Autonomous vehicles, voice controlled in-house electronics and virtual reality are all common place these days. It was only a matter of time before a new concept took hold of the world of elevator lifts, and it’s here in the form of a rope-free design able to transport in horizontal and diagonal. It’s also able to travel in vertical directions, making it something out of a Hollywood blockbuster.
How does it work?
Working off magnetic levitation, rather than cabling and ropes, this elevator integrates the same technology used with high-speed trains. Still in testing stages, the new lift concept opens up possibilities of more efficient in-door travel, significant accessibility improvements for the elderly and disabled, a more efficient system functioning throughout the building, and alternative lift placement options.
After a few years of knuckling down and focusing on fine-tuning, testing of the new elevators will begin in Germany shortly. Removing the traditional ropes and cables from the elevators has allowed for a magnetic system to be installed in place, where the magnets work together (similarly to switches within rail lines) to pull the elevators in various directions.
This incredible new technology has invited opportunities for larger buildings who need to transport volumes of people or goods throughout the space. The lifts are wider, able to carry a larger number of people and can hold a heavier weight load. However, speed is not the end goal with this new concept, instead opting for pure efficiency.
Why is it so ground-breaking?
The most exciting part of this new concept for developers is the ability to not only increase building size and shape, but also have a higher-functioning lift service that can be placed anywhere throughout the building.
Kicking out traditional standards of designing the entire building around the lift shaft, the rope-free elevators will have the ability to be placed in any section of the structure, including the boundaries.
Excitingly, these new elevators invite fresh innovative and creative building designs, in a realistic and achievable manner. Removing structural limitations will also encourage more sustainable and environmentally conscious designs throughout our expanding cities. Ultimately, these new concepts are shifting the focus of city planners and could shape the beginning of alternative transport, both within the building and outside of it.
What can we expect in the future?
Making a conscious effort to progressively enhance services in the elevator industry will have a highly-influential impact on society. It may even alter how we think about transport altogether.
Although still in testing stages, the new magnetic levitation elevators will help people travel in all directions within buildings; and do so in a more efficient way. The impact of this new concept could change the way our cities are built, alter the way we move around and shift the way we think about transport altogether – making for an exciting field to look forward to.