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Low-cost passive maglev upgrade tested on regular rail tracks.
Maglev transport systems present an attractive option for the mobility mix. They're quick and quiet, and are low maintenance. But setup can be costly and complex. Italy's IronLev is looking to change that with a passive system that runs on regular rail tracks.
IronLev was founded in 2017 as a joint venture between engineering innovation studio Girotto Brevetti and Ales Tech, a startup formed by university students who developed a suspension system for the SpaceX Hyperloop competition. Instead of using significant amounts of power to run a maglev transport system based around electromagnets, the collaboration has tapped into passive magnetic forces to create a "cushion of air that physically separates the vehicle from the track." "Thanks to the features of our technology and to low and speed independent frictions, we can move a 10-ton wagon with the same force that is needed to lift a 22-lb backpack," claimed company co-founder, Luca Cesaretti.
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