4 ms·

Accelerating and decelerating in line with gravity is a lot more forgiving on the occupants than lateral accelerations. Seems like this would put a big limit o

Accelerating and decelerating in line with gravity is a lot more forgiving on the occupants than lateral accelerations. Seems like this would put a big limit on horizontal movement.

ChuckMcM 9y ago
Depends on whether or not the car can 'tilt' while it is moving sideways (I know they don't show it doing so). If it can then any amount of acceleration can be presented as 'up' and 'down' force to the occupants much like a plane.
- aaron_m04 9y ago
  Sounds complex and expensive.
  - dTal 9y ago
    Less than you'd think, if you design it right. You only need to gimbal the car and make it bottom-heavy. Still more complex and expensive than not doing it, but no computers or actuators are required.
    - aaron_m04 9y ago
      Ah, yeah, you're right.
- ant6n 9y ago
  Well, tilting itself involves acceleration, which will be perceived differently in different parts of the cabin... So there are still and issues.
  - ChuckMcM 9y ago
    When combined with the acceleration they are indistinguishable. I got a chance to ride in the full motion simulator at NASA Ames and it used this 'trick' to recenter itself after it had made a left or right motion. Inside you felt nothing, like the system was unmoving but outside it was moving the flight pod back to the center of motion so that it had maximum reach for the next maneuver. I'm sure the TK folks could manage it. The trick is that the 'tilt' of the car on the linear motor would add an additional degree of freedom to deal with. And yet it would be expensive but they seem to have already crossed that bridge :-)
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
usrusr 9y ago
True, but I guess that enough value will lie in just being able to put a whole fleet of cabins into a small number of one way shafts. Horizontal travel with people inside is a gimmick, but a very illustrative one. I expect early adopters to overuse it for showing off and later regret it quite a bit, for the reasons you stated.
- 21 9y ago
  Actually they say that horizontal movement is critical. Because in the morning when all elevators go up, they need another shaft to return them down and make a loop.
  - usrusr 9y ago
    Horizontal movement of the cabin, but not horizontal transport of people, as shown in the video.
heipei 9y ago
Like buses and trams put a limit on horizontal movement? ;) Honestly though, as long as the change of direction is somehow indicated in advance, and the acceleration isn't too abrupt, there shouldn't be anything limiting the horizontal travel distance.

Accelerating and decelerating in line with gravity is a lot more forgiving on the occupants than lateral accelerations. Seems like this would put a big limit on horizontal movement.

ChuckMcM 9y ago

Depends on whether or not the car can 'tilt' while it is moving sideways (I know they don't show it doing so). If it can then any amount of acceleration can be presented as 'up' and 'down' force to the occupants much like a plane.

aaron_m04 9y ago
Sounds complex and expensive.
- dTal 9y ago
  Less than you'd think, if you design it right. You only need to gimbal the car and make it bottom-heavy. Still more complex and expensive than not doing it, but no computers or actuators are required.
  - aaron_m04 9y ago
    Ah, yeah, you're right.
ant6n 9y ago
Well, tilting itself involves acceleration, which will be perceived differently in different parts of the cabin... So there are still and issues.
- ChuckMcM 9y ago
  When combined with the acceleration they are indistinguishable. I got a chance to ride in the full motion simulator at NASA Ames and it used this 'trick' to recenter itself after it had made a left or right motion. Inside you felt nothing, like the system was unmoving but outside it was moving the flight pod back to the center of motion so that it had maximum reach for the next maneuver. I'm sure the TK folks could manage it. The trick is that the 'tilt' of the car on the linear motor would add an additional degree of freedom to deal with. And yet it would be expensive but they seem to have already crossed that bridge :-)
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]

usrusr 9y ago

True, but I guess that enough value will lie in just being able to put a whole fleet of cabins into a small number of one way shafts. Horizontal travel with people inside is a gimmick, but a very illustrative one. I expect early adopters to overuse it for showing off and later regret it quite a bit, for the reasons you stated.

21 9y ago
Actually they say that horizontal movement is critical. Because in the morning when all elevators go up, they need another shaft to return them down and make a loop.
- usrusr 9y ago
  Horizontal movement of the cabin, but not horizontal transport of people, as shown in the video.

heipei 9y ago

Like buses and trams put a limit on horizontal movement? ;) Honestly though, as long as the change of direction is somehow indicated in advance, and the acceleration isn't too abrupt, there shouldn't be anything limiting the horizontal travel distance.