Posted on March 9th, 2012 by axb
Manu Sharma and his innovative wind turbine
Ever dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur? If so, you’re in good company – over half of U.S. millennials (ages 18 to 34) say they want to start a business or already have done so, according to a recent survey from the Kaufmann Foundation. Even more exciting is the fact that nowadays, starting a business does not necessitate leaving school, as more and more universities are striving to accommodate entrepreneurial students.
In this new eGFI blog series, we bring you four inspiring stories of undergraduate engineering students who have successfully patented their original ideas, teamed up with classmates and professors to launch businesses, and navigated the startup world, all while keeping up with their coursework.
So step aside, Bill Gates – the days of dropout turned entrepreneur may be numbered.
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Filed under: Computer, e-News, Electrical, Mechanical | 3 Comments »
Tags: Computer, Electrical, Energy, Green Technology, Mechanical, Meet More Students, Student Inventors
Posted on February 8th, 2012 by axb
Science fiction stories have served as inspiration for many a brilliant engineer, and Ayanna Howard is no exception. At age 11 she discovered the show Bionic Woman, where a badly injured athlete is given artificial limbs that grant her superhero-like abilities, and decided that she wanted to create technologically advanced prosthetics when she grew up. Howard later realized that medical school held little appeal to her, and instead opted to pursue robotics.
It’s fortunate that she did. After completely her PhD in electrical engineering at the University of Southern California, Howard went on to work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory where she led research teams to develop software for Mars-roving robots.
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Filed under: Aerospace, Biomedical, Computer, e-News, Electrical | 2 Comments »
Tags: Aerospace, Biomedical, Computer, Electrical, Trailblazers
Posted on January 23rd, 2012 by axb
As breathtaking as large, panoramic photos often are, the process of creating them is, to many photographers, a much less attractive prospect. While painstakingly stitching together images from a recent vacation, Technische Universität Berlin graduate Jonas Pfeil came up with a better idea: a spherical camera, called a camera-ball, that can take 360-degree panoramas in a single snap. Once the softball-sized sphere is tossed into the air, a built-in accelerometer tells when the ball has reached its zenith. Then a microcontroller triggers simultaneous action by 36 two-megapixel cellphone cameras, capturing a mosaic of images.
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Filed under: Computer, e-News, Electrical, Mechanical | Comments Off on Jump Shot: Panoramas Made Easy
Tags: Computer, Electrical, Mechanical, Photography
Posted on January 18th, 2012 by Mary Lord
Anyone who’s ever worked up a sweat running for the school bus knows it takes energy to move. Now, a young inventor in England has come up with a way to capture the ambient kinetic energy of footsteps–or dance moves–and use it to generate electricity.
Pavegen tiles are rubber, waterproof squares made from recycled tires, and 80 percent of their inner workings are made from recycled materials, too. When people step on them, the tiles harvest the energy and convert it to electricity.
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Filed under: e-News, Electrical, Environmental, Materials | 2 Comments »
Tags: dance, Electrical, Electrical Engineering, Electricity, Energy, Green Technology, lights, Materials, Pavegen, recycling, sidewalk, Technology
Posted on December 30th, 2011 by aseeadmin
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
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Filed under: Aerospace, Agricultural, Architectural, Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Computer, e-News, Electrical, Environmental, Explore Engineering, Industrial / Manufacturing, Materials, Mechanical, Ocean, Transportation | Comments Off on Best of 2011: Our Top Stories
Tags: 3D, Aerospace, Agricultural, Architectural, Aviation, Biomedical, Biomimicry, Biotechnology, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Design, Electrical, Energy, Environmental, Giving Back, Green Technology, Green Transportation, Industrial / Manufacturing, Materials, Mechanical, Ocean, Robotics, Software, Technology, Trailblazers, Transportation