Shape of things to comeMagnetically levitating "Sky Pods" to solve traffic congestion, pollution
It would more economical — and cleaner — if people were using public transportation rather than drive their own cars; most people, though, are reluctant to give up the privacy of individual travel; the solution: individual “sky pods”
The search is on for new ways of transportation that are cleaner for the environment. New concepts in mass transit seem to be one of the main ways to move toward this future. Many people, though — especially in the United States — are reluctant to give up the privacy of individual travel. As a result, it might be that so-called “sky pods” may provide the answer.
A company in California, called Unimodal Systems, has designed a transport system that allows individualized travel, but that is also a form of mass transit. The key lies in the use of “sky pods” that magnetically levitate from their rails. Discover Magazine reports on how the concept would work:
The idea is eventually to reduce the reliance our society has on cars. The system could at first work in airports and crowded downtown urban areas. From there, Unimodal wants to expand systems that would be able to provide transportation on a wider basis.
The name of the system is SkyTran, and it does have the potential to reduce traffic and some of the problems, including pollution, that come with it.
Unimodal’s Web site also claims that systems are inexpensive, and can be built quickly and with only a small amount of the cost that goes into building freeways. The kicker? The company claims that SkyTran can work using technology we already have.
Unimodal has been trying to get this project moving for nearly two years. Things seem to be making progress now that transportation is getting more focus, and now that the company has a contract with NASA’s Ames Research Center. Unimodal will work on helping NASA to understand how use control software to enhance its activities in space and aeronautics. In return, SkyTran can get the resources it needs to develop into a viable form of urban transport. The vehicle is on display at the Ames Research Park.
