2011 was another busy year for engineers all over the world. From inventing a device that turns air into water to exploring the oceans in a tiny submarine, scientists and engineers are exploring uncharted territory.
Like last year, we at eGFI have chronicled the most awe-inspiring innovations and stories, so in case you missed one, we present:
The Most Popular, Interesting, Weird, or Just Plain Cool eGFI Blog Posts of 2011
Yves Rossy really likes jumping out of planes. At 52, the Swiss fighter pilot is the first person daring enough to strap a jet-powered wing to his back and soar over landmarks such as the English Channel, the Swiss Alps, and the Grand Canyon – feats which have earned him the nickname “Jetman.”
Although Rossy’s primary career has been that of pilot and daredevil, his journey to become Jetman produced him many engineering achievements as well. For the past two decades, Rossy has spent much of his free time pursuing a goal of flying with as little assistance as possible.
Swift as a rocket on the field, University of Miami football player Nathan Gholston is aiming for the stars in more ways than one. The senior undergraduate is also studying aerospace engineering, and dreams of one day designing spacecrafts for NASA and starting his own consulting firm, reports The Miami Herald.
What happens when you cross an engineer with Halloween? Incredibly awesome things, like using two iPads to create the illusion of a gaping hole in one’s torso:
What do the blockbuster movie Avatar, high-performance sports gear, the Angry Birds phone app, and pollution-eating bacteria have in common? They are among a host of fascinating innovations developed by engineers and featured in the newest edition of the American Society for Engineering Education’s (ASEE) Engineering, Go For It magazine.
The publication is now available in our online store. You can find a free preview of the magazine here.
