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| Metl .. a bicycle tire that uses NASA hump-humping technology |
A startup called Smart is using an airless tire technology made from an SMA-shaped memory compound originally designed to make the Lunar and Martian spacecraft more flexible in the future. It was used in an industry called Metl. Bicycle tires.
NASA has been bringing the latest technology into everyday products for more than 50 years, and space agency materials have permeated everything from soft foam mattresses to digital cameras and image sensors. smart phones.
And it was only a matter of time before advanced framing technology was added to the long list of so-called NASA spinoffs.
SMART, a startup founded in 2020, has partnered with NASA on a space law agreement and is part of the agency's official startup plan to commercialize some of its innovations.
The Metl framework is the first result of a collaboration between the startup and NASA's Glenn Research Center, where NASA engineers first developed a technology known as Shape Memory Mixing (SMA).
SMA enables a frame that is entirely composed of coil springs. There is no need to inflate the tire, so drilling is not easy. Compared to rubber tires, it offers the same or better traction, and it also has some built-in shock absorption features.
The main development is to create a mixture that can restore shape at the molecular level, which means that it can be deformed to accommodate uneven terrain, including obstacles such as gravel and potholes, and to restore shape without using the passage of time and the structure to keep up with velocity integrity has been lost.
SMART worked with Glenn Research to apply SMA advantages to the mainstream market, initially identifying the target market as the Metl-tire bikes that will be released to the public early next year.
Then SMART intends to continue introducing SMA tires in the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors.
SMART has developed a collaborative relationship with Spin, a Ford subsidiary, a bike and scooter partner dedicated to a new breed of micro-travel mode.
SMART technology has the potential to make flat or pneumatic tires a thing of the past. At the same time, disposing of the rubber tires can reduce costs and waste in the long run. Tires must be replaced frequently. If not used as intended, they could be harmful to the occupants or a risk to the driver. Enough pressure.