A Bose Suspension? ("the first mega-breakthrough in car suspensions")

Automobile ^ | 9/04 | Jean Jennings

[Fudd]

That company has developed a, for lack of a better word, shock, that is a slurry of metal particles that changes density according to ride demands. The shock material can change from density of water to a solid in an instant.

Magnetorheological (MR) fluid. Has some neat applications - some high-end cars will be getting it in their shock absorbers. The last time I worked with it, though, there was one drawback that had not been rectified. MR fluid is oil with engineered iron particles suspended in it. Over time, the iron settles to the bottom of the container, leaving just oil.

MR fluid is also very expensive - most likely, due ot the low volume of production. $500/liter a few years back.

[Fudd]

Oh, the engineer in me says that MR fluid changes viscosity, not density. Low viscosity is what lets water run faster than molasses.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

Bose suspension? Will it make my CD's sound better?

I would imagine that a car CDs skip protection would not be activated as often. Perhaps one could mount a phonograph in a car with a Bose suspension. :-P

[em2vn]

I thank the engineer in you for the correction.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Great piece---thanks for the post.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Perhaps one could mount a phonograph in a car with a Bose suspension.

Cool! I can finally play my vinyl again, in the car no less.

[Aquinasfan]

Cool! I can finally play my vinyl again, in the car no less.

And I can sit in the back seat sipping a glass of wine and watching a movie while my kids drive. Someday. Soooooomeday. 8-)

[DeFault User]

Cool! I can finally play my vinyl again, in the car no less.

Does anybody remember 50s vintage autos that had record players in the dash/glove box? I think Chrysler made them. For some reason they didn't catch on. ;>)

[night reader]

Perhaps one could mount a phonograph in a car with a Bose suspension.

I'm wondering if a similar system could be mounted in a main battle tank to give both creature comfort to the crew and, more importantly, greater precision to firing while moving?

Are we talking M1A3 here?

[aruanan]

Who said nothing good can come out of Massachusetts ;-)

Well, it came from the mind of a visionary individual who happens to be in Massachusetts.

[Aquinasfan]

I'm wondering if a similar system could be mounted in a main battle tank to give both creature comfort to the crew and, more importantly, greater precision to firing while moving?

Isolating the "cabin" from vibration? In that case you'd have two suspension systems. It probably could be done, but it sounds like a substantially different problem.

The auto system somehow senses the terrain (sonar?) and adjusts the suspension accordingly. With the tank, the system would have to sense the terrain, predict the reaction of the preliminary suspension system, and then adjust the internal suspension system to respond.