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AIME

Our homes and cars are the two things in solar day-to-twenty-four hours life that consumer the most power, but they don't really mesh together very well in that respect. A project from the US Department of Free energy'southward Oak Ridge National Laboratory offers a vision of a more than integrated future with Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy (AIME). Information technology consists of a power-sharing shelter and a vehicle which are simultaneously futuristic and awkwardly utilitarian. Oh, and they're 3D printed.

AIME takes advantage of the globe'south largest 3D printer, which is housed at Oak Ridge. It's been used to 3D impress cars in the past, but this fourth dimension it'southward less about showing off and more than nearly presenting a real vision for the time to come. The vehicle is boxy and has an open two-seat cab with a large dorsum compartment housing the bombardment and motor.

In this design, the electric vehicle is powered by a unmarried traction motor with a transmission to the rear wheels. Information technology has a range of just 35 miles, with but electric power. When it is driven someplace a fleck further away, it has a modest natural gas tank that tin can be used to recharge the bombardment. The top speed is near 60 miles per hour. A Tesla this is not, but it is 30% carbon cobweb-reinforced ABS plastic. It took about 20 hours to 3D impress this vehicle.

The matching home is somewhat more unusual in appearance — you might not immediately realize you're looking at a shelter as information technology has a serious cargo container vibe. Information technology'south composed of multiple segments, each with a pair of modest windows on one side. Insulation, electric systems, and fifty-fifty roof solar panels are all built into the structure of the habitation. It's arranged in segments because that makes it feasible to print in the same ABS plastic used in the EV.

AIME

The prototype seen in the to a higher place epitome was printed over the course of 4 weeks and has a full square footage of 210. The lighting and appliances can be added to the finished structure as needed. The interior can too be partitioned to create multiple spaces. The prototype was left completely open up inside with a GE concept "micro-kitchen" and a murphy-style fold-out bed. It might besides be possible to bolt together multiple 3D printed shelters of this design for a larger living space.

The existent magic of the AIME project is the way information technology manages energy. The shelter and vehicle share a six.6kW bi-directional wireless power organisation. It uses resonant technology, allowing for power to exist transmitted between the batteries at distances of a few anxiety with efficiency around 85%. So the dwelling house charges itself and the car using solar power, and recharges the vehicle later it has returned from a trip. If the home is running depression on power, only the car is fully charged, it can beam power dorsum to the house.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory plans to proceed exploring the AIME concept for the future of housing and transportation. Researchers are interested in trying out different engines and ability sources on the vehicle and more configurations for the shelter.