AGXStarseed
Well-Known Member
(Not written by me. The article is a few years old, but I felt it would be an interesting subject to discuss regardless)
Wallace and Gromit had it right: The 'wrong trousers' really would let someone walk on the ceiling, but the batteries would only last for 20 minutes.
They were supposedly a Nasa invention - and now researchers say the 'techno trousers' from Wallace & Gromit's Wrong Trousers that let the pair walk on the ceiling really would work.
Researchers calculated, however, that the trousers would unlikely to be useful for a bank robbery - ans the batteries would only last for 20 minutes.
The University of Leicester team say the boots would require a lot of power - to create a vacuum effect on the sole strong enough to hold a man.
Researchers calculated the 'techno trousers' from Wallace & Gromit's Wrong Trousers would actually work - but warn the batteries would only last for 20 minutes.
The group of fourth year students from the Department of Physics and Astronomy examined what suction is required to allow a fully grown man wearing the trousers to walk on the ceiling without losing contact.
'To walk on walls and ceilings it will be necessary for the trousers to be able function with only one of the boots in contact with the ceiling as well as both,' said Katie Raymer, 22, from Whitstable, who took part in the research.
All the simple calculations in the study were worked out with one boot supporting all the weight.
'In order for the vacuum generator in the sole of the boots to work, we assumed there is a slightly raised rubber insulator surrounding the boot of the trousers,' she said.
'This would create a cavity which has a lower pressure than the surroundings when the vacuum is applied.
'We observed the difference in pressure between the atmosphere and the cavity and found that the vacuum generator needs to be powerful enough to reduce the atmospheric pressure inside the boot cavity by approximately 18% in order to create a vacuum capable of supporting Wallace and the trousers.
'This corresponds to a low vacuum, which has a similar strength to a vacuum cleaner.'
The trousers took the pair on a botched jewel heist - and now researchers say they could become a reality.
Ben Jordan, 22, from Bury St Edmunds, added: 'Although this is a feasible vacuum required, the main issue that arises is that the trousers operate from a rechargeable battery.
'So by making a quick comparison with a wireless vacuum cleaner with a similar strength, the operating time would only be around 20 minutes.'
In the film Gromit uses the trousers to help him paint the ceiling – and in this scenario the trousers could be connected to a mains electricity supply and would function well.
However, the trousers are also used to scale a building and steal a diamond from the city museum, which would likely take considerably longer than 20 minutes in real life, and could result in a sticky end for the unfortunate wearer of the trousers.
The students presented their findings in a paper for the Journal of Physics Special Topics, a peer-reviewed student journal run by the University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Friday 27 June is Wrong Trousers Day, run by the Wallace & Gromit Children’s Charity, which encourages people to help sick children across the UK by wearing wrong trousers for the day and contributing a donation.
SOURCE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...ly-let-walk-veiling-batteries-20-minutes.html
Wallace and Gromit had it right: The 'wrong trousers' really would let someone walk on the ceiling, but the batteries would only last for 20 minutes.
They were supposedly a Nasa invention - and now researchers say the 'techno trousers' from Wallace & Gromit's Wrong Trousers that let the pair walk on the ceiling really would work.
Researchers calculated, however, that the trousers would unlikely to be useful for a bank robbery - ans the batteries would only last for 20 minutes.
The University of Leicester team say the boots would require a lot of power - to create a vacuum effect on the sole strong enough to hold a man.
Researchers calculated the 'techno trousers' from Wallace & Gromit's Wrong Trousers would actually work - but warn the batteries would only last for 20 minutes.
The group of fourth year students from the Department of Physics and Astronomy examined what suction is required to allow a fully grown man wearing the trousers to walk on the ceiling without losing contact.
'To walk on walls and ceilings it will be necessary for the trousers to be able function with only one of the boots in contact with the ceiling as well as both,' said Katie Raymer, 22, from Whitstable, who took part in the research.
All the simple calculations in the study were worked out with one boot supporting all the weight.
'In order for the vacuum generator in the sole of the boots to work, we assumed there is a slightly raised rubber insulator surrounding the boot of the trousers,' she said.
'This would create a cavity which has a lower pressure than the surroundings when the vacuum is applied.
'We observed the difference in pressure between the atmosphere and the cavity and found that the vacuum generator needs to be powerful enough to reduce the atmospheric pressure inside the boot cavity by approximately 18% in order to create a vacuum capable of supporting Wallace and the trousers.
'This corresponds to a low vacuum, which has a similar strength to a vacuum cleaner.'
The trousers took the pair on a botched jewel heist - and now researchers say they could become a reality.
Ben Jordan, 22, from Bury St Edmunds, added: 'Although this is a feasible vacuum required, the main issue that arises is that the trousers operate from a rechargeable battery.
'So by making a quick comparison with a wireless vacuum cleaner with a similar strength, the operating time would only be around 20 minutes.'
In the film Gromit uses the trousers to help him paint the ceiling – and in this scenario the trousers could be connected to a mains electricity supply and would function well.
However, the trousers are also used to scale a building and steal a diamond from the city museum, which would likely take considerably longer than 20 minutes in real life, and could result in a sticky end for the unfortunate wearer of the trousers.
The students presented their findings in a paper for the Journal of Physics Special Topics, a peer-reviewed student journal run by the University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Friday 27 June is Wrong Trousers Day, run by the Wallace & Gromit Children’s Charity, which encourages people to help sick children across the UK by wearing wrong trousers for the day and contributing a donation.
SOURCE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...ly-let-walk-veiling-batteries-20-minutes.html
