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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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

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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.

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Tags: 3D, Aerospace, Agricultural, Architectural, Art, Aviation, Biomedical, Biomimicry, Biotechnology, Books & Magazines, Cars, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Events, Giving Back, Green Technology, Industrial / Manufacturing, Materials, Mechanical, Mining, Nuclear, Ocean, Technology, Trailblazers, Transportation

Researchers at Britain’s University of Exeter have developed a 3-D printer that Willy Wonka would die for. Instead of using metals or plastics as its “ink,” Exeter’s uses chocolate.

Sometimes called additive manufacturing, 3-D printing technologies work off a three-dimensional CAD design of a product, then construct the item by laying down one very thin layer of material at a time. But this is the first time researchers have used chocolate as a medium.

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Tags: Chemical, Food, Industrial / Manufacturing

Want to know more about how green design works, from an initial idea to a finished product? Are you curious as to why modern bicycles look so different from those built 200 years ago?

If so, we invite you to check out the Sustainability Workshop video series from Autodesk, an eGFI sponsor. Using animated drawings and real-world examples, these films explain essential concepts for every budding engineer.

Watch the complete series after the jump.

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Tags: Environmental, Green Technology, Industrial / Manufacturing

Brick roads, yellow or otherwise, tend to be very labor-intensive projects. But now, thanks to an ingenious Dutch machine, paving a new road with bricks could be just as easy as rolling out the red carpet.

The invention, called the Tiger Stone, can lay out an incredible 437 square yards (at 4 yards wide, that’s almost the length of an entire football field!) of road in a day. How is this possible? Well, it’s all about getting gravity on your side: First, a forklift places loads of bricks into the trough, which workers then place along an inclined plane (see below).

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Tags: Civil, Industrial / Manufacturing, Mechanical