Posted on October 19th, 2010 by jxh
For the past four years, Todd Reichert, an engineering student at the University of Toronto, has been working to perfect one of Leonardo Da Vinci’s greatest concepts – an ornithopter.
An ornithopter is a human-powered aircraft that flies by flapping its wings, and with the help of 30 other students, as well as $200,000, Reichert made history by building such a vehicle and piloting a sustained flight.
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Filed under: Aerospace, e-News, Mechanical, Transportation | 3 Comments »
Tags: Aerospace, Mechanical, Transportation
Posted on October 14th, 2010 by jxh
Carlos Barrios, the thirteenth miner to be freed, emerges from the capsule
On August 5, 2010, the San José copper-gold mine near Copiapó, Chile collapsed, leaving 33 men trapped over 2,000 feet below ground.
Sixty-nine days later (a record period of time for surviving underground), all 33 of the miners were rescued.
The miners spent 17 days underground before making contact with the outside world. But once they did, engineers had to race to devise an escape shaft that could reach so deep underground – and safely, without harming the men trapped below. In the mean time, teams of rescue specialists worked to make sure the miners stayed healthy and fed.
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Filed under: Aerospace, e-News, Mechanical, Mining | 7 Comments »
Tags: Aerospace, Mechanical, Mining
Posted on September 30th, 2010 by jxh
Imagine hefting 200 pounds as though it were a mere 12. Raytheon Company has just released a full-body suit that could make the Iron Man fantasy become a reality.
Called the XOS-2 Exoskeleton, it essentially grants the wearer superhuman strength (and also looks really awesome). The new suit has made significant improvements over its predecessor, the XOS-1, which was first demonstrated two and a half years ago.
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Filed under: e-News, Electrical, Mechanical | 4 Comments »
Tags: Electrical, Mechanical, Robotics
Posted on September 23rd, 2010 by jxh
Some people choose not to ride a bicycle to work or school because it would simply be too inconvenient; not every place has a bike rack outside, and sometimes the chain grease can make for a messy commute.
Well, now you don’t have to worry about those problems, thanks to a new chainless bike that can be easily disassembled.
Designed by Hungarian engineers, the Stringbike uses two steel cables attached to pulleys, which move on swinging discs as you pedal. The discs replace a traditional round gear system, and they can be changed depending on your needs.
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Filed under: e-News, Mechanical, Transportation | 4 Comments »
Tags: Mechanical, Transportation
Posted on September 10th, 2010 by axb
Ever wonder how cars can make turns without skidding? Well, you have engineers to thank – more specifically, those who invented the differential (a device which allows the wheels of a car to turn at different speeds).
This vintage engineering tutorial, made by the General Motors, clearly and engagingly explains how differential gears work. Posted on YouTube last year, it has now received close to a million views – not bad for something made in 1937!
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Filed under: e-News, e-Videos, Mechanical, Transportation | Comments Off on Blast from the Past: A Vintage Engineering Video on Differential Gears
Tags: Cars, Engineering in History, Mechanical, Transportation
