How It Works-Amazing Vehicles

Apart from using newer materials and

streamlining, actual aeroplane design has

changed very little over the years. However,

Technicon Design is an international company

trying to change all that with its concept of a

windowless jet called the IXION.

Gareth Davies, design director at Technicon

Design, explains his v ision for future planes:

“Windows are complicated things to put into

aeroplanes. Each window can add 15

kilograms (33 pounds) to the overall weight

and they’re not aerody namic. Our plan is to

remove the windows and fi t 4K HD cameras to

the w ings and body that can display images of

whatever’s outside onto fl exible OLED screens

inside the plane.”

This would give an uninterrupted

panoramic v iew from the inside, while

reducing weight and simplifying construction.

A myriad of potential cabin moods and themes

would be opened up: ”You’ll be able to control

what is displayed on the screens from your

smartphone.” This could result in a future

where passengers travelling over a featureless

ocean could be treated to sights like the New

York skyline, a desert or even Godzilla taking

on downtown Tokyo.

If you don’t fanc y looking at the same v iew

as ever yone else, the concept also suggests

parallax screens that can only be seen by the

person sitting in a particular seat. To create a

truly fl exible seating arrangement,

passengers would be tracked so their screen

follows them to whatever seat they sit in.

Solar panels would also be employed to

power internal electronics. This would

generate alternative power for the low-

voltage systems on board when the engines

are idle and save fi ve per cent of the total fuel

used. The designs challenge conventional

thinking on every level. “We wanted to

imagine a possible next step

forward”, he continues. “The fi rst stage in any

innovation is imagination.”

The idea behind the windowless design has

two main advantages. First, it makes the

plane easier to build and more streamlined.

Second, and more exciting, is it lets you do

crazy and cool things like the image shown

here on the right.

4K HD cameras mounted on the wings and

body of the plane will be connected to OLED

panels in the wall, which will display the

outside images in real-time. This is done in the

same way as a video camera can display

images on a TV using an HDMI cable. The video

is taken, sent down a cable to the screens

where they are enlarged and reappear as a

high-defi nition live feed.

The screens can also be operated by the

passengers, where gesture controls will allow

you to make presentations to a group, hold

video conferences or watch a fi lm on the wall

of the plane. Welcome to the future!

Windowless design

Parallax screens

Screens are set up around the

cabin so that only specifi c

people can see each screen.

Gesture driven

The screens w ill be gesture driven,

rather than using physical devices

or remote controls.

Moveable tech

Each passenger is

tracked so they can

view their own screen

wherever they sit.

IXION

Panoramic

views that

bring the

outside in

Design: Technicon

360°

Panoramic

views

AIR