Despite many attempts to find a tire that resists any kind of breakdown, Smart, a startup in California, has put NASA technology at the service of a design that reinvents conventional tires and does not even carry air.
Are tires, originally invented by NASA for missions Rover of the Moon and Mars, reveal a technology that will never leave us halfway, whether for cycling enthusiasts, or for future four-wheelers.
In partnership with NASA, Smart has emphasized the development of an alloy wheel airless with shape memory (SMA) and has initially implemented it in the creation of a bicycle tire, called Metl.
Metl rims, powered by NASA, are something like the well-known runflat of high-end street vehicles, manufactured with a recent lightweight material known as NiTinol +.
These innovative Smart Metl are elastic like rubber but strong like titanium and they exhibit perfect shape memory, and mainly, unlike conventional tires, they do not go flat.
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Tires that do not go flat, powered by NASA
Through an innovative property called “superelasticity”, these tires can reorganize their molecular structure in response to stress and have an instantaneous recovery of 100%.
Too promise to be an ecological alternative, since the use of durable materials and zero environmental footprint reduce the need for liners and side walls of elastomers or the well-known rubber.
“Cyclists can’t wait to get their hands on these space-age, non-flatting Metl tires,” says Earl Cole, CEO of Smart Tire Company.
“The unique combination of these advanced materials, together with a next-generation eco-friendly design, make the Smart Metl an absolutely revolutionary product,” he adds.
“Shape memory alloys look extremely promising to revolutionize the entire land tire industry,” he adds. Santo Padula, NASA materials engineer, “and this is just the tip of the iceberg.”
Smart has the initial intention to establish Metl rims as the main high-tech component for road bikes, mountain and electric.
In this regard, the company is also working with the micromobility provider, Spin, to develop tires with NASA technology, also for for e-scooters.
In the case of the Metls, it is worth saying that they will be available for conventional bicycle rides, in early 2022.
As NASA tire development continues, the Metl fabric uses “Radial shape memory alloy technology” to be deployed in the space agency’s search vehicle, scheduled for 2026.
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