Original subtitles

[narrator] On this episode of How Tech Works...

we’ll check out a brilliant addition to a tunnel

running alongside a Belgian railway.

[train whistles] [narrator] And...

we'll strike up this musical band-in-a-ball

called the "Alpha Sphere."

[intro music]

Hello there, and welcome to another jaw-dropping,

awe-inspiring edition of How Tech Works!

My name is Dr. Basil Singer

and you’re in for a real treat, as this week

we travel all the way to China to explore a rare bat cave,

home to the smallest bats in the world.

We’ll also take the “ripped jeans” look

to crazy extremes.

But first...

It’s no secret that Belgium

isn't exactly known for its tropical climate,

But it is making the most of the sun that it does get,

by catching the Sun's rays

with a spectacular new installation,

called the "Solar Tunnel".

With it, they're powering trains using solar energy

for the very first time.

[narrator] Welcome to Antwerp Central railway station,

one of Europe’s most beautiful.

And now, one of the cleanest,

thanks to a little... tunnel vision.

[man] The solar tunnel concept started about five years ago.

At that time,

an over ground tunnel has been built,

alongside the highway

between Antwerp and the Netherland border.

The construction of this tunnel was mostly

because there was a natural environment next to it,

so we had to protect it.

[woman] Afterwards, we have seen that

we have here 50,000 square meters

of free space.

[narrator] The perfect amount of space

for 16 thousand solar panels.

You really have that impression of an army

of solar panels on that roof.

[narrator] It was the brainchild of a team at Enfinity.

When it comes to harnessing maximum power from the Sun,

they believe the technology is there.

we just need to get creative in how and where we use it.

[man] The Sun is a very powerful resource,

So you can gain and make solar electricity

wherever you go.

On rooftops, on grounds, on the North Pole.

Of course, you have to take into account

the solar hours you have on one year.

In Belgium for example, we have about 900 solar hours per year,

which is more than enough.

[narrator] Installing panels on a tunnel seems simple enough.

But a 25 meters wide and two miles long,

it’s not your average rooftop.

[man] It has a big bend in it.

That means that the orientation of the modules

is not equal throughout the entire project.

That means, when your orientation is unequal,

that your electrical output will be different

throughout different sections.

[man] Another important issue was safety.

Because of the limited width, we had to start by installing

a safety rail of 3.4 km long.

On one side you have the safety rail.

On the other side, 10 feet away, you have the highway.

Third, is the logistical aspect.

Instead of supplying all the materials,

we had a 3.4 km long industrial site,

which had a continuous on and off of materials,

people, etc. So that was an extra challenge.

[narrator] But not the biggest challenge.

So we actually had to transfer all the energy better

to four major inverters.

And from there to the closest connection point,

which was more than 3 km away.

So we had to cross all available plots,

both industrial and domestic, with our huge cable

to connect to the high tension network here in Belgium.

[narrator] The installation is a world’s first.

And unique for more than just its location.

There is no storing of energy here.

We use it right away,

whether it is for the infrastructure or the trains.

[train whistles]

[narrator] Every year, 33-hundred mega-watt-hours

power trains, signals, station lighting and climate control.

[woman] This is the same amount

of consumption, each year, of about 1,000 houses.

We can also say that this production of energy

can make 4,000 trains run each year

on the Belgian railway.

That means that we would have one day a year

with only trains running on solar energy.

[narrator] The majority of trains in Belgium

already run on electricity,

but some still run on old-fashioned diesel.

[woman] That energy produces carbon dioxide.

And most of the time it is not very good for the environment.

But here, with the solar tunnel,

we consider giving something back to nature,

to the environment, because we reduce carbon dioxide

each year, by 2,400 tons.

So that is a little amount,

but a little amount for nature.

[narrator] The panels are monitored online.

[man] The whole functioning of the installation is monitored...

continuously.

So on a daily, weekly, monthly scale, we see exactly

whether all the components are functioning

and what their output is.

[man] And if something is wrong with the installation,

we get an alert and we are ready to go with a technical team

to repair what has to be repaired.

[narrator] And they have to be easy to clean.

[man] Once a year we pass by with water,

just to clean the solar panels

because there is a lot of dust on solar panels.

And of course, the more dust we have,

the less the efficiency of the solar panels.

[narrator] Infrabel runs the Belgian train system,

and he believes that the solar tunnel

is just the beginning for their industry.

[woman] We consider that this is again a solution

that we can offer to people taking the train

that is a little bit more the way they want,

for sustainable energy, for sustainable transport.

And that is as a matter of fact a bit of our duty.

[man] The solar tunnel is an amazing idea

that we might have a future,

not today, but maybe in 50 years,

that many more vehicles, not only trains,

but also cars, and maybe airplanes,

could go and drive on solar energy.

So let’s dream.

[futuristic music]

And now, let me turn your attention

to what could very well be the future of music,

thanks to a truly captivating gadget called the "AlphaSphere."

This device is like having

an entire orchestra at your fingertips.

It opens up all sorts of possibilities

for the one-man, or one-woman, band.

No matter if your tastes run from Mozart to Metallica.

Take a look.

[guitar-like music]

[Adam] The AlphaSphere is

a brand new electronic musical instrument.

[narrator] This is unlike any instrument you’ve ever seen.

[[Adam] There’s a series of tactile pads

arranged in a modular fashion in a sphere.

[narrator] It’s like having a symphony at your disposal,

with the press of a pad.

[[Adam] Each of these are pressure sensitive.

That means that by pressing on the pads,

you can affect the timbre of the note that's being played,

the way a sequence of drums is arranged,

or you could change the volume.

[electronic music]

[narrator] Adam Place invented the AlphaSphere

as a way to make electronic music

a more “hands on” experience.

[Adam] I just wanted to create something that allowed

that range of expression

we can get out of traditional instruments.

[narrator] The distinctive shape is a case

of harmonizing form with function.

[Adam] It’s just a playable interface,

which I think is fun, people respond to.

You don’t necessarily need to see all the pads,

but you can feel your way around.

You don’t play music with your eyes.

[narrator] Adam insists that the AlphaSphere

will appeal to all levels of musicians,

from children to professionals.

[Adam] You can basically

start playing it and you’ll get a decent sound straight away.

[narrator] We decided to put that claim to the test.

[violin music]

My name is Catherine Marshall.

[clarinet playing] Rosalyn Montin.

[flute music] Helen Warner.

I play the flute,

and I have been playing it for 12 or 13 years now.

[Catherine] I play the violin.

I’m currently studying a BA in music at Bristol University.

I’ve been playing the clarinet for nearly 10 years

and I also play the alto saxophone.

[alto saxophone notes]

[dreamy futuristic tones]

-[girls] Hi there. -[Adam] How's it going?

-[Helen] Ok. -Yeah, this is the AlphaSphere.

It’s infinitely programmable. See, there's a C major scale...

[plays music scale]

[Adam] and up here we've got a pentatonic scale.

[plays a shorter music scale]

You can record samples as well.

[different electronic sounds]

And do more interesting things like Base sounds.

[electronic music]

So who wants to have a go?

-I do. [laughs] -Yeah? Cool.

[narrator] It’s taken her a decade to master the clarinet,

but in less than a minute,

Rosalyn is creating simple melodies on the sphere.

[futuristic melody]

[drum-like music]

That’s amazing. Cool.

[upbeat music base]

[indistinct chatter]

[narrator] Next up is Catherine the violinist.

[Catherine] It’s nothing like a violin. [laughs]

[narrator] But with just a click of a button...

[violin notes]

that’s exactly what it sounds like.

[violin-like music continues]

[Catherine] I love the way it’s so hands on,

like physically getting in there

and feeling like I’m molding the sound.

[random notes]

[laughs] It’s really fun. It’s really weird,

not something I’m used to, but it is really fun. [giggles]

[Adam] I don’t think anyone is used to it.

[girls laugh and cheer]

[music continues playing]

[narrator] Much to Adam’s delight,

the AlphaSphere has passed the test,

winning over three classically trained musicians

in just a little over an hour.

[random electronic music]

[narrator] Now, he has got an even bigger audience in mind.

[Adam] There’s nobody I think that wouldn’t enjoy playing it.

I think it’s going to open up musicality to people

that may have never realized

that they had a musicality before.

[soft electronic music]

There’s lots more How Tech Works

coming your way.

[soft vibrant music]

Welcome back to How Tech Works. I’m Basil Singer.

We take you now to a labyrinth of limestone caves,

next to the Yangtze river.

And naturally, How Tech Works resident “Bat-Man”, Dan Riskin,

is just the reporter for the job.

His task?

To find out what we can learn about sonar technology

from the rare horseshoe bat.

But first he has got to catch the little critters!

[bat screeching]

[narrator] The horseshoe bat has been called

"the ugliest bat in the world."

This little guy with the crazy face

is actually a scientific wonder.

It’s his one of a kind face gives him a one of a kind sound.

[bat screeches]

I’ve come to China to see bats

and I’m not leaving until I catch one of them.

So, I’ve brought in some reinforcements.

[upbeat music]

[Rolf] We have a lot to learn from bats

and we can use the insights that we get from them

to build miniature sonar systems.

[narrator] If we do find one of these

little Frankenstein-y bats, he’s got some questions.

I have a scientific question no one has ever looked into.

The noseleaf of this animal is like a tiny megaphone.

So I want to know if the walls of the megaphone are moving

while the sound is coming out of the bat.

So, you mean they might be moving that whole horseshoe

while they shout out their echolocation.

Nobody knows if they do that?

Nobody knows that yet, but we are going to find out.

[upbeat music]

[narrator] Hopefully all these “horseshoes”

will bring us good luck.

I think we’re gonna need it.

[Rolf] Did you see any bats in there?

I saw a couple but they were way up in the cracks

[narrator] This cave is part of the largest cluster

of limestone caves north of the Yantgze river.

It’s a three million year old labyrinth.

It's clear, let's maybe go back to the other part of the cave.

[narrator] A labyrinth with some very funky lighting...

[soft upbeat music]

What is up with this cave? [laughs]

I bet I can tell you why we haven't found any bats yet.

[narrator] Ok, I should explain about the disco lights.

See, locals visit this cave regularly

and it’s actually a bit of a tourist attraction.

They needed a way to light the cave up

so flashing neon lights somehow seemed like the way to do that.

They're not easy to catch.

One of the great things about bats

is how maneuverable they are.

But that's not so great when you’re trying to catch them.

Ok, I don’t want to rain on your parade,

but I’m not seeing any bats at all.

What are we going to do?

I think we're going to bring in a high tech remedy

for your frustration.

You are an engineer.

-Yes, here is the bat detector. -Ah, the bat detector.

I love that there is something called a "bat detector."

[narrator] The bat detector picks up the ultrasonic noises

that the bats emit, and makes it audible for our ears.

Bats make lots of noises, you can hear them if you go into

a barn or a cave, but that’s bats talking to each other

and communicating.

Echolocation is different,

that’s for sensing the environment,

and that’s high pitched.

We can’t hear that without specialized machinery.

[bat screeching] Oh! Yes, that is a bat!

[narrator] Now I can hear them, but I still can’t see them.

[soft cheerful music]

[Dan] Oh, yeah. Welcome to Bat City.

[both whisper inaudibly]

-How many did you get, Rolf? -[Rolf] Zero.

Ah! I beat you. I got one.

[narrator] This is what we’ve been looking for.

God. Look at that bat.

Beautiful!

[narrator] It’s Rhinolophus Pusillus,

a tiny horseshoe bat

that’s going to answer our burning question.

Does his noseleaf vibrate when he echolocates?

[upbeat music]

[narrator] Rolf’s lab at Shandong University

in Jinan, China,

is where one of the weirdest bats in the world

is poised to make bat research history.

[bat screeching]

[narrator] First we put our little bat in a snuggie

to keep him comfortable and still

so the laser beam can detect any vibrations.

He gets a dab of make up so the laser reflects properly.

And then, it’s show time.

It’s the blue line on the screen that we’re watching.

If it pulses, we’re in business.

[Rolf] Ah! Look at this. That was it.

-What's that? -Look at the bottom trace.

[Rolf] There you see it.

[Dan] Ok, so the upper one is the sound,

and the lower one is what? The nose moving?

It's the vibration of noseleaf, and you see it happens together.

So what does that mean?

It means the noseleaf is moving

while the sound is bouncing off the structure.

-Wow, so there it is! -Yes! Biosonar research history.

[narrator] The discovery of this fascinating ability

of the horseshoe bat could lead

to a better understanding of their amazing sonar abilities

and future sonar technologies.

At the very least, it explains the face only a mother,

or a very passionate bat biologist, could love.

Our last story today takes us on a quest to North Carolina,

to get to the bottom of an inventive idea.

And when I say “bottom,” I really mean... well...

let’s just say the inventors of these jeans,

take “product testing” to some interesting places

like along the hot motorway.

[motorbikes rumbling]

[narrator] Talk about putting your butt on the line.

A friend will go down in a pair of Draggin Jeans and say,

"Holy cow, I really saved some skin,

I know these things work!"

[narrator] We’re talking about dungarees for bikers.

But these aren’t your average pair of jeans.

[man] It was Hal’s baby from the start,

he had always wanted something a lot more comfortable

than leathers.

It’s too hot in the South; nobody wants to wear them.

Back in the early to mid-90’s

there was no casual motorcycle apparel.

It was full leather, there were bright colors,

red, blue and the fully armored racing leather,

and he thought, "There's got to be a way to have

protective, casual apparel

that you can ride in, be safe and it's affordable."

[narrator] Megan Baxter has followed her dad’s dream,

with a love for riding and a mind for business.

They start out with a Kevlar goo, I suppose,

and it's turned into thread,

and then from there they take the thread and knit it.

[narrator] Kevlar goo.

Who knew that the secret inside these jeans

is a superhero liner, in the seat and in the knees.

It’s meant to withstand the heat and speed

of a tarmac wipeout.

Megan’s dad Hal came up with the idea 15 years ago.

[Megan] Once he had the jeans developed, the prototype,

he tried putting sandbags to be dragged behind the truck,

he tried fruit, but nothing truly simulates the body

like the human form, so he said, "Well,

throw me behind the truck and we'll see what happens."

And that's kind of how the drag tech started,

and it was so successful,

and it was just such a cool concept

that we were willing to put our butts on the line

to show our product works.

[narrator] So that’s what they continue to do,

every year and with every model.

Today, Travis is about to be dragged.

Helmet secure, boots tethered to the hitch

and gloves tight around the reins.

It’s time to rip!

[jeans scratching on asphalt]

[energetic music]

[muffled] Now we’ll check the damage on the Kevlar.

[Megan] It's barely touched the Kevlar at all.

It saved him some serious skin, seam is still intact,

and everything looks great.

[narrator] A new pair of jeans, and Travis saddles up again.

This time trying for faster, further, and...

the tarmac is hot!

[energetic rock music]

[jeans ripping]

[muffles] I could tell it was faster, got a little bit warmer.

[narrator] Pretty ripped denim but no exposure.

We got little tumbleweeds of denim. [laughs]

[narrator] The kevlar saves Travis some serious pain.

[Megan] Part of our patent is the knit we use,

the little loops actually face out,

and it actually enhances the abrasion protection

that the Kevlar already provides.

[narrator] Most of the super strong

and super light miracle fabric

comes from a manufacturer in Tennessee.

[Megan] We started out with Keprotech,

which is a lycra-kevlar blend.

We found that 100% Kevlar was more abrasion protective.

[narrator] So the Kevlar is custom knitted

and crafted into wearable forms.

[Megan] When you first put them on

you’re gonna feel the Kevlar on the knees and the seat.

After wearing them for 5 or 10 minutes,

you completely forget there’s Kevlar on them.

[narrator] One final test for Travis.

[narrator] Solid success.

[narrator] To take it further,

the “Queen City Bikers” put these threads to the test.

I didn’t even think twice about it,

they just felt like normal jeans I ride in.

I used to ride in leathers and I’d just rather not ride,

that’s how hot they were.

[narrator] Hal would be really proud.

15 years ago he put his butt on the line,

and now hundreds of thousands of pairs of jeans later,

he’s dragging riders with him all over the world.

[man] What’s your skin worth?

I’d rather have a hundred something dollar pair of jeans

instead of 5 thousand dollars worth of skin grafts.

Thank you very much for watching How Tech Works.

I’m Basil Singer. See you next time.

[ending music]