Human Powered Walking Devices

There are quite a number of research activities related to alternative modes of locomotion without wheels.

Powerbocking is the act of jumping and running, much like parkour, with elastic stilts with boots. For some it is an extreme sport, for others it is a form of exercise or even a means of artistic expression. The use of the stilts to perform extreme jumping, running and acrobatics is known as bocking or powerbocking after the inventor.

Each boot consists of a foot pad with snowboard type bindings, foot-plate and a fiberglass leaf spring. Using only their weight, and few movements, the user is generally able to jump up to 2 meters (6 feet) off the ground and run up to 32 km/h (20 mph). They also give the ability to take up to 3 meter (9 foot) strides.

Powerbocking boots were originally patented by Alexander Boeck as PowerSkips.

The Bionic Boots look more like a futuristic piece of art or something out of a science fiction film than entertaining footwear. The boots, patented by Coventry University on behalf of the inventor, Keahi Seymour, enhance the natural human running motion using a high powered spring and elastic mechanism which means more power for less effort.

A great deal of energy is absorbed by the foot coming into contact with the ground when running or walking. The bionic boot absorbs the impact into its spring and elastic mechanism, springing the foot up from the ground.

The inspiration for the boots came from kangaroos. They are not particularly strong, but have natural elastic sinews in their legs. These absorb the impact and recycle the energy usually lost through making direct contact with the ground.

Kangoo Jumps are low impact rebound sport shoes designed to provide a safe platform for jogging and other exercises that are notoriously hard on the joints. The boots use a lightweight leaf-spring to absorb shocks due to impact on the ground and create a rebound effect that reduces shock impact on ankles, knees, hips and lower back by up to 60%.

Originally developed in Switzerland for joggers, Kangoo Jumps also provide benefits for athletic strengthening and conditioning, rehabilitation and injury prevention, group aerobics (Kangoo'Robic), games, or just plain fun.

The SpringWalker body amplifier is designed to capture most of the wasted energy, store it in the bungee-cord spring, then release it to push the SpringWalker forward as it lopes along. What makes the SpringWalker so much fun, is how simple it is. No wires, no motors, no computers.

Most Innovative Computer Keyboards

Optimus Maximus is certainly a cut above a regular QWERTY keyboard. Each key has its very own LED display, showing its function at any given time. What this means is that should you wish to type in Japanese, you can install a program that changes the display on each individual key of your keyboard to bring up the Japanese alphabet in place of the Roman one.

Das Keyboard is a high-end computer keyboard with no inscriptions on the keys. That is, the keys themselves are both completely black and blank. The name comes from the German word das (the in German) simply translated to "The Keyboard". Another reference to the German language is that the keyboard targets "Über-Geeks".

The Senseboard Virtual Keyboard is the only full-sized "virtual" keyboard and mouse in the world. Its unique design allows for standard text input in practically any environment. The Virtual Keyboard consists of two hand-worn components, which use Bluetooth technology to connect with the designated computing device. Senseboard utilizes sensor technology to recognize the characters a user is typing. Text input is based on movement of the users hands and fingers.

The Virtual Laser Keyboard uses both infrared and laser technology to generate an invisible field and project a full-size virtual QWERTY keyboard on any surface. Direction technology based on optical recognition enables the user to tap the images of the keys, complete with realistic tapping sounds, which feeds into the compatible PDA, Blackberry, Smartphone, laptop or PC.

The Tallest Men Of The 20th Century

Robert Pershing Wadlow (1918–1940), according to the Guinness World Records, is the tallest person in medical history for whom there is irrefutable evidence. He is often known as the Alton Giant. Wadlow reached an unprecedented 272 centimeters (8 feet 11.1 inches) in height and weighed 199 kilograms (440 pounds) at his death. His great size and his continued growth in adulthood were due to a tumor within his pituitary gland. He showed no indication of an end to his growth even at the time of his death.

John William Rogan (1868-1905) began to grow very rapidly at the age of 13. This led to ankylosis (fusion of a joint), so eventually he could not stand or walk. His exact height was not measured until his death. At that time he measured 268 centimeters (8 feet 8 inches) tall, but weighed only 79 kilograms (175 pounds), making him the tallest African American, and the second tallest man, ever recorded. Rogan died in 1905 from complications of his disease.

Sorry, no photo of John William Rogan.

Vikas Kumar Uppal (1986-2007) is said to be India's tallest man. On 10 June 2005, he was reported to be 266 centimeters (8 feet 9 inches) tall. Vikas died on June 30th, 2007 during a failed brain tumor operation in Delhi, India.

Ajaz Ahmed (born 1976) is a Pakistani man claiming to be the world's tallest living person. He hails from Bakkhar village in Daryakhan, Punjab, and claims to be 253 centimeters (8 feet 4 inches) tall. He suffers from an orthopedic problem that afflicted his right leg after he underwent surgery for a hip-bone fracture.

Leonid Stadnyk (born 1971) is a controversial claimant to the status of the world's tallest living man. He is a certified veterinarian and veterinary surgeon, and lives with his mother in the village of Podolyantsi, Ukraine. He claims to be 253 centimeters (8 feet 4 inches) tall, weighs about 200 kilograms (440 pounds), but has stopped growing, because the tumor in his pituitary gland which caused him to grow so large has disappeared.

The Largest Airplanes In The World

The An-225 Mriya (Cossack) is a strategic airlift transport aircraft which was built by Antonov ASTC, a Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing and services company, and is the world's largest flying airplane ever built by the most commonly accepted measure, maximum gross takeoff weight. The design, built to transport the Buran orbiter, was an enlargement of the successful An-124 Ruslan. With a maximum gross weight of 640 tonnes, the An-225 is the world's heaviest and largest aircraft.

The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, four-engined airliner manufactured by EADS (Airbus S.A.S.). It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. The Airbus A380F, the freighter model, is designed as one of the largest freight aircraft, with a listed payload capacity (590 tonnes) exceeded only by the An-225.

The An-124 Ruslan (Condor) is the largest aircraft ever mass produced, and was, until the advent of the An-225 Mriya, the largest aircraft in production. Over forty are currently in service. Up to 150 tonnes of cargo can be carried in a military An-124.

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a military transport aircraft designed to provide strategic heavy airlift over intercontinental distances. It is the largest American military transport and one of the largest military aircraft in the world, designed to carry outsize and oversize cargo (up to 120 tonnes). The C-5 was developed and produced by Lockheed and is operated by the United States Air Force.

The Longest Bridges In The World

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, or the Causeway, consists of two parallel bridges that are the longest bridges in the world by total length. These parallel bridges cross Lake Pontchartrain in southern Louisiana. The longer of the two bridges is about 38 kilometers long. The bridges are supported by over 9000 concrete pilings. The two bridges feature bascule spans over the navigation channel 13 kilometers south of the north shore. The southern terminus of the Causeway is in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The northern terminus is at Mandeville, Louisiana.

Donghai Bridge ("East Sea Grand Bridge") is the longest cross-sea bridge in the world. It was completed on December 10, 2005. It has a total length of about 32 kilometers and connects Shanghai and the offshore Yangshan deep-water port in China. Most of the bridge is a low-level viaduct. There are also cable-stayed sections to allow for the passage of large ships, largest with span of 420 meters.


Vasco da Gama Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge flanked by viaducts and roads that spans the Tagus River near Lisbon, capital of Portugal. It is the longest bridge in Europe, with a total length of about 17 kilometers, including about 1 kilometer for the main bridge, 11 kilometers in viaducts, and 5 kilometers in extension roads. Its purpose is to alleviate the congestion on Lisbon's other bridge (25 de Abril Bridge), and to join previously unconnected motorways radiating from Lisbon. The bridge was opened to traffic on March 29, 1998, in time for Expo 98, the World's Fair that celebrated the 500th anniversary of the discovery by Vasco da Gama of the sea route from Europe to India.


Penang Bridge ("Jambatan Pulau Pinang" in Malay) is a dual-carriageway toll bridge that connects Gelugor on the island of Penang and Seberang Prai on the mainland of Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula. The bridge is also linked to the North-South Expressway in Prai and Jelutong Expressway in Penang. It was officially opened to traffic on September 14, 1985. The total length of the bridge is about 13 kilometers, making it among the longest bridges in the world as well as a national landmark.