Sylo

Function, form, safety, and environment. SYLO is a family of hybrid cycle rickshaws that fulfils all four design pillars to deliver good performance and a smooth ride.
SYLO is designed for short distances, catering to commuters and delivery services. What sets it apart from its counterparts is its mixed-propulsion technology, using both photovoltaic panels and pedal power. Adding to its ‘green’ points is the fact that recyclable plastics have been used for the body. This helped from an engineering perspective because it kept the vehicle light, allowing it to serve its function despite the difficult terrain it must operate in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What sets it apart from its counterparts is its mixed-propulsion technology, using both photovoltaic panels and pedal power.

Form was an especially important factor in the design process. As the aim was to use this vehicle both within the historical context of the capital city, Valleta, and in cosmopolitan spaces such as Paceville and Bugibba, it was essential for the vehicle to complement its built environment, be it classical or contemporary. Towards this end, bold lines were used, making the vehicle look distinct without looking alien.

 

SYLO was the product of 10 mechanical engineering students supervised by academics from the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering,
Faculty of Engineering, University of Malta as part
of a third-year engineering design project.

How Blockchain technology could revolutionise Malta (and the world)

Bitcoin took the world by storm. Hailed as the future for e-commerce, the cryptocurrency blew the gates of opportunity wide open for all those in search of an alternative banking solution. People could mine for their own bitcoins. They could keep all their information private and secure. Small businesses could do away with credit card fees. Making all this possible was blockchain technology.

At its core, blockchain technology is a massive “distributed database” that allows for safe storage and management of transactions via a digital ledger that records all information chronologically and publicly. It does away with the centralised system of control, replacing banks, governments, and companies by a state of decentralised consensus, where the network holding the transactions checks in with itself, adjusts accordingly, and stores its data on a network shared by several users.

While blockchain is closely associated with bitcoin, the two are very separate. FT Technology Reporter Sally Davies explains; ‘[Blockchain] is to Bitcoin, what the Internet is to email. A big electronic system, on top of which you can build applications. Currency is just one.’ So how can Malta benefit from blockchain technology?

From full transparency and public accessibility during elections, to the ability to vote from anywhere in the world, blockchain could save Maltese expats and travellers indiscriminate amounts of time and money. Beyond politics, blockchain would see international transfers taking minutes not days and reducing associated charges to a pittance. Hacking too would pose less of a threat since hackers would need to alter a whole chain of transactions to change one. There are many more applications to list but this just goes to show the great potential available. However, for ‘the Blockchain revolution’ to happen, we shall need to overcome technological, governance, organisational, and societal barriers. All this will take time to achieve but progress is already being made by heavy-weights paving the way for others to follow.

The Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA) recently brought together thirty big banks, tech giants, and organisations, among them Microsoft, Intel and J.P. Morgan Chase, with the aim of building business-ready versions of Blockchain technology. Once these efforts bear fruit, we will have ready platforms and a fertile environment in which new start-ups, existing tech companies, and individual programmers can venture out and build even more applications.

The Internet took time to build and disseminate. This time, the host of technologies needed are already there. The shift should be faster as new Blockchain-based structures emerge.

Jean Paul Galea, CEO at Websuccess Malta – Web Design, E Commerce & Digital Marketing

Catamarans go solar

Despite their many drawbacks, fossil fuels maintain a toxic hold as the world’s primary energy source. To release ourselves, we need innovative approaches to sourcing and managing energy. At the University of Malta, researchers have designed a solar-powered catamaran that uses smart-charging and battery management to efficiently utilise renewable energy. The project aims to serve as inspiration to usher in a future of environmentally friendly vehicles. Words by Diane Cassar.

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MAKS: MFA Digital Arts

From the MFA in Digital Arts students at the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences, this selection of works showcases how art can turn into research in varied areas, from the concept of re-appropriating gaze to the creation of false memories through photography and much more.

 

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