A while back I mentioned I wanted to be an astronaut. Here’s why:
How to get rid of rubbish in space
How much fun would that be?
It’s no secret that I have always wanted to be an astronaut. I imagine most boys dream of being one at some stage or another. Of course, that’ll never happen but I do like to keep up to date with the space program both here in Europe and across the Atlantic in the America.
I actually had a look at the “How to apply to become an astronaut” page in the NASA website recently to see if I ticked any boxes. Of course I’m not a US citizen and without my glasses I can’t see ten feet in front of me but apart from that, I’m ready to fly!
I do however like to watch the space missions online, on NASA TV. It sort of like Big Brother for nerds. Essentially there are lots of cameras filming ten to fifteen people in a cramped and sealed environment going about their daily routine. Granted, they are floating round the earth in the vaccuum of space but the analogy works! You can see some amazing things when they’re working outside hanging off the end of the station as Africa floats by underneath. Also, they’re worth watching just to hear the technicalj argon and the completely unnecessary use of abbreviations. Just call it a spacewalk, not an EVA (Extra-vehicular activity)!
At the moment there’s a mission to the space station to attach a new compartment and move a huge array of solar panels to a new location on the station. Everything was going smoothly until they realised that the solar panels are torn and can’t extend fully. That was not in the script but right about now they should be outside trying to patch it back together and get things sorted out. Click on the link to have a look.
Answer me this. When is someone going to invent a puncture proof bicycle inner tube? Men have walked on the moon, we now have sliced bread and glow in the dark toilet seats! There are particle accelerators, bullet trains and channel tunnels. Surely it can’t be that difficult to design a puncture resistant tyre? Have bicycle tyres changed that much since the early 1900’s?
After two punctures in the same wheel in as many weeks I think there could be a huge market for this. I’m fed up taking the tyre and tube on and off. After the first puncture I bought a new tube and then the tyre wouldn’t go back on. Turns out the tyre was also knackered so I bought a new one of those. A day and a half later the new tyre and tube were flatter than Holland.
Now, obviously, if you’re a tyre manufacturer you don’t want to make a puncture proof tyre because people will buy one and that’ll be it. No returning sales. But think of the initial interest! Millions would be bought, you’d make a fortune overnight and could pack it all in, retire early, knowing you’d done your bit for mankind.
Environmentally friendly, time and money saving genius. But don’t even think about it! It was my idea and I’m already in contact with the patent office. This one is mine!
Posted in Engineering, General Rubbish, Technology
I’m a sucker for a bit of good design. I like to believe that a team of people have sat down, figured out what is needed in a product and then set to work designing the best possible version of it. Not the cheapest, or the most mass produced, or the easiest, just the best.
For the stag do at the weekend we were staying in a hotel in Cork. We went for a few pints, dinner, a few more pints and then got back to the hotel about two in the morning to give the residents bar a test drive. Feeling nature calls I headed to the toilet. And in their was a piece of industrial design that I spent ten minutes playing with.
Now, before you carried away let me explain that it was a hand dryer for after washing your hands. Built by Dyson, it’s called the Airblade. I took pictures of it and everything, but it’s just easier to go the website and have a look. This is a very clever machine. Supposedly quite a few places in Ireland have them now.
You stick your wet hands down into the cavity and a sheet of very fast air blows across. You then withdraw your hands slowly back through the sheet of air! It claims it takes 12 seconds. It was like something out of star trek.
Now I just have to convince my better half that we need one in the bathroom. Think of the savings on towels and laundry and stuff!
Posted in Technology
The new iPods that is. All lovely and shiny and new. But most of all that was predicted already. The really exciting bit however is that the iTunes music store has gone wireless. Now, when you have your new iPod Touch, and fancy buying a song/album while sitting in a WiFi hotspot, you just go online and buy it! Straight to your iPod. Extremely simple and just as dangerous for the credit card bill. Very nice indeed!
Posted in News, Technology
The Swiss Job 