Ok, so my idea is this: A car seat that uses magnetic repulsion as a cushion.

Basically, the seat would sit in a track. The track is designed so that there is play between the seat rail and the track, a lot of play, but the seat can't come out. There are three magnets, in the floor under the seat, in the seat, and in the cieling above the seat. When it's turned on, the seat "floats" between the floor and cieling, held in place by the opposing magnets. When the car goes over a bump, there's enough give in the magnetic fields that they act like a shock absorber for the seat, thus sparing the driver the agony of driving along bumpy roads. It won't keep the car from shaking like a leaf, but it'll keep the occupants from feeling it.

The track would have to be made very strong to keep the seat from coming out in an accident, so I suggest the whole thing be made of titanium. Expensive, yes. But after all, aren't all luxury cars expensive?
-- 21 Quest, Jan 20 2006

(OT)Linn Rekursiv processor http://www.brouhaha...computing/rekursiv/
[Dub, Jan 20 2006]

EMI Shield http://www.halfbake...magnetic-shield.com
An Example of shield against magnetic interference [21 Quest, Jan 20 2006]

Out of sheer curiosity: what specific property of magnetic suspension is it that makes this desirable, when compared to other suspension methods?
-- half, Jan 20 2006


The fact that it sounds "high tech" alone will make people want it. It's not necessarily *better* than the other kinds (I don't know that much about magnetics, it *could* be better)...but the consumer doesn't have to know that. Just like those headlights that turn with the car, they're not really better, in fact they were discontinued a long time ago because they blind other cars coming around a corner. But they're selling well now because the average *consumer* doesn't know this.
-- 21 Quest, Jan 20 2006


//there's enough give in the magnetic fields that they act like a shock absorber//

Do magnetic fields have "give"? For all we know, they'd be as unflexible as nails, expecially at strengths great enough to hold a chair in midair.

But if they do have give, then your whole chair is moving up and down, which doesn't sound too comfortable for your eyes, either.
-- phundug, Jan 20 2006


"what specific property of magnetic suspension is it that makes this desirable, when compared to other suspension methods?"

Geek factor - I want one!
-- DrCurry, Jan 20 2006


For the geek, a link.
-- half, Jan 20 2006


Wow! That link's interesting... Funny how audio manufacturers spread their interest [Link]
-- Dub, Jan 20 2006


Yeah, it is. I recently read a magazine article about Amar Bose expanding his industries to other fields of study, but I didn't think he'd go into cars...
-- 21 Quest, Jan 20 2006


If the magnets are strong enough to hold a person up, won't they be so strong that you can't use your in-car GPS (if this is a luxury car I expect it would have one)?
-- PollyNo9, Jan 20 2006


Not necessarily. See my link. We use such technology on my planes to prevent the Chaff and Flare dispensers from inadvertent firing.
-- 21 Quest, Jan 20 2006


To make it more interesting, Bose has been working on its active suspension system for over 20 years.
-- half, Jan 20 2006


Hm...Bose and I need to get together, I think. Combining our ideas could make a redundant (and wildly popular) luxury vehicle. Consumers will love the redundancy because it means we're twice as concerned about their comfort as our competitors. Like [miasere] pointed out, // It is a well known fact that the average consumer is actually about as thick as day old custard//
-- 21 Quest, Jan 20 2006


Did you know Bose is also mucking around in Cold Fusion?
-- 21 Quest, Jan 20 2006



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