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Hybrid solar and electric lighting (HYSEL) systems constitute the latest generation of lighting systems for advanced life support, exhibiting continued potential for reducing the significant electrical power demand of current bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS). Two experimental HYSEL systems were developed: one employing xenon-metal halide (XMH) lamps and the other adopting light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as the electric-lighting components, and both using a mirror-based, fiberoptic-based solar collection system. The results showed that both the XMH and LED HYSEL systems effected reduced effective plant growing volume, indicating potential for a compact plant hardware design. The apparent electrical conversion efficiency of the LED HYSEL system exceeded that of the XMH HYSEL system by five-fold. Both the XMH and LED HYSEL systems provided reasonably acceptable spectral quality and lighting uniformity.

The Kawasaki Heavy Industries Group established its Group’s new vision statement, describing what the Group envisions becoming in 10 years ― “Group Vision 2030: Trustworthy Solutions for the Future.” In order to provide solutions for social issues and create a hopeful future, we will transform our business structure into a form which promises faster growth in line with environmental changes. In the field of "Near-Future Mobility," which is one of the fields we are focusing on, we are the first Japanese motorcycle manufacturer to adopt the Advanced Rider Assistance System (ARAS), with the aim of transforming the movement of people and goods. We began selling models equipped with this system in early 2022. ARAS, which is an advanced rider assistance function for motorcycles, is just a rider assistance function, and the rider is ultimately responsible for properly operating the vehicle.

One hundred years ago in America, three types of vehicles with different power sources were vying to become the most popular type of automobile on the market: steam-powered vehicles, electric vehicles, and gasoline-powered vehicles. Of the three, gasoline-powered vehicles eventually emerged ahead of the competition and its number of sales rapidly increased. Today, as we head into the 21st century, automobile technology is about to undergo a drastic change. So just what is the ace power plant that will carry us through a new age? I firmly believe that the answer to this question is hybrid vehicles. I say this because they not only best match the conditions under which vehicles have become popular in the past, but also best meet the demands from society to help reduce global warming.

The basic elements of the Toyota ESV energy management system consist of silicone rubber-type front bumper shock absorbers, an efficient energy-absorbing frame, and upper members for preventing vehicle pitch during impact. The Toyota ESV proved to have satisfactory performance in an 80 km/h frontal impact against flat and pole barriers by adequately balancing the strengths of these elements and effectively arranging the energy-absorbing members of the frame. In addition, based on experiences with the ESV tests, the relationships between crashworthiness variations and vehicle weight or size were studied in detail.

For the prediction of pumping loss in the engine crankcase at the early stage of engine design, a similarity law of the pumping loss on parallel cylinders with the phase difference of 180 degrees has been derived from the sum of the power loss due to the drag force of airflow through the cylinder bulkhead holes and the inertia force of fluid. It has been found that the mean effective pressure in the crankcase is in proportion to the square of the mean flow velocity at the bulkhead holes. Then, in order to validate the similarity law, by using a prototype engine with inline four cylinders, the pumping loss was estimated by subtracting the frictional loss with special pistons that had air holes, from the power loss in which the area of the bulkhead holes and engine speed were changed. The experimental results of the pumping loss were normalized by the similarity law. As a consequence, it has been shown that the pumping loss obeys the law.

1 In the development of motorcycle engines, a strong feeling of power, an element of being fun to ride has continued strong demand. However, demand to meet environmental performance, a conflicting element, has increased dramatically in recent years and a breakthrough technology that achieves both environmental performance and a feeling of power is in demand. Here, the newly developed engine has greatly enhanced feeling of power while clearing stringent environmental restrictions through use of a centrifugal type supercharger. However, there were several problems that had to be resolved with regards to application of a supercharger to a motorcycle engine. In applying a supercharger to a motorcycle, a major problem is the best way to keep the engine size from increasing in size. The engine, which is the heaviest parts on a motorcycle greatly affects motorcycle maneuverability so it must be compact and the mass concentrated.