Wipeout hover cars become a reality. Maybe
But is it real cutting-edge science or viral marketing?
Using a liquid nitrogen-cooled superconductor and a row of magnets, the miniature ships 'hover' above the track thanks to the suitably sci fi-sounding state of 'quantum trapping'. It even 'hovers' upside down, allowing such appealing tricks as loop-the-loops and vertical walls of death and, with a gentle shove, permits virtually frictionless movement around the magnetic track. Brilliant.
'JIST's' Wipeout track...
And the team behind the Wipeout project seem to have high hopes for the new technology, saying in this video that "with this new technology, we hope to revolutionize the world of motor transport; Maybe in a near future we could assist to a real Wipeout race."
But is it real?
Presumably because Britain's newspaper newsrooms are a natural breeding ground for joyless cynicism, the Daily Mail is keen to pour cold water on the idea of the Wipeout-in-miniature track. It suggests that although quantum levitation is a real phenomenon, the YouTube video might just be clever CGI trick that's part of a viral marketing campaign.
...and Tel-Aviv's version
All of which might well be true. But there is a Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, JAIST, which is hardly a million miles away from JIST, especially for a country that doesn't use the Roman alphabet as its principal means of communication.
And anyway, what would you rather were true? Real-life Wipeout using quantum levitation, or just another new computer game? Come on Daily Mail, Gizmodo - let a bit of credulous wonder into your life...
Although we must admit that with proper Wipeout logos in the video, and Wipeout 2048 due out soon for the new PlayStation Vita, you've got to say it's looking good for incredulity and cynicism...
The JIST might not exist, but the JAIST does. It looks like this
Make sure you wear warm boots, I'd say...
well that's rubbish then, you could just used a row of magnets over metal like the japanese trains.
edit: to be honest I have had dafter ideas for getting into work. my latest idea has been to involve a speedboat for part of it. I can see the mrs scuppering this grand plan.
Someone knows that internet beards are going to pick up on quantum locking being a real possibility, so in essence the videos realism IS plausible. The realistic aspect of the video is there to suck people to discuss it, as well as to yield internet exposure, which it appears they've achieved.
It's far too much of a co-incidence that the new wipeout is out next month and that someone has gone to all this trouble to make the course/cars look like that.
Also, once it is trapped in the magnetic field by what appears to be fixed magnets, it cannot move freely as they apparently show.
Also, they look suspiciously like CO2 canisters rather than liquid Nitrogen canisters and the trailing 'vapour' is quite clearly added in post production.
Good video though!
Also, once it is trapped in the magnetic field by what appears to be fixed magnets, it cannot move freely as they apparently show.
Also, they look suspiciously like CO2 canisters rather than liquid Nitrogen canisters and the trailing 'vapour' is quite clearly added in post production.
Good video though!
severe lack of loads of scientific looking stuff and presence of completely over the top PPE (massive rubber gloves? what are they for?) makes me believe the wipeout video is not genuine. it looks too fancy and not cobbled together enough to be a real science experiment as well. 
...commonly found in 3D special effect studios and engineering companies for the manipulation of 3D computer models!
http://www.3dconnexion.com/products/spacepilot-pro...
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff