2009 
ScooterGirls Inc., introduces fashionable protective wear - its about time someone did it!!!!
http://www.scooter-girls.co.uk
ScooterGirls, Inc., a Los Angeles-based apparel company is scooting into Atlanta to preview its innovative and exciting “GoGo Gear”, the first fashion forward, highly styled, protective gear for female scooter and motorcycle riders. Designed to appeal to today’s image conscious, contemporary scooter and motorcycle enthusiasts, GoGo Gear solves the age old problem of finding attractive and affordable protective wear.
According to ScooterGirls founder/CEO Arlene Battishill, “One of the main reasons women do not wear protective clothing when riding is they don’t like the way traditional gear looks or fits. GoGo Gear addresses these issues by providing gear that looks and fits like fashionable overcoats of the type that can be worn for business, social and recreational activities.
ScooterGirls has created a fashionable, fully armored, abrasion resistant and highly reflective coat for today’s woman on the go, to be introduced in two lines. The initial preview will showcase GoGo Gear which emphasizes cutting-edge, feminine outerwear with robust interior engineering that includes abrasion resistant fabric, body armor in the back, shoulder and elbow areas, and reflective details for being seen in low visibility conditions. ScooterGirls will follow the GoGo Gear launch with its “360 retroreflective” line designed to provide enhanced visibility in low-light and night-time riding conditions. The “360 line” is the quintessential commuter line: wear it during the day and then reverse it at night for maximum visibility.
2009
Formula 1 to phase in hybrid engines
Formula 1 officials have announced plans to phse in new hybrid transmission system starting in 2009. Unlike hybrid systems found in regular cars, however, the so-called Kinetic Energy Recovery System (or KERS) doesn't store up energy in a battery, but instead captures kinetic energy during vehicle deceleration using a flywheel mechanism. That apparently not only makes it particularly well-suited to Formula One cars due to their repeated deceleration, but also has the added benefit of being significantly lighter than a battery-based hybrid system, with it adding just 55 pounds to the weight of the car.
Information and images from gizmodo.
2009
Laser scanning in Formula 1 - who knew?
With the introduction of two new tracks this Formula 1 season (Valencia; August 24, and Singapore; September 28), comes new advanced research to ensure design teams have the best and most up-to-date information to hand prior to the race. In an article published in The Times (15th March), Tom Clarkson explains the detailed surface characteristion process to be completed before teams hit the two new tracks this Summer. As teams have yet to experience the tracks, their technicians will shortly be laser scanning the road's surface detailing its width and profile to help select tyres and fine-tune car set-up. A laser scanning and GPS system will be mounted on a truck that collects a data "cloud" of around 80 million points; used to create a drive simulation programme and virtual map. In one of the most expensive sports, it is not surprising that teams are turning to even more sophisticated technologies to gain that competitive edge. With the World Cycling Championships in April, will National Cycling teams turn to laser scanning in the future?
2009
Hamilton may be crowned champion because rival cars' fuel was cooler!
On Sunday, after the final grand prix of the season, McLaren notified the FIA of their intention to appeal against the steward’s decision not to punish Williams and BMW Sauber for their low fuel temperature, recorded at each of their respective pit stops. It has been suggested that a low fuel temperature can improve performance, so what are the mechanics behind this claim?
The FIA stipulate a maximum variation in fuel temperature of -10C from the prevailing temperature on the track. Heidfeld’s, Kubica’s and Rosberg’s fuel temperature varied between 12C and 14C lower than ambient recorded during their respective pitstops. Does that mean they gained an added advantage on the track?
A cooler temperature means a denser gasoline fuel. This allows more molecules to transfer from the fuel storage to the fuel tank in a same time period. It also means that the potential energy is higher for a given amount of fuel of the same volume. Fluids are known to expand upon heating creating a less dense material due to an increase in the distance between molecules. Therefore we can expect the cars to have a slight power advantage before temperature would return to ambient conditions. What this equates to in terms of lap speed has not been published in the public domain but must certainly be known in Formula 1. It is expected that the power advantage would last for three laps decreasing overall race lap time by around a second.
Would this have made a difference in the Championship race? Only the stewards can decide. It is certain that any advantage in Formula 1 must be considered significant due to the small differences between podium places. If only the same were true for fluids ingested by a human, then cool drinks would not only be refreshing but actually benefit performance.
