Two Rice University students have transformed a simple salad spinner into an electricity-free rotation device that can be used to diagnose diseases. The device would be able to separate blood in order to detect diseases like anemia, which can be an indicator of HIV, malnutrition and malaria.

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Filed under: Biomedical, e-News | 3 Comments »

Tags: Biomedical, Giving Back

Four undergraduates from Harvard have come up with an invention that is both simple and brilliant: an energy-storing soccer ball for the developing world.

Jessica Lin and three of her classmates – Jessica Matthews, Julia Silverman, and Hemali Thakkar – originally dreamed up the sOccket as a group project for their engineering class. The idea was inspired by dance floors that harvest energy from the motion of the dancers.

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Filed under: e-News, Electrical, Environmental | 1 Comment »

Tags: Electrical, Environmental, Giving Back

When it comes to helping the global community recover from natural disasters, engineers are at a distinct advantage. Not only can they build survivor-seeking robots and provide food and clean water for those affected, but they also have the ability to analyze the aftermath of a storm or a quake and help communities be better prepared for such events. Engineering students and professionals across the country are now using their skills to help rebuild the countries of Haiti and Chile after their recent devastating earthquakes.

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Filed under: Agricultural, Architectural, e-News | 3 Comments »

Tags: Agricultural, Architectural, Earthquake engineering, Giving Back

Every 15 seconds, one child in the world dies due to contaminated water. This is because approximately 2.6 billion people lack sanitation.

To combat this issue, the revolutionary Peepoo bag was designed to provide people in developing countries with their own portable toilet. The Peepoo bag can be used sitting, squatting, or standing, and can be placed in a small bucket or simply held in your hand (a thin gauze prevents contamination). The bag is clean to handle and remains odor-free for at least 24 hours, making it possible to store in the immediate environment, as well as bury underground.

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Filed under: e-News, Environmental, Materials | 1 Comment »

Tags: Environmental, Giving Back, Materials

This holiday break four civil engineering students from Santa Clara University gave up spending time with their families in order to help build sustainable structures in a village in Ghana. The buildings, a library and an onion shed, were designed by the students and will be made to withstand heavy rainfall. Read all about their inspiring project here.

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Filed under: Architectural, Civil, e-News | 1 Comment »

Tags: Civil, Giving Back