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HUMAN-POWERED TRANSPORT
Human-powered transport is transport of person(s) and/or goods powered by human muscle.
Along with animal-powered transport, also in existence since time immemorial, it includes some of the first instances of transport before machines, relatively recent products of culture, although machines have been used to enhance human-powered movement, which is often still used by choice, as in sport, exercise or therapy, or can still be the only (reliable) power source, especially in underdeveloped or inaccessible regions. It constitutes an ideal form of Sustainable transportation.
Available muscle power
The Trikke works simply by shifting your body weight.
The average "in-shape" cyclist can produce about 3 watts/kg for more than an hour (e.g., around 200 watts for a 70 kg rider), with top amateurs producing 5 watts/kg and elite athletes achieving 6 watts/kg for similar lengths of time. Elite track sprinters are able to attain an instantaneous maximum output of around 2,000 watts, or in excess of 25 watts/kg; elite road cyclists may produce 1,600 to 1,700 watts as an instantaneous maximum in their burst to the finish line at the end of a five-hour long road race.
Types
Human movement using only one's own body
Human self-movement using object(s) and sheer muscle power
Human self-movement using object(s), muscle power and a natural force
Here the human effort is not dominant in the actual locomotion, but essential in steering, and often take-off.
Human transport of others and/or load using object(s) and muscle power
Some of the vehicles mentioned in other categories above also exist(ed) in a version with cargo and/or passengers, such as the galley
Various of the above also stood model for a motorized variation.
Related objects
A human-powered vehicle (HPV) is a vehicle powered solely by human muscle.
The most common and most efficient human-powered vehicle is the bicycle. Of more limited but still sometimes functional use are the tricycle and some rowing boats. Of common recreational use are the skateboard, ice skates and roller skates. Many other kinds of vehicles can employ human power, including submarines, aircraft, hydrofoils, hovercraft and kinetic sculpture vehicles.
In 1969, artists in a small northern California town began the Kinetic sculpture race which has grown to a 42 mile, three-day all terrain, human-powered sculpture race and county wide event. It is held every year in the last weekend in May.
The first officially authenticated take-off and landing of a human-powered aircraft (one capable of powered takeoffs, unlike a glider) was done in November 1962 by Derek Piggott in Southampton University's Man Powered Aircraft (SUMPA). (A claim for a flight by the Pedaliante in March 1937 is disputed) [1] [2]. Perhaps the best-known human-powered plane is the Gossamer Albatross, which flew across the English Channel in 1979.
Recumbent bicycles are the fastest human-powered vehicles because they are more aerodynamic than upright bicycles while having a similar energy transfer efficiency. In 2002, Sam Whittingham pedaled a streamliner (a fully-faired recumbent) for 200 m at 130.36 km/h (81.00 mph) in the Varna Diablo II. As of 2005, that run still holds the International Human Powered Vehicle Association's speed record.
Olympic Cyclist and IRONMAN triathlon winner, John Howard [3] set a 244.9 km/h (152.2 mph) speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats near Wendover, Utah on July 20, 1985 while drafting in the wake of the motorized Vesco Streamliner pace car. The pace vehicle reduced the aerodynamic drag that Mr. Howard pedalled against to near nothing [4].
See also
External links
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