A one-person vacuum elevator that slots into buildings with a minimum of fuss has gone on sale in the US.
The tube-shaped transporter carries a person upwards at a steady speed of 15 centimetres per second using turbines to suck air out of a pressurised chamber above the passenger capsule. The capsule is lowered when the pressure in the upper section is returned to normal.
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The Residential Pneumatic Vacuum Elevator was developed by Vacuum Elevators, a company based in Argentina and Florida, US. Two- or three-floor versions are currently available, and the company is now developing a four-floor system and another that can accommodate a wheelchair.
Panoramic view
The elevator is a metre in diameter and almost entirely transparent, providing the passenger with a panoramic view during their ride. It is made from lightweight aluminium and polycarbonate and can be installed with a minimum of construction work, says Dawn O鈥機onnor at retailer Daytona Elevator, based in Florida, US.
鈥淭here are very little building costs,鈥� O鈥機onnor told 快猫短视频. 鈥淵ou only need to bring in electricity at the top and cut a small hole in the ground.鈥�
The elevator has a 220-volt suction turbine at the top and can carry a maximum load of 204 kilograms. But O鈥機onnor adds that a series of mechanical brakes will activate should there be a sudden loss of pressure, to prevent the capsule falling. The elevator costs between $20,000 and $22,000.
A video of the elevator in action can be viewed on the Daytona Elevator website, (Mpeg format, 3.2MB).
