TECH

A Big, Mean, Inflated Machine

A Jeep is fun offroad, a motorcycle maybe even more so. Diehard renegades go even further and get about in Unimogs and on snowmobiles. [amazingdiyprojects] might just have topped them all, with his latest project - the astonishing Inflatable Car.
Despite the name, it's a vehicle that defies clear definition. Consisting of a lightweight aluminum frame and exposed seat, the construction is almost 100% hacked. PVC fabric is used with advanced adhesive tapes to create inflatable wheels that are 2 meters in diameter. Vacuum cleaners are used to inflate the massive tires, with custom 3D printed valves to ensure even inflation. Drive is courtesy of four handheld concrete mixers, repurposed for their torquey motors and robust geartrains. Even the user interface is a triumph of found parts - consisting of former cordless drills, used for their PWM hardware and covered in extra switches.
Looking like a moon lander from a strange 1950s version of the future, the machine is impressively nimble for its size. Episode 1 starts with a single wheel hooked up to the inflation gear and a single drive motor. Just a few short months later, episode 7 has the prototype machine crawling out from the confines of the back garden and out into the street. The machine is already impressively fast and capable, and we can not wait to see what happens next.
It's a build that is truly impressive in its scale, though we've got to expect it in less from [amazingdiyprojects]. Video after the break. Lewin Day