2 New 38 " Straight Pontoon Boat Seats Beige And Teal on 2040-parts.com

MIT develops self-transforming materials that behave 'like robots without robots'

A cross-disciplinary research lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a suite of programmable materials, including carbon fiber, printed wood grain, textile composites, rubbers and plastics, that self-transform when exposed to an external stimulus. Director of the Self-Assembly Lab, Skylar Tibbits, presented a TED talk on 4D printing in 2013, where he demonstrated how a flat sheet of material could effectively build itself when exposed to water, like a robot without a robot. Following positive feedback from industries including aviation, automotive and manufacturing, his lab has been working on developing materials that change according to different activation sources, including heat, light, and air pressure, in addition to water – all of which have automotive relevance.

Ford Grand C-Max at 2009 Frankfurt motor show

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 15 September 2009 09:00 Ford showed off the seven-seat Grand C-Max at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show - marking the first time the Blue Oval has nudged into the territory hogged by Renault (Grand Scenic) and Vauxhall (Zafira). The new Ford Grand C-Max has sliding doors, another first for the Blue Oval in this segment, to help passengers climbing into the two rows of rear seats. No more excuses for dinged door panels in car parks!

Mystery Porsche prototype destroyed in fire near Stuttgart

According to the Porsche-lovers at flatsixes.com, an unknown Porsche prototype caught fire after being taken home by an employee earlier this week. It reportedly took 19 firefighters to extinguish the blaze, which occurred in a home garage in Ludwigsburg, Germany (a city located near Porsche's home in Stuttgart). Fortunately, the employee and his wife suffered only minor injuries, but we assume the prototype is a complete loss.