Smart Solar Cart Spec

MOBILE APPLICATIONS- Solar AC/DC Power Station, Telecommuter Office, Media Broadcast Station, Disaster Assistance, Search and Rescue, Entertainment Center, Electronics Bench, Base Station for Teleoperated & Robotic Vehicles, Wilderness Expeditions, Network Administration, Webmastering.

Components:

45W Solar Panel, 12V/ 13Ah. Battery, Sequencing Solar Charger, AC Maintenance Charger, 12V Power Switch/Plug/Terminal board, Ni-Cad Charging for Computer, MicroAirship, VideoCam and Pan/Tilt Mount, 386 6M RAM/100M HDD Win3.1 Notebook Computer, Cellular Phone/Modem, GPS, VHS/C VideoCam, 2.4 Ghz Wireless Video Link, VHF/UHF TV/Monitor, CD/Cassette/AM-FM Stereo, 7/15W Florescent Light, 4.5 W Fan, Three Wheeled Platform (from runner's pram), Aluminum Lawn-chair, Parasol & Mount, Extensible Aluminum Communications Mast, Mechanical and Electronic Tools, Paper Doc. File, Storage (including cable, CD, videotape, and floppy storage)

.66 Meter Wide; 1.2 Meter Long; 1.2 Meter High (3 Meters with mast deployed); 27 Kilos

NOTES:

Ease of Travel- The performance penalty as compared to running normally seems on the order of twenty percent, depending on roughness. Rocky ground slows things way down and points to the need for a more robust platform for wilderness work. Large balloon wheelbarrow tires would work well in places where the present cart is inadequate. Nonetheless, I was easily enough able to go on a ten mile loop from the State Capitol to Cambell's Hole above Barton Springs, a range of terrain from deep urban to lite wilderness.

Ruggedness- All major components are suspended independently with steel springs, rubber bungees, and foam padding. Inflated tires and a spring steel axle further soften the road. A rain/dust shroud is planned to protect all vulnerable components.

Surprise use- Lightning is common in Texas. It has long been customary to shut off computers during storms. the solar cart, indoors and isolated from the grid, served as a workstation in the most recent storm.

Weight- 60 lbs. all up, and it still feels light on urban trails. Twice that would be manageable.

Return to Eden * Sol-urbanism * Into Night * Running Technomadics * Journal Contents * COMANCHE- New Solar Cart Concept * Testing wireless video link from shop to park.