Hood S40 V40 Volvo '00-04 on 2040-parts.com

Honda confirms 'mobile desk chair'

HONDA has announced details for a new version of its existing Uni-Cub ‘personal mobility solution’ – essentially a powered office chair. The Uni-Cub β is a development of the initial concept that appeared in 2012 as a bizarre solution to mobility around typical office-based work environments, although it would seem that no one at Honda had considered that humans have legs for that. It uses an omni-directional driving wheel system derived from Honda’s research into humanoid robots like the well-known ASIMO, allowing it to move in any direction according to the weight shifts of its user.

Threat to rural road maintenance

TOTAL ROAD CLOSURES may be necessary as the extreme winter weather has left councils struggling to maintain routes, according to a local government chief. One council - Cornwall - said it was being "starved of resources" and was considering stopping maintenance of rural roads. But the Department for Transport said billions of pounds were being provided for local highways maintenance and it was the responsibility of authorities to cope with severe weather.

Creapole graduates on course to become influential designers

Since its establishment in 1981, the creative design school Creapole ESDI has enjoyed the rich atmosphere of its unique location, set in the cultural and historical heart of Paris between the Louvre and the Georges Pompidou Center. By harnessing the romantic charm of the city with a careful awareness of human requirements, emotional as well as technical ideas can be turned into functional concepts across the broad structure at Creapole.   The school's disciplines include transport, product or fashion design, video game animation, visual communication, interior architecture or art design, and flexibility is given to applicants of different ages depending on their academic background.