Posts in Gadgets

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Pirelli microchipped Cyber Tyre improves safety, performance

Antuan Goodwin | Sep 01, 2008

The handling characteristics of the average car are primarily determined by the tires and the few square inches that are their contact patch. Up until now, tires have been decidedly low tech, at least to the untrained eye. Pirelli is aiming to change this, while giving us more information about what happens where the rubber meets the road, with its upcoming Cyber Tyre technology.

Essentially, the Cyber Tyre is an intelligent tire with an RFID microchip embedded that communicates with the car's electronic systems, such as ABS and traction control, relaying information about the state of the tire. This information includes operating temperature and pressure, road surface information, vertical load exerted on the tire, and dimensions of the footprint area. The chip is powered by the vibrations of the rotating tire and is molded into the tire's carcass.

By monitoring the state of the tire, many problems, such as blowouts or fuel economy loss due to underinflation can be eliminated preemptively. Pirelli hopes that by locating sensors in the tire itself, the vehicle will be able to react more quickly to issues with traction than systems with the sensors located further up the drivetrain. We think that when you're dealing with thousands of pounds of metal rounding a turn while perched on a few square inches of rubber, every nanosecond counts.

Via CNET Car Blog

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F1 merchandise now available at selected stores in Singapore

Damian Koh | Sep 01, 2008

Vertu phones aren't made for everyone. So for the rest of us who still have to report to work at 9am every weekday and happen to hold a ticket to watch the inaugural F1 night race on September 28, a range of more affordable merchandise is ready for your picking at selected stores in the island-state.

Prices start from as low as S$10 (US$7.21) for the can holder to S$89 (US$64.16) for the Zippo lighters and gym bags. Other F1 goodies include polo tees, mugs, water bottles, pens, beach towels, luggage tags, foldable binoculars, caps, shoulder/messenger bags and even cuddly bears.

Well, you have 27 days to dress yourself up for the event, so there's no excuse for turning up in flip-flops, especially if you wish to catch Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso or Lewis Hamilton at after-race parties.

Credit: Singapore GP