People all around the world have been enjoying the thrills of roller coasters whether they are big or small for quite some time.

The oldest roller coaster dates back to the so-called “Russian Mountains,” which were specifically constructed hills of ice that were located around Saint Petersburg, Russia.

These slides were invented in the 17^th century and became very popular with the Russian upper class. In fact, Catherine II of Russia was such a fan of this idea that she had a few built on her own property.

There are disputes regarding when wheels were added to the carts for year-round operation. Some believe that the roller coaster was built under the orders of James the 3^rd in the Gardens of Oreinbaum in St. Petersburg in 1784. Other historians, however, believe that the first roller coaster was built by the French.

Les Montagnes Russes à Belleville (The Russian Mountains of Belleville) was constructed in Paris in 1812 and the Promenades Aeriennes both featured wheeled cars securely locked to the track, guide rails to keep them on course, and higher speeds.

The idea for this invention known as the roller coaster began in Europe. However, a primitive kind of roller coaster was unintentionally being invented in the state of Pennsylvania.

Near the town of Mauch Chunk, a short railroad line transported coal from the top of Mount Pisgah to the canal in the valley below. Initially, mules would draw the empty cars up the slope of the mountain and then board a special car. Once the coal was loaded, the mule train would coast down the slope toward the canal. At the time, this railway was known as a switchback and was in operation until the mine was closed in the 1870s.

The abandoned railway was then converted into a railroad of enjoyment.  The switchback railway gained popularity and in 1873, the notion to sell the idea was put in order and around 35,000 passengers paid a fee of five cents per ride. This railway carried passengers until 1938.

However, the ride that we know today was later developed and designed based on the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway in the United States by inventor and “father of the roller coaster”, Marcus Thompson.  He was assisted by fellow inventor, John A. Miller, the “Thomas Edison of the roller coaster”.

Miller earned more than 100 patents related to coaster technology and rider safety. Thompson, however, was generally credited with having invented the United States’ first roller coaster in 1884, at a park in Coney Island, New York. Thompson built a 450-foot steel and wood track on which the cars moved at six miles per hour.  Additionally, Thompson patented his idea for the “Roller Coasting Structure” in 1885.

Aside from Thompson and Miller’s work on their version of the roller coaster, there were also a number of early roller coaster patents, both switchback and circular that date back as far as 1872. Despite these claims of Thompson and Miller bringing the idea of the roller coaster to life in Coney Island, historians believe that inventor, John G. Taylor, of Baltimore was issued one of the first patents.

In order to stay competitive, La Marcus Thompson continued to make improvements and build larger rides. From 1884 to 1887, Thompson was granted thirty patents, which all lead to the advancement of the gravity ride.

From the original idea of the roller coaster that was conceived in Russia to the invention of the first roller coaster in America, the history of this ride has had its “ups and downs” but we can credit the ingenuity of these great inventors for giving us a thrilling and exciting ride known as the roller coaster.

Copyright Davison 2013

Resources:

http://www.rollercoastermuseum.org/history-of-the-roller-coaster

http://library.thinkquest.org/C005075F/English_Version/history%20coasters.htm

Pictures:

http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/history/start/begin1.shtml

http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/history/start/america1.shtml

http://kids.britannica.com/coasters/oconeyi005p4.html

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Industry giants like Nike and New Balance have translated the advancements of 3D printed technology into the world of apparel, specifically, for professional athletes.

These 3D printed shoes use the up-and-coming invention to create lightweight shoes that, in essence, mold to the athlete’s feet, thus increasing their speed and performance.

So how are 3D printed shoes different than regular shoes? Let’s take a look at both Nike and New Balance 3D shoes and how they claim to enhance the athlete’s performance.

Nike 3D printed athletic cleat- Weighing in at just 5.5 ounces, the Nike Vapor Laser Talon was specifically invented and designed for gripping the football field turf, in order to help American football players excel in the highly important, 40-yard dash. In addition, the design of this shoe enables an athlete to maintain the initial drive stance, along with giving the athlete more speed and power during the first 10 yards, which are the most important to achieving a solid time.

The idea of a decreased 40-yard dash time is carried out by the Selective Laser Sintering technology.  This technology employs a high-powered laser to selectively fuse thermoplastic particles, usually a plastic or metal powder, into the desired solid. This technique that Nike uses allows them to create a cleat plate in a much shorter amount of time, while at the same time, increasing the overall weight, which offers many benefits to the athlete’s performance.

New Balance- All-American track runner, Jack Bolas became the first athlete to run a race in 3D printed equipment.

Bolas said, “I always wondered what it would be like to have custom shoes. They gave me a much more natural feel, with a perfect balance between the flex of the sole and still the responsiveness of a stiffer plate.”

After a long research-and-development process that was focused on ensuring that the shoes met Bolas’ individual needs, New Balance was able to create tailored spike plates. The process began when Bolas wore shoes that were wired with sensors to help designers at New Balance get an idea of how his foot interacted with the shoe. In addition, Bolas ran on tracks that were equipped with force plates that measured his impact with each stride. High-speed cameras also were used to add a detailed look at the interaction between his shoes and the track. Once this information was collected, just like Nike did, New Balance used the technology of Selective Laser Sintering to create the shoes.

For both brands, a custom spike plate entailed an expensive injection molding process. However, the invention of 3D printers offered them a solution to this expensive and time-consuming process and has now increased the speed of production, while decreasing the cost.

Both of these companies have invented a product that is intended to increase the speed and performance of professional athletes, through the use of 3D printed technology. Both Nike and New Balance have set the tone in the world of 3D printing by creating products that have a light-weight design and the ability to grip their intended surface with ease.

Copyright Davison 2013

Sources:

http://www.gizmag.com/nike-3d-printed-cleat/26403/

http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/nikes-vapor-laser-talon-brings-3-d-printing-athletic-shoes-1C8645125

http://gizmodo.com/5990352/new-balance-adopts-3d-printing-to-create-hyper+customized-track-shoes

http://www.wired.com/playbook/2013/03/new-balance-3d-printed-shoes/

Pictures:

http://hypebeast.com/2013/2/nike-debuts-3d-printed-vapor-laser-talon-cleat

http://www.designboom.com/design/nike-vapor-laser-talon-boot/

http://gizmodo.com/5990352/new-balance-adopts-3d-printing-to-create-hyper+customized-track-shoes

http://printingdress.com/tag/3d-fashion/

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Although we used to enjoy our TV a la carte, these new inventions are paving the way to condense our wanted technology into the palms of our hands.

That is why each of these companies is capitalizing on this need and has created their own type of wireless device.

Let’s take a look at Apple TV, the Roku 3 and Chromecast and see what each of these devices offer to the consumer.

Apple TV– easily connects to an HDTV via the HDMI port which automatically detects your wireless connection. Apple TV also can stream content from other Apple inventions. In addition, Apple TV features AirPlay which allows the user to stream music, videos and photos directly from an iOS device. Built into the device is AirPlay Mirroring that is incorporated into the Mountain Lion operating system that makes it possible for the user to stream anything on their computer’s screen wirelessly to their TV.

Roku 3– this small-media player allows the user to stream their internet content straight to their larger device by way of a built-in Wi-Fi connection that doesn’t require the use of a power cord. This gadget works independently and does not need a tablet or computer in order for it to work. In addition, the Roku 3 comes with a remote that controls the online video and music apps, which Roku dubs as their “channels”. The remote for the Roku 3 has a special feature that allows the user to plug their headphones into a headphone jack which mutes the main external audio and transfers the sounds directly to the headphones.

Chromecast– Google now has an invention that might rival Apple TV; this small dongle device connects directly to the HDMI port on an HDTV and allows users to stream TV shows, movies and anything that comes from the Chrome browser, right to their TV. Unlike Apple TV, Chromecast streams its media from the cloud rather than a mobile device itself. Google noted that streaming from the cloud had less of an impact on battery life and allowed for higher-quality streaming.  Google touts that the Chromecast has the capability to stream across multiple operating systems (Android or Apples iOS).

All three of these inventions and their inventors continue to invent solutions that allow us to cut the cord between different technologies. In this instance, Apple, Roku and Google have all created a device that allows the consumer to wirelessly stream their internet content straight to their television.

Copyright Davison 2013

Sources:

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing/google-cloud3.htm

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dongle

http://www.wired.com/reviews/2013/04/roku-3/

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/apple-tv1.htm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/25/chromecast-roku-apple-tv_n_3654453.html

http://www.forbes.com/sites/sethporges/2013/03/25/the-roku-3-set-top-box-a-nearly-perfect-product/

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57320715-221/apple-tv-vs-roku-which-streaming-box-should-you-buy/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23437476

Pictures:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57565436-37/tim-cook-dances-around-the-apple-tv-question-again/

http://www.roku.com/roku-products

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/google-chromecast-lets-stream-video-tv-phone-tablet/story?id=19762854

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