Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Non- Pneumatic tire to make debut with the armed forces


As much as one curses the army for everything that they do and the way millions of dollars are spent on developing technology for war, they at some point come back and help civilian life by extending their technical knowledge to the daily life. In more simple terms, old and common army technology generally ends up being a primitive blueprint for civilian technology which can later be developed upon. From the telephone to the World Wide Web, everything was initially developed for the army.

The US army is on the lookout for a technology that will help it’s vehicles running faster and farther even after an attack. New tires are being developed that can withstand roadside attacks on Humvees. Resilient Technologies, LLC has designed a non-Pneumatic tire or an NPT, which looks, like a circle of honeycombs and when shrapnel hit the, there would be ample space for them to pass through and not damage the tires.

The Army and Resilient are working together to develop NPT for Humvees in war situations. Consumer versions of an NPT are still not in the cards. The NPT doesn’t generate heat like solid rubber and is durable and safe. The cost isn’t known yet for either production or for selling. But one can surely expect the technology to make into our own lives as soon as it becomes common with the armed men!

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