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  Page: Novelties - Shock Absorbers That Generate Power for Cars - NYTimes.com

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  Other researchers are developing different types of energy-producing shock absorbers. Lei Zuo, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, N.Y., has built two prototypes that generate electricity with electromagnets, producing potential fuel efficiency gains of 2 to 10 percent, he said. One prototype already matches standard dimensions of shock absorbers, and the second will do so, too, he said.
  Getting 5% new fuel economy above and beyond hybrids and other engine efficiency improvements is quite significant. I think this is a great example of the potential for cumulative innovation to make progress against wicked problems. I would be interested if innovations could get organized around which can be cumulative and which are alternatives and can't be combined with one another. This is a critical science that is still nascent so far.
  

  bobby (812) Sun Jun 06 09:03:11 +0000 2010