Posted on March 17th, 2011 by axb
An aerial view of damage to Wakuya, Japan, after March 11 earthquake and tsunami
Last Friday, Japan was hit with a devastating earthquake of 9.0 magnitude. In combination with the following tsunami, the earthquake caused immense damage to northeastern regions of Japan and severely compromised six nuclear power-plant reactors. Recent reports estimate the death toll at over 5,000, with another 9,000 people missing and 2,500 injured. Over 4 million households were left without electricity, and 1.5 million without running water.
Since the tragedy stuck, scientists and engineers have been working around the clock to find and help survivors, as well as to avert potential nuclear meltdowns.
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Filed under: Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Nuclear, e-News | 3 Comments »
Tags: Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Giving Back, Nuclear, Robotics
Posted on February 28th, 2011 by jxh
Biomimicry is back!
By studying lizards, a team of researchers has created a snake-like robot that can move through sand. The new robot is the most detailed model of an organism moving through an environment that is not water or air.
The Georgia Institute of Technology researchers studied the sandfish lizard, which is able to burrow into sand to avoid predators or escape the desert’s heat.
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Filed under: Electrical, Mechanical, e-News | 5 Comments »
Tags: Biomimicry, Electrical, Robotics, Space
Posted on February 4th, 2011 by jxh
So far, 2011 has been full of winter storms and a whole lot of snow. And as a massive blizzard that just slammed the Midwest U.S. moves eastward, Japan might have a cute and innovative solution for scooping up all the snow.
Not only can shoveling be too strenuous for some people, such as the sick or elderly, but it can also leave massive piles of snow in roads or sidewalks.
Instead, winter storm victims could enlist the help of the self-guided robot Yuki-taro, which eats up snow and then excretes little snow-bricks.
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Filed under: Computer, Electrical, Mechanical, e-News | 3 Comments »
Tags: Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Green Technology, Mechanical, renewable energy, Robotics
Posted on November 7th, 2010 by jxh
Just because humans have fingers doesn’t mean that robots need to have them too.
Researchers have developed a new type of robotic hand – a soft gripping mechanism that stiffens when air is sucked out.
The hand is essentially a latex balloon filled with ground coffee (because the grounds are both lightweight and pliable). Its softness allows the robot hand to conform to the shape of hard objects.
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Filed under: Computer, Mechanical, e-News | 5 Comments »
Tags: Computer, Computer Science, Mechanical, Robotics
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, Electrical, Environmental, Explore Engineering, Mechanical, Transportation, e-News | 1 Comment »
Tags: Biomedical, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical, Robotics, Transportation
