Toyota Unveils Mirai Fuel Cell Vehicle With 300-Mile Range; Can it Kick-Start a Hydrogen Revolution?

A few months ago we gave you a hands-on first look at Toyota’s upcoming fuel cell vehicle – and today the automaker pulled out all the stops and unveiled the car’s official name, performance specs, interior, and pricing for the first time. The Toyota Mirai can travel 300 miles on a single tank of compressed hydrogen, it has 153 horsepower with 247 lb-ft of torque, and it can go from 0-60 mph in 9 seconds. The hydrogen car will be available in California in fall 2015 for under $45,000 after incentives, and it’s coming to the East Cost shortly thereafter. But the automaker is promising much more than a sleekly styled zero emission vehicle; Mirai translates to “the future” in Japanese, and Toyota’s goal is to pave the way to a hydrogen-based society. Read on for everything you need to know about the company’s first production fuel cell vehicle.

Why Hydrogen?

Toyota invited Inhabitat to the official debut of the Mirai in Newport Beach, California where Toyota Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada answered the question “Why Hydrogen?” and presented his vision for a hydrogen-based society. Uchiyamada explained that hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, and there are many ways to produce it – including

• natural gas, 
• wind, 
• solar, 
• geothermal, and 
• bio-waste. 

While we have obvious reservations about the use of natural gas, the technology does provide an effective means of storing excess solar and wind energy through electrolysis, which uses an electric current to split water into oxygen and hydrogen gas.

For transportation purposes, hydrogen tanks can store more energy in less space than batteries, and it only takes 5 minutes to fill a hydrogen tank at fueling station – compared to the hours it takes to charge many electric vehicles. As long as the source of the hydrogen is clean, hydrogen vehicles are 100% zero emission – their only byproducts are water and heat.

Mirai: The Next Prius?

Twenty years ago Toyota set to work imaging the future of personal transportation, and they came up with two solutions: hybrid gasoline-electric cars, and fuel cell vehicles. First came the Prius hybrid, whose name means “to go before” – according to Uchiyamada, the vehicle “paved the way by demonstrating the future of mobility would include electric motors.” The Prius launched in 1997 and over four generations it has become the world’s best selling hybrid car with over 4.2 million vehicles sold as of December 2013.

At the same time, Toyota has been developing a new technology that it believes will open the door to the future. Toyota began work on its fuel cell vehicle program 20 years ago, and since then they have managed to cut the cost of the technology by 95%. It helps that many of the components used in the Mirai are the exact same components used in Toyota hybrids – including regenerative braking systems, nickel metal-hydride batteries, and electric motors.

The new technology Toyota developed for the Mirai includes the vehicle’s 

• fuel cell stack, 
• its converter, and 
• its hydrogen storage tanks. 

Toyota’s state of the art fuel cell has a max output of 114 kw, and its converter multiplies system voltage 3 times compared to previous units – this saves weight, space, and cost. The vehicle’s hydrogen tanks are made from ultra-durable woven carbon fiber, and they’re able to store compressed hydrogen fuel at 10,000 psi with a storage density of 5.7 weight %. The vehicle has been extensively crash tested and it performed admirably in all cases.

Toyota decided to make its first commercially available hydrogen vehicle a sedan for two reasons. First, they saw the challenge of packing a fuel cell system into a relatively compact vehicle as an opportunity – this forced them to work within constraints and develop a system that works on a small scale (but that can be scaled up to power utility vehicles, buses, and even airplanes). Second, they know that in order for the vehicle to start a revolution it had to be accessible and appealing to the mass market, and sedans are the largest segment of vehicles on the streets today.

Hydrogen infrastructure, pricing and launch

Perhaps the biggest issue with fuel cell vehicles is infrastructure – after all, what good is a hydrogen car if there’s no place nearby to fill it? Toyota is working closely with governments and hydrogen producers around the world to launch the Mirai in locations with established and growing fuel networks. The vehicle will hit the market next month in Japan, which currently has 17 hydrogen stations and will have over 100 stations by 2016. In fall of 2015 the Mirai will launch in California, which currently has 10 stations – although the California Energy Commission has awarded 200 million in funding to bring that number up to 20 stations by 2015 and 40 stations by 2016.

After that Toyota plans to roll out the Mirai on the East Coast, where a “hydrogen highway” is currently under construction that will link New York, New Jersey, Boston, Connecticut, and Rhode Island with 12 fueling stations. Toyota plans to launch 700 hydrogen vehicles worldwide next year (with roughly 200 available in California), and the company hopes to bring that figure up to 3,000 units by 2017.

Toyota Group Vice President of Strategic Planning Chris Hostetter pointed out that the location of stations is much more important than the actual number of stations. He went on to say that California could meet the needs of all its gasoline cars with just 15% of the current number of stations – as long as they were strategically placed. To this end, Toyota has teamed up with the University of California, Irvine to develop STREET – a computer model that shows the optimal locations for installing hydrogen stations to best serve the fledgling fuel cell vehicle movement.

And as for pricing? The Mirai will start at $57,500, and an estimated $13,000 in incentives will drop its price to under $45,000. It will also be available to lease at a cost of $499 per month for 36 months. According to Olle Persson of producer Aire Liquide, a kilo of hydrogen will cost about $10 – when you factor in the efficiency of hydrogen vehicles, that translates to the gas equivalent of $5 per gallon. Interestingly, the state of California is still working out systems to track hydrogen fuel pumps and accurately charge customers – until the standards are ironed out, Toyota said that Mirai drivers will be able to fill their vehicles free of charge.

Will the Mirai succeed?

It’s a risk – but so was the Prius. Both vehicles required a tremendous investment in R&D, and it took years before the market responded to the Prius and sales jumped. But if any automaker can make the hydrogen vehicle happen, Toyota can – they’ve developed in-house technology that easily scales and that will become cheaper with every generation, and they have the resources to bring the Mirai to the places where hydrogen infrastructure is flourishing. Let’s hope the greater US makes that list.

+ Toyota

ORIGINAL: Inhabitat

by Mike Chino, 

11/17/14

Meet the Robots of Fukushima Daiichi

A cleanup crew of automatons will go where humans fear to tread

1 / 14 Photo: TEPCO 

Entering the Danger Zone: In March 2011, a series of meltdowns and explosions turned the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station into a radioactive ruin. The damaged reactor buildings are far too radioactive for humans to safely work in, so robots are surveying radiation levels and starting the cleanup. The PackBot, an inspection bot from iRobot of Bedford, Mass., was one of the first bots to arrive at the site.

2 / 14
Photo: The Yomiuri Shimbun/AP Photo
Homegrown: Despite Japan’s thriving robotics industry, there were few domestically produced robots capable of working in a rubble-strewn disaster site. This Quince, built by researchers at the Chiba Institute of Technology, near Tokyo, was one of the few that was ready to go.

3 / 14
Photo: TEPCO

A Bot’s-Eye View: After hundreds of tests, plant owner TEPCO cleared the Quince robots to enter the Fukushima Daiichi reactor buildings. The bots send back video and radiation readings to TEPCO workers who are planning the cleanup and decommissioning efforts. The Quince’s tanklike treads allow it to climb up and down the steep stairs inside the buildings.

4 / 14

Photo: Kyodo/AP Photo

Bigger and Tougher: The next-generation robot from the Chiba Institute researchers, Sakura, can roll over rubble or through shallow pools of water. It can also carry heavy equipment, like a camera capable of detecting dangerous gamma radiation.

5 / 14

Photo: Kyodo/AP Photo

Has Arms, Will Travel: After the accident, the Japanese government gave grants to leading industrial companies to help them develop robots that can assist with cleanup efforts. Hitachi built the ASTACO-SoRa, whose two arms can be fitted with pinchers, cutting blades, or drills.

6 / 14

Photo: TEPCO

One Piece at a Time: The ASTACO-SoRa has already begun work inside the Fukushima Daiichi reactor buildings. Each of its arms can reach 2.5 meters and lift 150 kilograms. The bot can clear a path through the debris for other decontamination robots and, eventually, for humans.

7 / 14

Photo: Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images

Walking Tall: Toshiba developed this four-legged robot that can walk on uneven surfaces, avoid obstacles, and climb stairs. So far it's equipped with cameras and dosimeters, as well as a small camera-topped companion bot, which can be inserted into tight spaces. The company wants to add arms so the tetrapod can install shielding, patch leaks, and remove debris.

8 / 14

Photo: Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images

A Big Blaster: To bring down radiation levels inside the reactor buildings, robots must scrub surfaces clean and suck up the resulting muck. Toshiba’s new decontamination robot will use high-pressure jets of dry ice to scour away radioactive materials, along with top layers of paint or concrete.

9 / 14

Photo: TEPCO

For the Floor: The Raccoon, from Atox, has been scrubbing floors inside reactor buildings. Radiation levels must be brought down so human workers can go inside to plan the next stages of the decommissioning process: stopping up leaks and removing the melted fuel from the damaged reactors.

10 / 14

Photo: Kyodo/AP Photo

Armed for Duty: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries contributed this two-armed bot, the MHI-MEISTeR. Its arms can be fitted with a variety of tools, including one drill that can take a core sample from concrete walls and floors. Each arm has seven degrees of freedom, making the bot a versatile and flexible worker.

11 / 14

Photo: Honda

Looking Up: This long-necked survey bot, built by Honda and Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, can inspect high and inaccessible areas. The robot’s mast can extend 7 meters, and the flexible arm on top can peek around obstacles. The robot uses movement systems developed for ASIMO, Honda’s famous humanoid robot.

12 / 14

Photo: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Lofty Ambition: The Super Giraffe from Mitsubishi is another tall bot, unfolding and extending to reach 8 meters high. An arm atop the telescoping ladder is equipped with a tool to open and close valves, and Mitsubishi is developing other tools for applications such as welding and drilling. This bot can operate for 5 hours thanks to a lithium-ion battery adapted from Mitsubishi’s electric vehicles.

 

13 / 14
Photo: Activelink

An Exoskeleton Assist: While TEPCO hasn’t yet expressed interest in exoskeleton technology for its Fukushima Daiichi workers, that hasn’t stopped roboticists from building systems and suggesting them for use in the power plant. This Powerloader from Activelink, a subsidiary of Panasonic, could help workers bear the weight of heavy radiation suits and allow them to manipulate heavy objects.


14 / 14

Photo: Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images

Robotic Muscle: Cyberdyne has upgraded its exoskeleton technology to be suitable for Fukushima Daiichi. Its current offering, which includes radiation shielding and biomedical sensors, allows workers to lift heavy loads.


ORIGINAL: IEEE Spectrum
By Eliza Strickland
28 Feb 2014

Panasonic to Launch Industry's First Bamboo Plant Opal Loudspeaker

Panasonic Corporation announced that it has developed a loudspeaker using a diaphragm that is made with plant opals [1] in bamboo leaves for the first time in the industry*1 to improve sound quality. The new Bamboo Plant Opal Loudspeaker can deliver according to the original sound by reproducing clear sound with low distortion, thanks to the use of the hard, plant opal materials occurring in bamboo for the diaphragm. Samples of the new loudspeaker, which is suitable for automotive and home audio systems, will be available on March 1.

The new Bamboo Plant Opal Loudspeaker has a diaphragm made with plant opals in bamboo leaves to achieve high-fidelity reproduction with clear sound in a wide range of frequencies.

There is strong demands for high- sound quality audioboth at home and in cars. So, audio loudspeakers need to reproduce highsound quality with low distortion in wide frequencies range for meeting such demand. Therefore, loudspeaker diaphragm materials are required lightweight and highly rigidity for improving acoustic velocity as well as preventing unnecessary resonance.

Panasonic has satisfied these demands by using diaphragms made of resin containing bamboo fibers and bamboo charcoal. The diaphragm in the new loudspeaker now uses an additional bamboo-derived material - hard, needle-shaped plant opals in bamboo leaves, resulting in according to original sound with clearness and less distortion compared to the company's existing loudspeakers.

With this Bamboo Plant Opal Loudspeaker, Panasonic will help automotive and audio manufacturers for creating a finely-tuned sound, and contributing to improve sound quality in audio devices.

Features of the Bamboo Plant Opal Loudspeaker

• Industry's first*1 loudspeaker diaphragms made from resin mixed with bamboo fibers, bamboo charcoal and bamboo plant opals to offer high-sound quality
  (High rigidity) Flexural modulus: Approx. 40% improvement on previous Panasonic products*2
  (Wide frequency response) Acoustic velocity [2]: Approx. 10% improvement on previous Panasonic products*2
  (Clear sound) Internal loss [3]: Approx. 20% improvement on previous Panasonic products*2
• Creating a finely-tuned sound to meet the needs of automotive and audio manufacturers
• Use of materials derived from fast-growing bamboo with little impact on the environment

Notes:

*1) As of February 25, 2014, for a loudspeaker diaphragm according to a Panasonic survey

*2) Loudspeakers using diaphragms made of resin mixed with bamboo fibers and bamboo charcoal

Explanation of terms:

[1] Plant opal

Amorphous hydrous silicates (SiO2 . nH2O) that fill plant cell. Also called plant stones, plant opals have a Mohs hardness of 5-6.5 o equivalent to that of opal stones.

[2] Acoustic velocity

Velocity at which sound transmits through a substance. In loudspeakers, a diaphragm having a higher acoustic velocity means a wider frequency resonce.

[3] Internal loss

An indicator of material performance, referring to the material's ability to dissipate kinetic energy applied from external vibrations, etc. High internal loss means a reduced unnecessary resonance and better sound quality for the loudspeaker.

ORIGINAL: Panasonic

Feb 27, 2014

The world's 10 oldest living trees

There are colonies of clonal trees that have lived for tens of thousands of years, but there's something majestic about a single tree able to stand on its own for millennia. These ancient trees have bore witness to the rise and fall of civilizations, survived changing climates, and even persevered through the fervent development of human industry. They are a testament to the long view that Mother Nature takes in tending the Earth. With that in mind, consider the world's 10 oldest living trees.

Photo:zest-pk/Flickr

Methuselah
At 4,841 years old, this ancient bristlecone pine is the oldest known non-clonal organism on Earth. Located in the White Mountains of California, in Inyo National Forest, Methuselah's exact location is kept a close secret in order to protect it from the public. (An older specimen named Prometheus, which was about 4,900 years old, was cut down by a researcher in 1964 with the U.S. Forest Service's permission.) Today you can visit the grove where Methuselah hides, but you'll have to guess at which tree it is. Could this one be it?

Photo:Rick Goldwasser/Flickr

Sarv-e Abarqu
Sarv-e Abarqu, also called the "Zoroastrian Sarv," is a cypress tree in Yazd province, Iran. The tree is estimated to be at least 4,000 years old and, having lived through the dawn of human civilization not far away, it is considered an Iranian national monument. Many have noted that Sarv-e Abarqu is most likely the oldest living thing in Asia.

Photo:iranian.com

Llangernyw Yew
This incredible yew resides in a small churchyard of St. Dygain's Church in Llangernyw village, north Wales. About 4,000 years old, the Llangernyw Yew was planted sometime in the prehistoric Bronze Age — and it's still growing! In 2002, in celebration of the golden jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, the tree was designated as one of 50 Great British trees by the Tree Council.

Photo:Wiki Commons

Alerce
The Alerce is a common name for Fitzroya cupressoides, a towering tree species native to the Andes mountains. There's almost no telling how old these trees can get, since most of the larger specimens were heavily logged in the 19th and 20th centuries. Many botanists believe they are the second-longest living trees on Earth aside from the bristlecone pine of North America. To date, the oldest known living specimen is 3,640 years old.

Photo:Wiki Commons/GNU

The Senator

The Senator, located in Florida, is the largest bald cypress tree in the United States, and it is widely considered the oldest of its species known to exist. It is likely the largest U.S. tree of any species east of the Mississippi River. Estimated to be around 3,500 years old, the Senator was used as a landmark for the Seminole indians and other native tribes. The Senator's size is particularly impressive because it has endured many hurricanes, including one in 1925 which reduced its height by 40 feet.

The tree gets its name from from Sen. M.O. Overstreet, who donated the tree and surrounding land in 1927.

Update 1.17.12: It is with a heavy heart that we report that 'The Senator' has burned to the ground. 
Árbol de 3500 años se incendia y colapsa por imprudencia de adicta a drogas

Photo:Ashley Schmidt/Wiki Commons

Patriarca da Floresta

This tree, an example of the species Cariniana legalis named Patriarca da Floresta in Brazil, is estimated to be about 3,000 years old, making it the oldest non-conifer in Brazil. The tree is believed to be sacred, but its species is widely threatened due to forest clearing in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela.

Photo:bocaberta.org

Olive Tree of Vouves

This ancient olive tree is located on the Greek island of Crete and is one of seven olive trees in the Mediterranean believed to be at least 2,000 to 3,000 years old. Although its exact age cannot be verified, the Olive Tree of Vouves might be the oldest among them, estimated at over 3,000 years old. It still produces olives, and they are highly prized. Olive trees are hardy and drought-, disease- and fire-resistant — part of the reason for their longevity and their widespread use in the region.

 

Photo: Carmel Jane Doak/Panorami

Jōmon Sugi

Jōmon Sugi, located in Yakushima, Japan, is the oldest and largest cryptomeria tree on the island, and is one of many reasons why the island was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tree dates to at least 2,000 years old, but some experts believe it could be older than 5,000 years old. Under that theory, it's possible that Jōmon Sugi is the oldest tree in the world — even older than Methuselah. Regardless of the numbers, it's a tree that deserves mention here.

  

Photo:Wiki Commons/GNU

Chestnut Tree of One Hundred Horses

This tree, located on Mount Etna in Sicily, is the largest and oldest known chestnut tree in the world. Believed to be between 2,000 and 4,000 years old, this tree's age is particularly impressive because Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The tree sits only 5 miles from Etna's crater. The tree's name originated from a legend in which a company of 100 knights were caught in a severe thunderstorm. According to the legend, all of them were able to take shelter under the massive tree. It is listed by Guinness World Records as having the "greatest tree girth ever," at 190 feet in circumference.

  

Photo:Wiki Commons/GNU

General Sherman
Believed to be around 2,500 years old, General Sherman is the mightiest giant sequoia still standing. The volume of its trunk alone makes it the largest non-clonal tree by volume in the world, even though its largest branch broke off in 2006, smashing part of its enclosing fence and cratering the pavement of the surrounding walkway. Perhaps this was a sign that General Sherman could not be caged in? Sherman can be found in Sequoia National Park in California, where five of the 10 largest trees in the world exist.

 

Photo:Wiki Commons

ORIGINAL: Mother Nature Network
Apr 07, 2010