So fast that some have been sanctioned as illegal, the current generation of superbikes are changing the nature of two-wheeled transport. Take a look at some of the most notable and the advanced technologies they employ. Optimized for some extreme acceleration, mad braking and unthinkable cornering, superbikes are aggressive, mass-centred machines designed with one thing …
Since the Thirties auto transmissions have provided convenience for drivers, and still play a part in development. An automatic transmission makes a car easier to drive. Most executive cars have automatic gearboxes, and while there are various types of ‘self-shifting’ transmissions on the market, the most well-established is the conventional torque converter automatic. The key …
Rack and pinion is by far the most common type of steering system. Picture a flat rack with teeth cut in, connected to the road wheels. This is moved left or right by a pinion gear to which the steering shaft is connected. This turns the rotation of the steering wheel into linear road wheel …
Why is it possible for some cars to regulate their own speed? Cruise control allows your car to maintain or alter its speed without the manual compression of the pedals. It is usually controlled by buttons on a steering wheel. Cruise control systems control a vehicle in the same way that the pedals do, namely …
Discover the planes, boats and cars that run on Sun power! The Sun is a bounty of free energy, and harnessing its power has been a challenge occupying inventors for years. Now though, new machines are being developed that are powered by only energy from the Sun: the best are capable of some remarkable feats. …
The internal combustion engine (ICE) continues to power the world over 100 years after it became mainstream. In fact engineers still haven’t found a viable way to better it. Combustion engines comprise a cylinder, within which is housed a piston and connecting rod. The piston is attached to a crank at the bottom, and as …
Very few of us will have been lucky enough to fly a jet aircraft and fewer still have had the privilege to do so professionally. Of the thousands of people around the world who are pilots, only the best of the best are trusted to represent their profession or their country as display pilots. Thrilling …
An autopilot system consists of three main elements: a computerized guidance program that plots the aircraft’s course and compares its real position to its virtual one, a series of motion and position sensors such as airspeed indicators and gyroscopes to deliver real-time feedback, and a selection of servomotors to actuate the craft’s engines and alter its flight-altering …
Landing a plane is the most delicate part of a flight. It involves turning a flying craft into a ground vehicle, bringing hundreds of tons of mass to earth without incident, while shedding speed along the way. Aircraft will naturally fly all day long. So long as they have sufficient fuel, aerodynamics are designed to …
For centuries the steam engine has been powering the British industry and even today steam plays a big part in the generation of electricity We take a look at the men behind these major inventions. Until the start of the 18th Century, machines were powered by muscle, water or wind, but steam power provided the …
