Posted on October 28th, 2010 by jxh
CLARIFICATION: Our original story, “Tree Bombs to Combat Deforestation,” was based on a report by the blog Treehugger, which cited an original article published in 1999. We can find no indication that the idea ever received funding for trials or implementation. A corrected story follows:
Look up in the sky. It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s … a tree?
In 1999, an MIT researcher designed a plan to take a fleet of old, unused C-130 Hercules cargo planes – originally created to drop land mines – and recommission them to drop “tree bombs” that would aid growth in deforested areas.
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Filed under: e-News, Environmental, Transportation | 5 Comments »
Tags: Aerospace, Environmental, Military, Transportation
Posted on October 27th, 2010 by axb
Tired of dealing with bulky bike helmets? The Hövding might be the answer for you.
Designed by two Swedish university students for their thesis project, this novel device cleverly combines the best of bike helmets and airbags. Just zip the nifty little Hövding scarf around your neck (left photo), and you’re good to go.
If, heaven forbid, you should find yourself in an accident, a set of gyroscopes and accelerometers will sense the impending crash and immediately inflate the helmet (right photo).
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Filed under: Computer, e-News, Explore Engineering, Mechanical, Transportation | 4 Comments »
Tags: Computer, Mechanical, Transportation
Posted on October 25th, 2010 by axb
When it comes to design, engineers have a lot to learn from nature and its diverse forms of life. That’s why John Dabiri, a bioengineer and recipient of a 2010 MacArthur Genius Grant, has turned his eye to a strange and surprisingly complex creature: the jellyfish.
Known as the “jellyfish engineer,” Dabiri uses physics, mathematics, and statistical modelling to better understand the locomotion of these fascinating animals.
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Filed under: e-News, Explore Engineering, Mechanical, Ocean, Trailblazers | 5 Comments »
Tags: Biomimicry, Mechanical, Ocean
Posted on October 21st, 2010 by jxh
This country is in desperate need of road safety – in 2008, 37,000 people died in car accidents in the United States. The greatest threat to drivers is other drivers, as the leading causes of accidents are distractions such as texting, rubbernecking, or gazing at the scenery.
That’s why Google engineers have been working on vehicles that can drive themselves, using artificial-intelligence software that mimic a human driver.
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Filed under: Computer, e-News, Mechanical, Transportation | 5 Comments »
Tags: Cars, Computer, Environmental, Mechanical, Transportation
Posted on October 21st, 2010 by axb
One of the most fascinating aspects of engineering is the creative technological innovations it produces. While plenty of sci-fi television features outlandish gadgets and science experiments, only a few programs showcase real upcoming inventions being made by actual engineers and scientists. That’s why we’re particularly excited about this new show:
Dean of Invention, on the Planet Green network, follows famous inventor Dean Kamen on a quest to find the most cutting-edge technology on the planet and the most amazing and inventive engineering solutions to modern-day challenges.
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Filed under: Biomedical, Computer, e-News, Electrical, Environmental, Explore Engineering, Mechanical, Transportation | 1 Comment »
Tags: Biomedical, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical, Robotics, Transportation
