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Q&A

  1. Who will provide funds for the project? The local city government or private investors?
    1. Private
  2. If private investors will provide funds for the project, I remember you sent me some information which shows the council of government has a meeting to discuss the JPods project, may I know why a private invested project needs a council of government to discuss? It doesn’t use taxpayers’ money.
    1. Private funding, no taxpayer burden. 
    2. 5X5 Standard
      1. Privately funded networks 5 times more efficient than roads (125 mpg),
      2. Pay 5% of gross transport revenues for non-exclusive use of the public’s Rights of Way. 
      3. Regulated by existing standards for grade-separated theme park rides (3,000 times better safety record of 3.7 injuries per million versus DOT’s record of 11,200 serious injuries per million.
    3. One Page MOU or law
    4. Full agreement
    5. Governments, if they choose, can issue government backed bonds to make money on operational networks. Case study, the Transcontinental Railroads, Nothing Like It in the World:
      1. Pacific Railroad Act of 1864 created a fundable framework
      2. Communications Act of 1934 (page 273) set a uniform 5%, “not exceed 5 percent” of gross revenues for use of the public’s Rights of Way.
  3. How many years this project will be recoupling the capital outlay according to your plan? Like 10 years, 15 years or 20 years?
    1. The 140,000 miles of freight railroads in the US average 470 ton-mpg (metrics).
    2. Highways move a 200 pound person with the 25 mpg efficiency of the Model-T.
    3. JPods approach freight rail efficiencies to cut urban traffic costs by 95%. 
    4. In the first 10 years we should focus on networks with less than 7 year payback on capital and operating costs.
  4. How much amount USD the project investment is?
    1. The network cost about $15 million per km.
  5. How many km the project will build?
    1. The initial networks in Texas, Oklahoma, and Baghdad will start with 170 meter Maintenance facilities. 
    2. Networks will like be deployed in a mesh of 1×3 km guideways. These networks provide the Middle-Mile solution to the Physical Internet®, the digitizing of transport and energy networks.
  6. How many JPods the project will need?
    1. Automobiles are parked about 95% of the time, or 5% utilization.
    2. A wild guess is that JPods Networks:
      1. Will replace 60% of car miles.
      2. Utilization will likely approach 30%.
      3. So about 10 JPods vehicles for every 60 cars in current highway networks.
  7. The commercial project will need management, operation, monitoring and dispatching software system and station facility system. If you don’t mind, may I know whether you have already finished the management, operation, monitoring and dispatching software system and station facility system commercial version design and commercial version testing? Or will you start the management, operation, monitoring and dispatching software system and station facility system design and testing after the first commercial project starts and the fund arrives?
    1. Software/electronics are the “never ending story,” always possible to be better:
    2. Enterprise software is well developed. Best New High Tech Product of the Year in Minnesota and two national tours with Apple (short videos):
      1. “Here’s your answer”  Supply Chain Matrix™
      2. Q&A behaviors
      3. Spare parts video
      4. Book Desktop Hosting
    3. Trip software has three tiers. Vehicle routing is adequate for the current scale of networks in the first year (US Patent 6,810,817).
      1. Device Tier: Vehicles, switches, stations, etc…
      2. Negotiator Tier: Take trip requests and return a collection of devices a trip must navigate [{idLine,startPoint,EndPoint,EZ},etc]
      3. Load Balance Tier: Creates a time-based terrain map of loads on devices to facilitate optimizing Trip Requests. As Trip Requests are processed, the time load is added to the appropriate device profile.
    4. Route-Time™ Software to model networks.
    5. JPods3D to model 3D networks in GoogleEarth (same link as above).
  8. If you are going to start the management, operation, monitoring and dispatching software system and station facility system design and testing after the first commercial project starts and the fund arrives, may I know how long it will take you to finish the management, operation, monitoring and dispatching software system and station facility system commercial version design and commercial version testing? Like 6 months or 1 year?
    1. See above
  9. If you don’t mind, may I know whether you need PAC customized manufacture JPods for you according to your detailed requirements and samples? If you need, when will you need according to the project schedule time plan?
    1. We will build based on SCRUM approach. Chassis and Bogie BackLog are being developed. Participation in this process is greatly appreciated.
  10. Do you need PAC customized manufacture other mechanics, electronics, PCBA, software and plastics integrated subsystem products needed by the commercial project for you according to your detailed requirements and samples? If you need, when will you need according to the project schedule time plan?
    1. Yes we need customized manufacturers. Case by case definition of Scope of Work. We have an Inventions Council to reward outside companies/people with creative innovations in items and execution.
    2. Why of JPods
    3. Recipe (reading list) to create a common frame of reference of the JPods ecosystem.
    4. We want:
      1. Excellent vendors. We will choose vendors based on achieving the objectives.
      2. We would like vendors to consider being partners who help invest in their participation.
  11. PAC is very confident to customized manufacture JPods, as well as all other mechanics, electronics, PCBA, software and plastics integrated subsystem products you might need for the commercial project, for you according to your detailed requirements and samples?
    1. Chassis and Bogie BackLog are being developed.
  12. JPods need upgrade and add some functions to the commercial version as well for the commercial line, right? It will need to upgrade control module and add GPS, 4G or 5G wireless communication module and other sensors modules.
    1. We are rigorous at both:
      1. Documentation, serialization, and version control.
      2. Fast at incorporating new learning into version revision. 
      3. Generally we will operate on 1 week SCRUMs.
  13. Before you start making the 4 km network, will you build a short line like several hundreds meters to test the whole hardware system and software system operation first?
    1. In every market will begin by building the 170 meter Maintenance Facility (Kitty Hawk Networks) to assure the team is inline with our culture and tech.
  14. Is the 4 km network a line from the beginning station to end station one station by one station? Or is the 4 km network a network like A station can go to B station or go another direction to C station?
    1. Networks will have multiple stations spaced as the market dictates.
    2. The first commercial network in Baghdad will have 7 stations.
    3. Other example networks staged.
  15. What is your plan for design, development, prototyping and testing for each subsystem of Launch/Maintenance Facility and 4km network?
    1. All systems and serialized items will have written unit tests, maintenance schedules, and random audits beyond scheduled actions.
    2. Every requirement, device, etc… has a listed Responsible Person, ActionLast, ActionNext, Action
  16. Will you work with different partners for design, development, prototyping and testing of different subsystems of Launch/Maintenance Facility and 4km network?
    1. Yes.
  17. Do you already have different partners for design, development, prototyping and testing of different subsystems of Launch/Maintenance Facility and 4km network? Or will you start to search for different partners for design, development, prototyping and testing of different subsystems of Launch/Maintenance Facility and 4km network after the fund arrives?
    1. We have some allies, partners, and vendors. To scale to replace 60% of urban transport networks we will need far more.
  18. When the investment will arrive at your company bank account after you signed the contract.
    1. We have signed the contract for Baghdad and expect a signed agreement in Texas within 2 weeks.
  19. When the investment arrives at your company bank account, the project real actions start.
    1. We are already working to fill the contract in Baghdad.
  20. Regarding the bogies, chassis, etc, it is about the detailed application scenarios and optimal technical solutions suitable for the specific application scenarios.
    1. As in all be rare cases, JPods will post our requirements so suppliers and innovators can provide and/or invent better solutions.
  21. PAC has professional teams with over 1 million first class technology experts, design experts, engineering experts, manufacturing experts and technical project management experts network in these industries JPOD involves.
    1. JPods team believes strongly that “Inclusive Institutions” should be added to the Principles of War (recipe for preventing war when possible and winning war when required). Two aspects of Liberty intertwine in a Darwinian crucible of creative destruction to create the “general welfare”:
      1. Tolerance of Disruptive Minorities offering choices.
        1. There are few Disruptive Minorities as tiny and disruptive as inventors. 
        2. An “obnoxious individual (Madison poking fun at himself in Federalist #10)” creates a better choice that eclipses entire industries.
      2. Tolerance of people sorting choices via free markets and free speech, the Wisdom of the Many.
        1. Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” is not invisible, just tiny. It is the vast accumulation of tiny acts of liberty by each of us as we choose between choices.
        2. The aggregated wisdom of all of us, with each of us acting in our own self-interest, is wiser than the wisest of us at choosing between choices.
  22. PAC engineering team is very confident to do research, design, engineering, develop, prototype, test and get certification for all the JPOD project subsystems and the full integrated system products with your company team together according to your detailed requirements and JPOD sample.
    1. Wonderful
  23. Regarding the bogies and chassis design of the current JPOD, may I know whether you are satisfied with the current bogies and chassis design? Or do you think the current bogies and chassis design need upgrade, optimize or redesign for the commercial version?
    1. Everything must constantly iterate. We are never satisfied. We are strong believers in the Scrum process of building “minimum viable products” AND relentlessly incrementing innovations.
  1. PAC engineering team needs to study, evaluate the current JPOD bogies and chassis design, other muture bogies and chassis structure styles and innovation bogies and chassis design based on the JPOD project specific application scenarios, then PAC engineering team could offer some ideas, comments and proposals.
    1. Great. That is the process we also follow. We are available to discuss issues, ideas, and risks.
    2. We have a requirement that all “longTail” risks are listed:
      1. Reason for not addressing
      2. ActionLast
      3. ActionNext
      4. Responsible Person
  2. A lot of issues need to be considered when we evaluate a technical solution for a subsystem, like durability, applicability, suitability, safety, easy maintenance, etc…
    1. True
  3. Will you plan to develop APP for the passengers for the pilot 4km network project?
  4. I estimate the pilot 4km network project is one way go and one way back route instead of net structure routes.
    1. Phones and faces will likely be the primary ticket systems. There will be phone apps for:
      1. Farebox payers (people and cargo). But if you forgot your phone, you can still use your face.
      2. Maintenance
      3. Inspections, etc….
  5. In future, when JPOD transportation system develop to net structure route, APP for the passengers might be necessary. Because the JPOD software system needs to know each passenger location and destinations, then the software algorithms can calculate the best path and best passenger combinations. We can think Uber software algorithms as an example.
    1. In Route-Time™ there are some optimizing algorithms. These will continue to increment.
    2. Video. Networks will be broken into mapId’s (such as 10X10 km) with a json structure. Vehicles will remember mapIds they usually use, and upload other mapId as required. Vehicles are completely autonomous and can operate independently if the network is off line. Example for Scale Model mapId 2

{“mapId”:2,”ezones”:[

{“id”:1,”inPoint1″:

{“lineId”:3,”distFrom”:550,”distTo”:1058},”inPoint2″:

{“lineId”:2,”distFrom”:170,”distTo”:608},”outPoint”:

{“lineId”:1,”distFrom”:0,”distTo”:3}}],”lines”:[

{“id”:1,”startPoint”:

{“id”:”EP1″,”x”:355,”y”:0},”endPoint”:

{“id”:”EP2″,”x”:355,”y”:460},”marker”:

{“id”:1,”color”:”YELLOW”,”size”:25,”dist”:325,”value”:1,”offset”:10},”length”:836,”segments”:[

{“id”:1,”xs”:355,”ys”:0,”xe”:469.7,”ye”:0,”len”:114.7,”lenCum”:114.7,”radius”:0,”dx”:1,”dy”:0},

{“id”:2,”xs”:470,”ys”:0,”xe”:600,”ye”:130,”len”:204.2,”lenCum”:318.9,”radius”:130,”dx”:1,”dy”:1},

{“id”:3,”xs”:600,”ys”:130,”xe”:600,”ye”:330,”len”:200,”lenCum”:518.9,”radius”:0,”dx”:0,”dy”:1},

{“id”:4,”xs”:600,”ys”:330,”xe”:470,”ye”:460,”len”:204.2,”lenCum”:723.1,”radius”:130,”dx”:-1,”dy”:1},

{“id”:5,”xs”:470,”ys”:460,”xe”:355.3,”ye”:460,”len”:114.7,”lenCum”:836.8,”radius”:0,”dx”:-1,”dy”:0}]},

{“id”:2,”startPoint”:

{“id”:”EP2″,”x”:355,”y”:460},”endPoint”:

{“id”:”EP1″,”x”:355,”y”:0},”marker”:

{“id”:2,”color”:”BLUE”,”size”:25,”value”:2,”dist”:420,”offset”:10},”length”:608.4,”segments”:[

{“id”:1,”xs”:355.3,”ys”:460,”xe”:225.3,”ye”:330,”len”:204.2,”lenCum”:204.2,”radius”:130,”dx”:-1,”dy”:-1},

{“id”:2,”xs”:225.3,”ys”:330,”xe”:225,”ye”:130,”len”:200,”lenCum”:404.2,”radius”:0,”dx”:0,”dy”:-1},

{“id”:3,”xs”:225.3,”ys”:130,”xe”:355.3,”ye”:0,”len”:204.2,”lenCum”:608.4,”radius”:130,”dx”:1,”dy”:-1}]},

{“id”:3,”startPoint”:

{“id”:”EP2″,”x”:355,”y”:460},”endPoint”:

{“id”:”EP1″,”x”:355,”y”:0},”marker”:

{“id”:3,”color”:”RED”,”size”:25,”value”:3,”dist”:640,”offset”:10},”length”:1058.4,”segments”:[

{“id”:1,”xs”:355.3,”ys”:460,”xe”:130.3,”ye”:460,”len”:225,”lenCum”:225,”radius”:0,”dx”:-1,”dy”:0},

{“id”:2,”xs”:130.3,”ys”:460,”xe”:0,”ye”:330,”len”:204.2,”lenCum”:429.2,”radius”:130,”dx”:-1,”dy”:-1},

{“id”:3,”xs”:0,”ys”:330,”xe”:0,”ye”:130,”len”:200,”lenCum”:629.2,”radius”:0,”dx”:0,”dy”:-1},

{“id”:4,”xs”:0,”ys”:130,”xe”:130,”ye”:0,”len”:204.2,”lenCum”:833.4,”radius”:130,”dx”:1,”dy”:-1},

{“id”:5,”xs”:130,”ys”:0,”xe”:355,”ye”:0,”len”:225,”lenCum”:1058.4,”radius”:0,”dx”:1,”dy”:0}]}]}

  1. JPOD cabins in the north of the USA and in the south of the USA might need to be different. As winter in the north is cold. Summer in the south might be strong in sunlight which needs sun shields.
    1. Yes. Creature comforts are the largest user of power.
    2. We will strive for minimum number of parts, but different environments will require deviations. We will strive for -45º to 60º C.
  2. Do you think the JPOD needs air conditioning?
    1. Heat pump likely. Creature comforts are essential.
  3. How your ideas about research, design, engineering, develop, prototype, test and get certification for the subsystems of the Launch/Maintenance Facility and 4km network?
    1. We will document all efforts in a dual Cloud/Local data storage systems with automatic blockchained archiving of changes.
  4. Do you already find partners to do research, design, engineering, develop, prototype, test and get certification for the subsystems of the Launch/Maintenance Facility and 4km network?
    1. Building the Physical Internet® will be as significant as building the Internet. No one is capable of all the creativity needed.
  5. How much budget do you plan for research, design, engineering, develop, prototype, test and get certification for each kind of subsystem of the Launch/Maintenance Facility and 4km network?
    1. Time cannot be bought at any price. 
    2. Never let perfect be the enemy of better. We will start with what we know and relentlessly iterate.
    3. We focus on Minimum Viable Product with relentless upgrading. TEDx
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