It’s probably right because it’s clean and simple looking.

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20120410-065045.jpg

From SAE drivetrain e-newsletter

Arens’ automotive-hardened traction inverters with power ranges from 30 to 500 kW (40 to 670 hp) are for applications ranging from large transit buses and medium-duty trucks to hybrid passenger cars. With the Powerpac series, adapting an existing vehicle design to hybrid power does not involve intensive re-engineering. The Arens Powerpac 100-kW (134-hp) traction inverter features a high power density in a compact enclosure designed to fit with the battery, in the vehicle’s existing battery box. The inverter offers an insulated gate bipolar transistor-based design and is suitable for truck, bus, agricultural, and construction equipment applications. All Arens inverters feature cast enclosures sealed to IP67 with intelligent thermal protection.

Jenny Hessler

Very much like what my team at SatCom came up with for the AIPM Advanced (or Automotive depending on the audience) Integrated Power Module. The switches are bolted to the base the bus bar connects across them with capacitors integrated as close to the devices as possible and the gate drive and controller board on the other major flat face. Doubt any of the Aren’s team ever saw anything we did, it’s just the most economic and sensible use of surfaces and volumes to get the best performance.

OK its an obvious direction…very cool…maybe this is the Jetson’s car we’ve been waiting for

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Personal flier

e Volo personal flier next generation

Extreme Tech article that the picture above connects to is interesting the pictures below and the video are even more fascinating

e-Volo volocopter multicopter

The North American XF-108 Rapier | Defense Media Network

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NorthAmerican XF108 Rapier

It was going to be the biggest, fastest and most heavily armed fighter in the air. The North American F-108 Rapier, designed in response to a U.S. Air Force preliminary study of Oct.

via The North American XF-108 Rapier | Defense Media Network.

This aircraft like many others died as the threat the Soviet Union represented became better understood.  But the technology for this fighter went on, the missile and radar were the basis of the F14 Tomcat’s Phoenix fleet defense system, stil an amazing system even though the system, utterly compromised by the Iranian’s who had bought the system during the Shah’s reign, was rapidly retired as soon as the AMRAAM and newer airborn phased aray radars became available. 

Tomcat on patrol

Tomcat on patrol

The Tomcat is in my opinion one of the iconic fighters of the twentieth century along with the F4 Phantom, the F86 Sabre, P51 and Spitfire…and no I’ve never found the fighters of WWI or pre WWII particularly attractive…though the Beechcraft Staggerwing is probably the most beautiful aircraft ever built.

Beechcraft Staggerwing in Flight taken in 2005

Beechcraft Staggerwing in Flight taken in 2005

Things to Think About Before Israel Attacks Iran | Defense Media Network

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An excelent piece by Larry Bond wargame Designer and author :

For several years, Israel has publicly and explicitly stated that if Iran attempts to develop a nuclear weapon, Israel will attack to prevent the program from succeeding or to destroy Iran’s nuclear capability. This is the most important security threat of the new century.

via Things to Think About Before Israel Attacks Iran | Defense Media Network.

Technology Review-high Frequency Soft Switching inverters could be a breakthrough enabler of small and mid scale Solar PV

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Novel Electronics Could Speed Adoption of Solar Power – Technology Review.

Not a new technology but if these guys can bring it to market at a significantly lower total cost of ownership number they are going to ignite the market.

Biggest issue with SftSwt has always been complexity and consequent reliability issues.  If these guys have reduced the parts and interconnect count (in other words integrated the controls and sensors)they are on the right path.

YiYiYi…I couldn’t believe it

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Richard Fernandez at The Belmont Club [Jesuit Influenced arch Futurist Conservative] had a piece on M.Daisey and the comparison with the treatment (in the ‘media’) of R.Limbaugh. in that piece he referred to a new york times CampaignStops Blog article by Stanley Fish… Two Cheers for Double Standards…I thought I’d misread or mis understood the quote Mr.Fernandez used, I read the article, here is the last paragraph:

I know the objections to what I have said here. It amounts to an apology for identity politics. It elevates tribal obligations over the universal obligations we owe to each other as citizens. It licenses differential and discriminatory treatment on the basis of contested points of view. It substitutes for the rule “don’t do it to them if you don’t want it done to you” the rule “be sure to do it to them first and more effectively.” It implies finally that might makes right. I can live with that.

This article glorifies the degradation of the polis that was so clearly pointed out in this article I blogged about only yesterday!

The trouble is that I see no road forward that does not lead down at this time. I am always a short term pessimist long term optimist and I see there are new highlands in our reach. But right now we seem headed into the goup with a long slog to the trails up.