Looking Back 4/23/2009

April 21, 2009
Ride in the fast lane, Plastic shaves 3 lb from headlamps, Personnel for the hot lab

10 YEARS AGO — APRIL 22, 1999
Ride in the fast lane: Joyriding is taken to the next level with the world’s first two-seater Formula One car. The West McLaren Mercedes MP4-98T was designed to offer the experience of F1 racing without having to drive, according to TAG McLaren Group Managing Director Ron Dennis. The car takes to the Grand Prix track at almost 200 mph. The silver and black McLaren is part of what team McLaren calls its “Adrenaline Program.”

30 YEARS AGO — APRIL 26, 1979
Plastic shaves 3 lb from headlamps: A tough, new plastic headlamp developed by General Electric is expected to cut 3 lb f rom the weight of a four-headlamp vehicle. The sealed-beam halogen unit, molded of Lexan resin, offers greater impact resistance and more-accurately molded reflectors and lenses better able to beam light. Like GE’s glass-halogen headlamps, the plastic version is designed to meet the new standard allowing up to 150,000 high-beam candlepower for two and four-headlamp systems.

50 YEARS AGO — APRIL 16, 1959
Personnel for the hot lab: Operated by radio or cable cont rol and monitored by closed-circuit TV, Mobot I is strong and gentle. Called “Fingers” by its friends, Mobot can exert a 2,000-lb squeeze or handle delicate items with tweezerlike care. Developed by Hughes Aircraft Co., Mobot can be equipped with a variety of tools for handling radioactive materials and equipment. It could be designed for underwater farming or accompanying man to the moon. The robot specializes in going where humans can’t.

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