I just recieved an email from Daniel over at Waze announcing that they are looking for alpha users to try out their new dynamic driving map for mobile devices.  The alpha is currently only open to Android users in the SF Bay area but expect it to expand to other regions and devices.  The app promises several useful features such as traffic, accident and construction information as well as speed trap/camera locations and nearby locations with available parking.  There are currently many initiatives to track traffic passively (Mobile Millenium Project) but this is the first product to combine passive reporting with user generated data.  This service promises to combine all the information you need when driving into one application (should be especially useful for those phones that can’t run multiple apps simultaneously).  Visit www.waze.com for more information and to sign up.

DIY Solar Flyer

I’ve been too busy with school to post an update and have recieved much grief for it.  Here is a quick update for now to give you your much needed mazimi fix you’ve been jonesing for.

“Phoenix area resident and motorcycle enthusiast Richard Gryzch got tired of gassing up his bike all the time, and he decided to do something about it. Rather than getting a fancy electric motorcycle, he modded one for himself — making an electric bike that is seemingly covered in solar panels. The motorcycle uses no gas, goes up to about 90 miles per hour and has a range of around 50 miles. There are very few details about the inner workings of the bike, so we’re loathe to say it’s 100 percent solar, but Richard does plan on extending his bike’s range of 300 miles. Hit the read link to watch an extremely tiny video of Richard and his bike.” -Via Engadget

Click here for the VIDEO (top right)

I’ll have to do a conversion on one of these bad boys when I get a chance.

The 2009 Nissan 370z is the first production car to offer a computerized rev-matching manual transmission.  This is the perfect car for all those drivers who don’t want to spend years refining their heel and toe technique to get the perfect downshift.  Simply press a button and the computer will take into account the speed of the tires and the speed of the engine in the gear being selected and automatically blip the throttle to match revs for a smooth shift.  The technology has its fair share of oponents that don’t want anything but their right foot controlling the throttle, or maybe it’s the idea of young inexperienced drivers passing them up on the track?  Either way, follow the link to see the system in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC9ZzGNlLms

Toradex now has their Robin modules for purchase here.  The modules have ultra low power consumption with an embedded Atom CPU(up to 1.6GHz), onboard RAM (512MB), onboard GPU (1366×768 output) and onboard SSD with up to 2GB in storage and they start at $163!  Did I mention it’s the size of a credit card?  The boards have multiple interfaces including USB and can be up and running quickly with Linux or Windows XP.  This is the ultimate board for rapid prototyping that handheld device or the DIY carputer project you’ve been putting off.

I can has TRNG?

Read: http://www.rotten.com/library/conspiracy/press-your-luck/

Here is one of my favorite episodes of Top Gear where they challenge the Germans (D-Motor).  

Click here for the video.

0-60 in 4.0 seconds and a top speed of 194MPH and some sweet technology poured into this machine:

“That engine rests on magnetorheological engine mounts, meaning the mounts can go from heavy dampers to keep things smooth in the cabin to solid bricks with no flex, transmitting every ounce of power to the wheels. That power gets routed through a suspension designed with stiffer springs and anti-roll bars while ride comfort is supposedly unaffected. That suspension does another trick too, by utilizing an onboard compressor, and what we assume is an airbag system, the car can raise itself 1.18 inches to make it easier to get over speedbumps and up ramps.“

More details: Link

“Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in Baltimore, rated clinical information technologies at 41 hospitals in Texas and compared those results with discharge information for more than 160,000 patients. Technologies recorded included electronic note taking, treatment records, test results, drugs orders, and decision-support systems that offer information concerning treatment options and drug interactions. The researchers found that hospitals that rated highly on automated note taking had a 15 percent decrease in the odds that a patient would die while hospitalized. Hospitals with highly rated decision-support systems also had 20 percent lower complication rates. Researchers found that electronic systems reduced costs by about $100 to $500 per admission.“

Check out the link for more details: Link

Cobb SRI w/ Amsoil dry filter on a Mazdaspeed 3

I finally got a Cobb Short Ram Intake after convincing my wife that the Mazdaspeed 3 “isn’t fast enough…er…could get better gas mileage with some slight modification”.  The install was very straightforward and took less than an hour.  Cobb Tuning claims that this intake adds 11 hp. and 16 lb.-ft. to the stock setup and if looking at the stock airbox wasn’t enough to prove it, their dyno testing shows the power curves before and after.  

The intake comes with an oiled filter which can get messy to clean, so I ordered a dry filter from Amsoil (part # EaAU4560) that’s made from dry nanofiber synthetic media.  In addition to being easier to clean (simply vacuum), the filter has a larger surface area allowing for more airflow through the filter.  I’ve been driving with the intake and filter installed for almost a month now and I’m very pleased with this combination.

Cobb Oiled Filter vs. Amsoil EaAU4560 (source: Mazda Forums)

Pros:

• Performance: The car is noticeably faster
• Price: $175 deliverd (that’s $16 per hp!!!)
• Sound: I can now hear the stock bypass valve which sounds pretty nice
• Gas Mileage: I’ve noticed ~2 MPG improvement
• Filter Replacement: The Amsoil Ea filter is guaranteed for 100,000 miles or 4 years and require cleaning every 25,000 miles or once a year

Cons:

• Increased wheel hop
• Lose traction in 1st and 2nd gear at WOT

It’s nice having the extra power but the next step is to replace the rear engine mount with one made of stiffer material to reduce wheel hop as well as stickier tires that will grip better in 1st and 2nd.