Photo: Resilient Technologies
Pneumatic tires take a lot of abuse in combat, which is why Resilient Technologies is trying to develop an airless tire. Because they can't be punctured, vehicles equipped with such tires can stay mobile after taking damage that would incapacitate others:
The Wisconsin design breakthrough, first developed by Resilient's in-house design and development team, takes a page from nature. "The goal was to reduce the variation in the stiffness of the tire, to make it transmit loads uniformly and become more homogenous," Osswald says. "And the best design, as nature gives it to us, is really the honeycomb."....
The patent-pending Resilient design relies on a precise pattern of six-sided cells that are arranged, like a honeycomb, in a way that best mimics the "ride feel" of pneumatic tires. The honeycomb geometry also does a great job of reducing noise levels and reducing heat generated during usage - two common problems with past applications.
Link via DVICE
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/tweel-airless-tire.htm
Of course not: all tires were airless before John Dunlop invented the air filled tyre and tube in 1888.
Since air tyres have many advantages above 'solid' ones, they are preferred for most usuge. However, as stated in the article above, running flat isn't one of them.
Hence, the world is still developing an airless tyre with as many of the pros of an inflatable tyre, without as many of the cons. And the major con is their driving behaviour.
So: Yes, there have been and were airless tyres before, but this is supposed to be an improvement on exactly THAT concept.
I mean: cars have been around for 125 years, and they have been improved over time. "Cars aren't new..." *sigh*
Jimbo this kind of tires is mainly for heavy-duty use- so not the high speeds of 65mls p/h and higher, but rather the lower speeds of military use during patrols and off-road actions. Some inbalance in such wheels is barely an issue at such speeds.
I find it interesting that this same latticed concept of solid/flexible hybrid has also been around nearly as long.
Behold the Trublproof tire from 1920, via the Shorpy blog:
http://www.shorpy.com/node/5270?size=_original