of a Harrier were used inorder to investigate straight vertical landing. Whenthe plane is hovering close the ground, the jetsat the front and rear of the craft hit the ground,move towards each other along the surface, thenform a strong turbulence when they meet thatrises to hit the bottom of the aircraft. The result is arecirculation ow that creates a low pressure zonearound the bottom of the aircraft, often producingnegative lift that would cause the aircraft to dropto the ground if it were not offset by sufcient enginethrust.

Hot gas ingestion is another problemthat can occur during vertical landing. It happenswhen the jet engine inlet draws in hot air from therecombination turbulence described above ratherthan cool air. In order to increase the performanceof the engine, a recirculating cooling system with

liquid nitrogen or liquid oxygen could be used in thesemoments to cool the the air pulled through thepropeller anges.

Apple`s asymmetrical fandesign schematics.

Singular frequency noise wave caused by symmetrical fanblades.

A range of multiple frequencies noise wave caused byasymmetrical fan blades, that tend to cancel the high n oise.

Air velocity strea


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gyroscopestabilizer

A gyroscope is a device used formeasuring or maintaining orientation, based on theprinciples of angular momentum. Mechanically, agyroscope is a spinning wheel or disk, in which theaxle is free to acquire any orientation. Althoughthis orientation does not remain xed, it changesin response to an external torque much less andin a different direction than it would without the

large angular momentum, which is associated withthe disks high rate of spin and moment of inertia.The devices orientation remains nearly xed,regardless of the mounting platforms motion,because mounting the device in a gimbal minimizesthe external torque.

C1, the rst prototype from San Francisco-based Lit Motors has already incorporated thistechnology of upright holding. Apart from being afully electric, fully enclosed two-wheeled two-seater, completed with airbags, a seatbelt and asmartphone-connected infotainment system, theC1 has two gyroscopes underneath the passengercompartment. These two keep it constantlyupright. It means it remains standing while stoppedand can pirouette through trafc like the best fromHonda, Yamaha or Ducati.

In its current form, the two gyros each putout 266 pound-feet of torque as they spin, keepingthe C1 upright no matter the speed or angle. Innal production form, the combined force of thepair of gyros will max out at around 1,300 pound-

feet, enough to keep the C1 vertical while stopped,at steady-state cruising and planted to the road ata maximum lean angle of 45 degrees. Gyroscope application in the training of astronauts.

Lit Motors C1 mgyroscope stabiliz


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Solar panels that collect energyfrom the Sun and store it in batteries, are themain technology available nowadays. The MITresearchers upgraded to a second generationproduct already, by printing photovoltaic cells onnormal paper, meaning that, electricity gatheringwill be more and more independent from powerplants that store it, batteries being able to be

cordless or dependent to a grid structure that willpower, or induce recharging on a wireless manner.The 3rd generation step into the solar

energy collection product is the photovoltaicpaint, inspired by owers, which will be able tobe applied over the surface of a vehicle, andinstantaneously send that power to the electricengine, or store it for bad days (New public policy- dear citizens - save up for cloudy days - now onlywith the 3rd generation line!) in some drasticallyshrinked batteries. Miniaturized batteries means that thepower train will be composed of an electricengine, that will get its power from the paintwhich can collect and distribute this powerinstantaneously, and since you can always expectcloudy days, the onboard batteries will provide aback-up power source. Basically, this technology provides themeans of developing an independent poweredvehicle, that could be able to drive itself withoutbeing connected, linked or chained to a cord or tobe able to drive an extra mi le.

on the nanoscalePhotovoltaic panels.

Photovoltaic cells printed on paper.

Photovoltaic pain


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Four Hills Sky jumping competition.

Looking into the downhill ski, on how thepeople use their thighs and their legs which needto be powerful in order to withstand the intensetremors and stress induced by the contact betweenskis and the surface of the ground, in order to guidethemselves and to dictate direction.

Skiing is a very natural motion bothanatomically and mechanically because it uses

only the capabilities of the human body. It is verygracious and intuitive, being almost like a naturalreex for humans, once learned the techniqueof skiing becomes part of the human mind and themovements involved are made subconsciously. Skaters and Rollers do it as well; they usetheir body to dictate direction and speed.

If for instance, I will use some kind ofcontrols similar to the ones used in a motorcycle itwould be too static, conventional and a bit too boringfor this project. And it has been done in Star Warsalready the famous hovering vehicles (speederbikes). Although the series is full of hovering vehiclesstarting with the pod racer, none of them is using thebody movements to control itThey all are static,and are using gear shifters, joysticks, or wheels to becontrolled. Having those in mind, a good approachwould be to use a simple manner of control,such as drive by wire, since it is providing a drivinginterface which is more natural and intuitive forthe humans. The conventional controls such as theones mentioned above are more complicated,more difcult to build and are made of more

parts, (especially moving parts and as we all knowmoving parts means stress and faster wear of thematerials involved and vulnerability).

bodymovements

Sequence of a jump movement.


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This eld analyses the human motions.Mechanics can be broadly divided into twoapproaches: kinematics, which deals with descriptionsof motion using characteristics such as displacement,speed, and acceleration, and kinetics deals with thecauses of motion such as force, torque, and energy.

To understand human motion it is often helpful tostart with kinematics, so that one can quantitativelypicture movement patterns. But ultimately, kineticcharacteristics are what drive motion and must bedetermined in order to approach the understandingof the complex movement patterns like those ofcross-country skiing for instance. Since the abilityto y a new kind of hovering vehicle involves asuccession of learning steps, the person who wouldy it would rstly need to be instructed on the type ofcontroller that he/she would use.

take-off The most important rule on controlling suchan intuitive operated kind of vehicle is to be aware ofthe centre of gravity and how to balance and shift it.If one does not lean forwards his weight will moveback and will rotate backwards with the vehiclecoming up in the air simple physics as like all thecontrolling characteristics, which would be intuitiveand in compliance with the laws of physics.

stance The stance would be categorized

accordingly to the user`s learning and insightcapabilities into the eld of hovering, as it is a constantlychanging position, involving improvement of skills.

biomnechanicalappliedengineering


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longitudinal and lateral weight distribution At its rst lesson, the user should beinstructed about the anatomy of the vehicle so hewould know how to balance its body in coordinationwith the centre of gravity of the vehicle itself.Gyroscopic sensors and uid-based levelingsensors will detect the weight shift.

edge pressure Taking into account the fact that the motorswhich provide the lift would be connected to thecentre of gravity of the vehicle, the rider is able tolean on the sides without falling of his vehicle as longas it keeps its position up to a 30 degree sidewaystilt. weight shifts The basic movements of and on such a kindof hovering vehicle should be thought as movingweight over its body accordingly, in order to keep inbalance the centre of gravity.

short radius turns A short radius turn is a very fast snappingmotion. Going into the actual turn with a goodposture is very important for the quality of the turn- knees bent, shoulders forward, hands togetherin front are the key. Also, the ankles should beslightly exed forward. The upper body should bein an upright position during the actual turn, with thelower body pivot side to side during the turn.

long radius turns

This is more of a graceful and smoothermaneuver, the ticket to a splendid experience. Itwould depend on the natural turning radius of the

Frame of reference, angles and forces affectinga ski jumper in ight (1, 2 conguration angles, angle ofinclination, angle of attack, V0 ight velocity tangent tothe ight trajectory, G gravity force, Pz lift, Px drag, Ma the pitching moment).


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vehicle, discovered while resisting the temptation oftwisting the feet towards the new direction. All theweight will force it into a curve, the vehicle startingto bend and arch, while turning. It goes with no otherinput from the driver, as the vehicle itself will followits designed natural radius.

landing

As to execute this maneuver, one must useits own body in order to absorb the force of landing.Bend knees and hips are preferred instead of astraight position. When one comes near to touchingdown, it is important that one touches down theground with the rear part of the vehicle, as thedrag forces will be in action. It is most importantthat during these moments the user concentrateson keeping its weight on the centre of gravity of thevehicle so that constant balance is acquired.

speedAs the driver balances, its motion would

be detected and the change in its center of mass,would establish and then maintain a correspondingspeed, forward or backward.

altitute & human strength capabilities If not a on super sunny day, or fullycharged by the means of whatever the technologyinvolved, the use of this new type of mobility shouldbe able to be prolonged and its hang time in the airmaximized, by shifting to a lower altitude, that willrequire less engine power to hover and sustain the

weight of the vehicle up.

Movement and acceleration vectors of the wholebody for the trials of highly skilled (A), intermediate (C) andbeginner (E). Stick pictures were drawn at every fourthframe.


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Coordination between the bodymovements and vehicle`s coordination in space isthe sum of this chapter. Mechanical controllersand interaction with the human counterpart keepthe vehicle in the air. A rotorcraft can steer by rotatingaround its roll and pitch axes. The yaw rateis passively or actively controlled so that no

lateral acceleration occurs (coordinate turns).The lift produced by the wings or the rotor isassumed to exactly compensate for the gravityand centripetal forces. Under these conditions, thetranslation vector (ight direction) remains xedwith respect to the aircraft body.

A 3D Braitenberg-like vehicle using opticow to control its ight and to steer away fromobstacles. The underlying vehicle is a translationaircraft with the only possibility to roll and pitch inorder to alter its trajectory.

These main movements in the X,Y,Z axes(pitch, yaw and roll) will correspond to the humanbasic movements (exion and supination).

controllers andcoordination

Basic human motions.


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Differences in the kinematic controlmechanisms used by the various insect orders arerelated to differences in the arrangement of thewings, the construction of the ight motor and theunsteady mechanisms of lift production that are us ed.

Although the control kinematicsvary widely between orders, the number ofdegrees of freedom that different insects cancontrol will always be limited by the number ofindependent control inputs that they use. Controlof the moments about all three axes (as usedby most conventional aircraft) has only beenproven for larger ies and dragon ies, butis likely to be widespread in insects given thenumber of independent control inputs availableto them. Unlike in conventional aircraft, however,insects control inputs are likely to be highly non-orthogonal, and this will tend to complicate theneural processing required to separate thevarious motions.

Alternatively, if the mean ight forceacts well above the centre of gravity, the insectwill gain stability much like that of a ship through a`pendulum effect. To describe completely the motion ofthe system we would need also the rst-orderand second-order derivatives of the threepositional degrees of freedom, but for simplicitywe will only consider terms referring to positionand orientation. By Newtons second law, theapplication of a force or moment to a mechanicalsystem produces an acceleration or angularacceleration of equivalent sense or direction thatcan be used to control position or orientation. A ying insect, like this hummingbird

the ight ofinsects

Insect and bird ight analysis - diagrams and images.


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has six degrees of freedom. The insect is free tomove in translation along or rotate about threeorthogonal axes, centred upon the centre ofgravity (part-lled circle). Rotations about theseaxes are termed pitch, roll and yaw. For example, a car gives its driver controlof just two of its three degrees of freedom, makingit easier to keep on the road, but somewhatharder to parallel park. Three-axis control systems permitindependent modulation of pitch, roll and yaw andthus enable a far wider range of manoeuvres.Conventional aircraft use mechanically separatecontrol surfaces to separate control of the threemoments. In the simple system the tail elevatorsare used to control pitch, the ailerons to controlroll, and the rudder to control yaw. Insects lackseparate control surfaces and must instead usedifferent rotations of the wings to separate themoments. Such a new kind of hovering vehicle wouldhave a third dimension in the degree of controlfreedom, but it will not be as complete as the oneof a helicopter. In order for the hover to function,it will have to be limited to a certain degree, ofcontrol for the three axes. For example, it will notbe able to roll 360 degree on the longitudinal axis,but instead it will be able to tilt the front and therear up to 30 degree up and down (60 degree offreedom in total). The typical car has none. On the lateral axis, it would have the same60 degree of liberty before losing its stability, inorder to avoid sudden obstacles, as the landingand the take off are vertical.

Insect ight vector and motion analysis.


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This was a fun exercise of taking thepure nature and the technology, and bringing ittogether in different scales. The fun and the thrillof riding a huge praying mantis in a jungle quest. Itis a single person vehicle, designed for the individualexperience of the natural environment.

Design opportunities - the use of motioncontrol concept derived from the human

movements used in sports such as skiing, which arebased on intuitive behaviour.

Design/concept attributes - usingelemental characteristics derived fromgeometric patters recognized after studyinggeneral anatomy of certain insects.

blending intonature


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Goals and wishes - ease of control(intuitive drive by wire control), carrying capacity(passengers capacity and array), blending into theenvironment (ecological footprint), sustainability(photovoltaic cells fueled and electric engine). The altitude gauge would be set in thenomenclature of the International System of Units meters and use divisions or increments of 10s andnot 100.

Another design opportunity stands in howthe driver will be protected, what kind of safetybelt will keep him tight on the cockpit or which othersystem will he use, if he will be tied with bungeerope, or if he will have locked boots.

high tech look The man-machine bound.


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The Seven S1, from 1957, was the embodimentof Lotuss philosophy of performance through lowweight and simplicity. A road-legal racing car, youcould drive it to the track, then leisurely wind your wayhome afterwards. The body was a stark, door-lessaffair that the driver would lower himself in to. The Elite (or Type 14) made its debut atthe 1957 London Motor Show. Colin Chapman wasfascinated by glass-reinforced plastic breglass,

building what would become the worlds rstworkable breglass monocoque, which was lighter,stiffer, and safer than any of its competition.

The mid engined GT Coupe, Europa, offeredan F1 experience for the road. At 610kg, it conformedto Lotuss just add lightness mantra. The car used asteel backbone chassis, and a breglass monocoque,which made it one of the best-handling cars on themarket.

Type 75 Elite, introduced in 1974, was atwo-door saloon with a hatchback body shell - aniche sports car well ahead of its time. The Elitewas intended to be both more luxurious and moreexpensive than any previous Lotus, and its stylingmarked a new direction for the company whileretaining the breglass body and backbone chassisof earlier Lotus models. The wedge-shaped lineswere the height of fashion, and the complex confectionof straight edges and smooth panels, gave the carterric aero results to go along with the modernair. The interior, made by Giugiaro was meant toaccommodate four adults and their luggage in style. Revealed at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, thenext-generation Elise seems to have skipped a couple

of rungs on the evolutionary ladder. The styling ismuch more aggressive, but the spirit of fun remains.

ve decades ofLotus design

Britishness, individualism, freedom.

My personal goal remains the same:

to deliver what we have promised.Dany Bahar

Lotus CEOEuropa, 1963.

Seven S1, 1957.

Type 75 Elite, 1974.


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If youre not winning, youre not trying. It`sone of Lotus founder Colin Chapman most famousquotes, which perfectly encapsulates the spiritand strength of the Lotus brand. It provides thecore ethos, as the company moves forward onto ahigher playing eld. But what is the Lotus world? Put simply,its a stylish world, sexy, upbeat, unique, energetic,and bursting at the seams with creativity and joie de

vivre. Once youve stepped inside their world, youllnever want to leave.

There were two big pushes that put Lotuson the map: Formula One and the Bond Film.Chapman led the F1 path with simple mantras:add lightness and dont use two components ifone can do both jobs. Bond producers chose Lotusbecause it was futuristic and looked like it wouldwork underwater. It made the Esprit a premiumproduct, a status object.

The whole philosophy of Lotus is that youcan become one with the car.

What theyre trying to do is create acomplete world around the brand. Lotus is aboutso much more than smart engineering, lightweightdesign, and an intense driving experience. Its alifestyle choice. Thats what theyre building.

Colin Chapman`s ambition was to pushthings forward. Lotus is about innovation on theone hand and tradition on the other hand. . Inorder to move forward and innovate you have tounderstand and learn from the past the two

elements must go hand in hand.

Lotusphilosophy

Colin Chapman with Esprit S2.

If you`re not winning, you`re not trying.

Colin ChapmanLotus founder


Ch


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There are two racing teams out therepainted green and gold, called Lotus. The rstone is the Classic Team Lotus and the other is theTeam Lotus. The rst one descends from theChapman`s lineage passed to his son and maintainsand services the historic eet.

There are 150 works Lotus F1 chassisout there in museums, barns, art galleries,

and Chapman`s son knows the locations of all ofthem. They show a committment to grassrootsmotorsport and talent development, and not justfrom a driver`s perspective. The most notablemodel of the F1 Classic team is Lotus 49 dressed inlivery green and golden colours.

The new F1 Team, Lotus Renault GP,formed in 2009 by the asian magnate TonyFernandes, licensed the name Lotus from Proton,and is the perfect combination of experience,knowledge, and bravery, motivated innovatorswho are giving everything they have to deliver tomeet all the expectations. The ofcial colours ofthis team are black and gold. This is also how the company chairmanhas been inspried to create a very special limitededition, to celebrate its successful return to LeMans, supposed to be a taste of Lotus for the fareast markets. In Frankfurt, though, the company`sgoal was simply to get across two messages:performance and quality. The company`schairman is a big believer in the fact that actions

speak louder than words.: Lotus. The time is now.Dont be left behind.

Lotusracing

The whole philosophy of Lotus is that you

can become one with the car.

Jim Clark. Vitaly Petrov.



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In 1981, Colin Chapman wanted to createa small, high-performance airplane, to be soldunder the name of Lotus. He met with aeronauticaldesigner Burt Rutan and they developed togetheran ultralight single-seat canard prototype. The airplane, called Micro-light at SealedComposites, Rutan`s company was known atLotus as Elsie. Unfortunately, Chapman diesDecember 1982, two weeks before his prototype

was ready to y. With his death, the project endedimmediately.But the project didn`t die entirely, jump

forward a few decades, and transpose a fewletters in Elsie, and you have the anagrammaticLotus Elise.

All in all, the Lotus aircraft was a nicedream that didnt get its proper chance.

In 2008 Lotus have also developed aConcept Ice Vehicle (CIV) a cross between askidoo and a microlight to aid research forthe Moon Regan Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Thebiofuel powered, propeller-driven trike on skidsis 4.5 meters long and 4.5 meters wide with anindependent suspension all around. It also has anice penetrating radar to detect crevasses andis light enough (360kg) for a man to pull it acrossdifcult terrain, which basically makes it an Elisefor explorers. It also appears to have a spikedfoot under the cockpit, perhaps for stopping onicy terrain.

Lotusaviation

Chapman`s ambition was to push things forward.

Lotus is about innovation.


Lotus Micro-Light test ight in 1982. A c


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This poster stooseveralmonthsduringthe

insect


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several months during the Every time I hadnew, make some new por move, I looked up at solution.

The solution restsyour very eyes, you just hav


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Design proposal #1Among the rst design proposals of

before mid-review. This lightweight openedvehicle was supposed to have only a roof anda small area to sit on, along with controllersfor the hands and feet, which would be linked tomovements the person does. I have called themARM KINETICS. Basically, it is a more complex,wearable exoskeleton, with roof and saddle.

Design proposal #2


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The vehicle was supposed to be a singleseater, and it is linked by the means of an intricateconnection/articulation. If you look closely, you can see thepeople from the top view.

On the bottom, we can observe theinterior part, which is represented by the seat,along with the seat safety straps and saddle,which provide freedom of motion.


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Ejectorseat


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seat The previous sketches lead me to thecore of the problem: human safety inside of thismachine, how would he be secured in. The core of the design is this ejectorseat, which has soft padded interior, to warmlywelcome the human, but also provide safetythrough the hard, protective outer shells.

Ejeseat

F th


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From thbig bump in the element: the parin case of malfunc We can which provides exI also started would be related


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Vehsta

After been redirectand start think

The msleek body of my ejector sereveal itsef.


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top views


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top views At this point I had realised how inportantis to emphasize the lines of the vehicle from thetop view as well. I wanted to exphasize howthe body of the vehicle and the side panels andarm kinetics protect the fragile interior, whichbeholds the human. The lines are being taken from theposter, which has been an inspiration the wholeprocess.


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Package In these x-ray vision redenings you canobserve all the elements that compose thevehicle and the realtionship between them:the seat at the core, rotors to body proprotionand the dimention of the vehicle.


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From the side view we can observe thebattery, located along the split channel runningaround the whole body of the vehicle. Theejector seat and the rotor embodiment.

Package

seatheight510mm


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We can see here the warning lights canbe clearly seen here, located sideways on therotors housings. We can also see the terminal tailexhaust system, and again, accompanying is thebreath-in breath-out channel for the batteries,running along the whole vehicle body.

Package


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ejector seat

As we recap a bit on the subject, wecan see the beautiful golden colors originatingfrom the 70s Lotus Esprit, used here in the seatelements in subtle accents. Continue further on, to see how thevehicle is being built.


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Main body

As parts appear in the picture youcan see the main lightweight body of thevehicle which contains all the techical parts:the Li-air batteries, which have the spaceto breath, the gyroscope stabilizer whichdetects the balance of the vehicle and helpsstabilize the posture while in the air. For that extra bit of energy, thevehicle is coated with photovoltaic LotusGolden paint, which charges directly from theSun and redirects the energy to the engine.


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Big picture


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Big picture

The landing gear system and wingsare attached to the body and provide the bigpicture of the vehicle with all the elementsreunited.


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take-off

In order to take off, the person startson the ground and begins to run a few steps andgain altitute. Lotus Firey is a light vehicle whichhas at its core extreme leisure activitiesand essays to place itself somewherein the middle way between the high techdevelopment and the roughness of nature.

Controllers


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Further, the vehicle is controlledwith the intuitive motions of the human bodythrough arm kinetics and exoskeleton parts.


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Training


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In order to gain altitude, the user ofthis vehicle has to move its feets along withthe exoskeleton parts, which hold them. Most probably, at rst, users wouldneed to run in a controlled loop in order toget more accustomed to the natural way ofcontrolling it.


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Suit

The adventure seeker is outttedwith a special suit which connects him/her to the ejector seat, equipped withemergency parachute and oxygen mask,capable of securing a safe landing inhazardous situations. Look at the drawings in the appendixarea to nd out more about all the elementsit contains and how it ts and connects to the

vehicle.


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13

ref


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As I sit anI can only tell thadesigner, but I amyself as a persall the people aromyself better, eve

One puzzlwhich nobody canbut yourself. You puzzle pieces. Ththey reside in eac

when you gather you make it altoge

It is all abyou and encouraand keep followinwith easiness.

Nobody cand its you that haare willing to wawilling to sacriceit comes down tothem.

I have devown way of desigwith time. I think thave learned andmy working procethe heart and bra

What I stil

ref


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1. A.J.Veal, Denitions4, 1992, pp 4http://195.13

2. Battle of the X pla

3. Boaz Almog, Levit http://www.

4. Justin Capr. repo

5. Jet pack, retrieve

6. Smith, Gerald A., BSkiing, editorbiomekanikk

7. Star Wars ships EnSTAP, retrieFC-20 SpeeBARC Speed

74-Z Speed

8. Taylor, Graham KPhilosophica

9. Lotus Concept Ice http://www.s

10. Lotus Magazine, Ifrom - http:/

11. Litium-air IBM bat

high-density-

12. Next Generation M

Applied Sup


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timeplan


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January February Marchcompleting the task

March14-midreview&tutoring

February25-tutoringw.Ingrid

January14-peerreview(pre-deliveryassignment4

)

January18-goalsandwishesfortheproject(assignment4)

February8-tutoringw.Ingrid

January22-tutoringw.Ingrid

January23-projectkick-off(assignment5)

April28-tutoringw.Ingrid

W. 7 W. 8 W. 10W. 9W. 3 W. 4 W. 5 W. 6W. 2 W. 11 W. 13W. 12

CAID

proposal of 3 design directions

advanced development of the chosen direction

concept discussion

brief, concept & report layout

basic ideation

package solving issued, storyboard nailed down

advanced ideation


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Name:Jeremy Curl

Age: 35

lOtus membersince:october 2010

Location:Sydney,Australia


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Animation

This is the trailer Lotus wouldsupposedly develop to advertise the vehicle.

The training starts on a virtual gaming


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The training starts on a virtual gamingplatform provided to a handful of people.

The nal upgrade to the 3rd levelendows the player with an innate capacity to yit in real life at a Lotus terminal.

Dare to meet the challenge in thereal life!

Documents

Lotus Firefly, Degree Thesis by Alexandra Ciobanu, Umea Institute of Design, Sweden