Newschecker is short and sweet this week.Artists EcoArtTech have developed a mobile solar powered, GPS enabled robot that’s senses changes in the environment, pollution levels and even terrorist threats! It then projects this data via video projection onto the nearest available surface. The Environmental Risk Assessment Rover–AT, Version 1.0 is on display at the Off The Grid exhibition in New York.
Image from EcoArtTech
In America, they are promoting the use of bikes in May. The League of American Bicyclists is promoting Bike-to-Work Week from May 12-16 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 16. Need some ideas? Check their website for 50 ways to celebrate bike month.
Wired magazine have a photo contest inviting readers to send in photos of different forms of mobility in their countries. It is a varied and interesting overview of everything from trains , planes and automobiles, and a few other surprises! Check out the pictures here.

Image "The no 12 Tram by Calum Davidson" from www.wired .com

Some news items that caught our eye this week.
As promised we have been keeping watch on the Milan Design Fair. One of the great mobility ideas to come out of it were the cute No More Gas electric vehicles by Meyers Motors. They can travel up to 75 m/hour and if you want to see more, there’s an informative video on their site here.

The No More Gas vehiclesOf course we are also in love with the new Caravan by Verdier, with its ‘Sun Tracker’ solar cell technology, GPS and on-board computer to keep the cells in an optimal position as the sun moves.

Image of the Verdier caravan
Meanwhile Australia is unveiling many new sustainable initiatives to coincide with the 2030 summit about the future. One exciting proposal is Frasers Broadway, which is to be the most sustainable development in Australia. It includes new uses for the old Kent Brewery, a staple fixture of the cities skyline. Inhabitat has a good report about it too.

Green plans for the Frasers development in Sydney

So whats on the rise and on the fall this week? Well - elevators for one.
Exploring mobility of a different kind, the current New Yorker magazine has a fascinating, if not hair raising article on elevators, new “smart” elevators and what can go wrong when you're stuck in one. Ups and downs of all kinds in this piece.
Australian architect Andrew Maynard has a novel solution for the future of suburbia. Due to rising fuel and energy costs , the suburbs may soon be obsolete (as explored in the documentary The End of Suburbia.). Their CVO8 robot restores nature to these areas that are now unoccupied by consuming the abandoned suburbs through its front 2 legs!
See more at Andrew Maynards site

CVO8 the suburb eating robot
Treehugger reports on zero emission space travel, which considering the rush to make space a new holiday destination, does make some sense. A Finnish researcher has come up with a theory that uses an electric solar wind sail. The sail relies on solar wind which emanates from the sun.
And finally the Salone internazionale del Mobile, or Milan furniture fair, is on this week in Milan. Domus magazione as well as Inhabitat have ongoing coverage. Let’s see what future mobility solutions and sustainable design options come up this year. We will keep you posted.

As the European rains start to turn the bare trees into budding little bouquets of blossoms, thoughts of escaping the city some to mind. And what could be more free than taking off in your own mobile home or caravan, independent of hotel check-out times and invading butlers? And the best part of any caravan holiday is that a beach, mountain or forest can be your own private sleep-over spot!

But recently, stories of “toxic trailers” have hit the headlines. The FEMA trailer scandal involved the discovery of dangerous levels or formaldehyde in trailers. And the inadequate emergency trailers used after Hurricane Katrina did nothing to help the reputation of happy campers. So here are a selection of our favourite economical, healthy and funky temporary homes. See you on the road....
The Deseo

The Deseo Caravan did not win the esteemed Red Dot Design Award 2008 for nothing. Stylish, luxurious and most importantly mobile! The interiors are minimal and modern, the sunroof enables natural cooling and the large windows keep the warmth in.
The Airstream

The Airstream caravan is a little like living in a silver time capsule. Inside the Safari's wall is a 2.5" fiberglass batten insulation, which keeps the interior cool in summer and warm in winter. The DWR version by Chris Deam is reminscent of the original 1960s trailer. But it incorporates new designs such as a Nelson Ball clock, a Tom Dixon's coatrack, and luxurious bedding from Matteo. It's hot ,we like it.
The Minihome

Sustain Design Studio’s Minihome has to be the most green. While not the easiest to drive around on a quick holiday, it is a detachable mobile trailer on wheels and offers the best in environmentally conscious design. Features include solar power, wind turbine, a portable green roof, LED lighting, composting toilet and solar powered electricity and hot water.
The m ch
The fantastic and futuristic m ch or (Micro Compact Home) was the outcome of a research project at the Technical University of Munich to design a 2.6m cube dwelling. Created in collaboration with the Tokyo Institute of Technology, the small home is inspired by a Japanese tea-house. In special circumstances it can even be delivered by helicopter. Now that's a mobile home!