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Spinoff story
Shock Absorbing System
A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.
About this technology
Overview
A lightweight, inexpensive shock-absorbing system, developed by Langley Research Center 20 years ago, is now in service as safety device for an automated railway at Duke University Medical Center. The transportation system travels at about 25 miles per hour, carrying patients, visitors, staff and cargo. At the end of each guideway of the system are frangible (breakable) tube buffers." If a slowing car fails to make a complete stop at the terminal it would bump and shatter the tubes absorbing energy that might otherwise jolt the passengers or damage the vehicle."