tubeless, tireless tires

I don't think this is the first time I've seen this article, but I came across it again this morning. The prototype is called "ERW", for "Energy Return Wheel". From the Gizmag article:

According to Britek founder Brian Russell, the stretching of the internal rubber layer allows elastic potential energy to be stored within the wheel. As that layer is compressed by bumps transmitted from the road, the stored energy is supposedly returned (hence the name) and converted into forward momentum.

There's a prototype for cars as well. I'm not sure I like the open sides for mountain biking, but one of the things I do like:

Although there is no air pressure that riders can adjust, they can instead adjust the rubber-tensioning rods to make the wheels run harder or softer.

I could get away with a much lighter seatbag... no tubes (I carry two), no patch kit, no CO₂, no pump...