Engineering

Posted by Susan Kristoff

As reported on the Wired Gadget Lab blog, scientists at HP Labs have announced the creation of the world’s first memristor, an electric circuit component that has been theorized for several decades, but until now has not been fabricated.

A memristor is one of four basic electrical circuit components, joining the resistor, capacitor, and inductor. The memristor, short for “memory resistor” was first theorized by student Leon Chua in the early 1970s. He developed mathematical equations to represent the memristor, which Chua believed would balance the functions of the other three types of circuit elements.

But what is a memristor? Chua defined the element as a resistor whose resistance level was based on the amount of charge that had passed through the memristor previously. A memristor would retain its resistance level even after power had been shut down.

The HP Labs team used nano-fabrication processes to create an array of 17 memristors The memristor is composed of two layers of titanium dioxide, each with a slightly different resistivity. As electric current is passed through the memristors, the overall resistance of the device changes because the boundary between the layers of titanium dioxide moves.

Chua observed that the memristor had qualities not unlike neurons in the brain. HP scientists agree that memristors could advance neuronal computing. In addition, because memristors retain their resistance when powered down, they could be used to develop new computer memory devices that could retain the specific state of a computer when the power is shut off.

Obviously, this technology is still in its infancy and additional research and development is required before the memristor appears in consumer and industrial products.

Sources:

Gardiner, Bryan, "Scientists Create First Memristor", Wired Gadget Lab Blog, April 30, 2008.

Chua, Leon O, "Memristor—The Missing Circuit Element", IEEE Transactions on Circuit Theory CT-18 (5): 507-519, September 1971.

Posted by Susan Kristoff

For mechanical engineers looking for professional development, workshops, and a chance to win a spot on a behind-the-scenes engineering tour at Walt Disney World, the 2008 ASME Annual Meeting is an event not to be missed. The Annual Meeting will be held June 7-11, 2008 at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

The event will include plenary sessions on a variety of engineering and business related topics, led by an array of top industry personnel, including Michael Rogers, Futurist-in-Residence at the New York Times Company, John Voeller, consultant to the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Charla Wise, Vice President for Technology at Lockheed Martin.

Workshops are scheduled on the subjects of global intellectual property, multi-disciplinary projects, advanced visualizing technologies, and leading virtual teams.

Other planned events include a career expo and training sessions on the importance of codes and standards to the engineering field.

In addition to the technical sessions, twenty lucky meeting registrants will be selected for a private behind-the-scenes engineering tour at Walt Disney World. For those not so lucky to be chosen for the tour, there is also a charity golf outing and 5K walk/run on the schedule. Proceeds from the charity events will be donated to Engineers Without Borders.

For more information on the 2008 ASME Annual Meeting, visit the Annual Meeting page at the ASME web site.

Posted by Susan Kristoff

While I was working on some engineering content for Suite101, my 4-year-old son asked me, "What is an engineer?" He is a bit aware of the concept of the engineer, since my husband and I are both engineers. While the first definitions that came to my mind were fairly technical, I tried to reframe my answer in a way that would make sense to him. I told him, "Engineers design and build things, and try to understand how things work."

Of course, the engineer in me was screaming that the answer did not cover all of what engineers do, but it seemed to satisfy my son. I told him that there were different kinds of engineers. I explained that some kinds of engineers (civil) build bridges and tunnels, while other kinds of engineers (electrical) design and build computers and other things that use electricity. Some engineers (mechanical) design machines and other things that move. He thought about these responses for a moment, then asked, "What kind of engineer am I?" I laughed at his assumption that he must be an engineer, and then thought about it. I replied, " Well, you are probably a mechanical or civil engineer right now, since you like to build things with your blocks and Lego sets, but that may change later." He liked that idea, and went off to "engineer" something. Will my son become an actual engineer? His disposition and genetics sure say that it's likely. Who knows what kind of engineer he will be, or the technologies that will be available when he enters the workforce.

Posted by Susan Kristoff

As a mechanical engineer who specializes in destructive testing, I love a good collapse, explosion, or general disintigration during testing. While browsing the April 2008 issue of Fast Company magazine, I found my version of engineering heaven. In the article "Burn This" by Paul Hochman, we're introduced to the testing facility at FM Global of West Glocester, Rhode Island.

FM Global is an insurance company that has been around since 1835, and one of its early innovations was the use of sprinkler systems for piano factories. The focus at FM Global is on evaluating the damage that can occur in different situations, rather than guessing the risk and assigning insurance premiums. At their testing facilities, they evaluate a wide range of scenarios, including the combustion of resin dust, roof shingles being blown off by hurricane-force winds, and the burning of nearly anything and everything in their 2.2 million cubic foot Burn Lab building.

One of FM Global's goals is to develop and approve systems that their clients can implement. If they do, then FM Global charges lower premiums. One example is an anchored film window. The window consists of two panes of glass with a plastic layer sandwiched between them. If the window is hit by tornado debris, or in the lab simulation, a steel ball shot from a pneumatic cannon, the plastic layer keeps the window intact, and prevents wind and water from entering the building through a broken window.

The result for FM Global's customers, including 30% of the Fortune 1000 companies, is that prevention is cheaper in the long run than clean up. Understanding what can happen in accidents or natural disasters and implementing systems that can reduce or eliminate damage results in lower premiums for FM Global's customers.

Posted by Susan Kristoff

I don't remember exactly which of Arthur C. Clarke's science-fiction novels I read first. There is a good chance it was Rendezvous with Rama, or it may have been 2001: A Space Odyssey. I do remember that he made a great impression on me. I was in college at the time, studying mechanical engineering, and I was amazed by the detail and thought that not only went into his stories and plots, but the mechanics of his universes. I devoured his work, not only reading the complete Rama and Space Odyssey series, but many of Clarke's other novels and short stories. The man was not just a fantastic storyteller. His visions of the future were realistic rather than fantastic. Although we have not reached as far into space as the characters in 2001: A Space Odyssey, or developed robots as sophisticated as Hal, their development feels possible.

Several years later I had the opportunity to attend a seminar at Worcester Polyechnic Institute where Clarke joined via satellite link from Sri Lanka, and I was still impressed by his vision and hope for the future. Despite his advancing age, and declining physical health, his mind was still as creative as ever.

I was saddened to hear of his passing when I woke this morning. I have likely read more of his books than any other single science-fiction author, and I continue to be inspired by his works as I re-read them. I am inspired to look beyond the limitations that society imposes, and to look to the possibilities that science and engineering provide.

Posted by Susan Kristoff

After a grueling spacewalk where NASA astronauts had to use a pry bar to get parts out of their packing pallet, the newest robotic addition to the International Space Station (ISS) flexed its arms for the first time. Dextre, short for dexterous, is a two-armed robot that attaches to the end of Canadarm2, the existing robotic arm on the ISS. One of the astronauts was quoted in a CNN article that these robots seem so much like sci-fi, and that Dextre looked like a prop from a Star Wars movie, but they are real and here and now.

The current Space Shuttle mission is full of firsts. This is the first mission where five spacewalks are planned. This also the longest mission to date: nearly two weeks. In addition to assembling and installing Dextre, the Shuttle brought up a Japanese storage module that will be part of the Japanese lab module Kibo, scheduled to be delivered by Shuttle Discovery in May.

I'm a bit concerned about the future. The Shuttles are scheduled to be retired in 2010, and the replacement system, based on the Orion modules and the Ares launch system, isn't scheduled to go into service until 2014 or so. I know NASA has been taking advantage of the time the Shuttle has left, since their launch schedule for the next two years is more aggressive than it has ever been, but are we going to rely on the Russians for the four year gap?

Posted by Susan Kristoff

This week, a series of four hearings will be held on Cape Cod, Nantucket, and in Boston to discuss the Cape Wind project's draft environmental impact study. The Cape Wind project would install 130 wind turbines off the coast of Hyannis, Massachusetts in Nantucket Sound, and would supply a significant amount of clean and reliable power to the Cape Cod region. This project has seen immense debate since it was announced several years ago. The draft environmental study states that the impacts of the construction and operation of the wind farm will be small. But opposition groups have taken firm stances against the farm. Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy has been an opponent of the windfarm, but it should also be noted that the Kennedy compound in Hyannis is close enough to the proposed site that the turbines would be in view on the horizon.

While we struggle with the idea of relying on foreign oil or domestic coal for our power needs, projects like the Cape Wind project and others like it frequently meet roadblocks. Opponents complain about the sight of the turbines, the potential noise, impacts on aviation and environmental concerns, yet the latter has generally been proven minimal by studies. Wind turbines are a proven method to generate clean power. Wind farms are appearing in growing numbers in Texas and California, why can't we use a clean, renewable source like wind here in the Northeast? I think that coal plants and oil refineries are far more of an eyesore than a wind turbine.

Posted by Susan Kristoff

In my life so far, I have been involved in two major car accidents. By major, I mean the damage to the vehicle in each case was enough to consider the car totaled.

The first accident was in 1995, and the car I was driving did not have the advanced safety features available today, such as airbags. I was wearing my seatbelt, and I know that certainly prevented serious injury. Thankfully, no one was hurt, other than mild bumps and bruises. I was shaken, however, and felt "off" for several days.

The second accident was in 2007. The car I was driving then was a far newer vehicle, complete with driver and passenger airbags, and had excellent crash test ratings. The airbags deployed, the seatbelt held me and my two children in place, and the damage was completely localized to one quarter of the vehicle. My children were both young enough to be buckled into safety seats, and the only injuries they experienced were bit tongues. I received a few minor bruises, but I was not shaken up as much as in my previous accident. The crumple zone in the front of my car absorbed a significant amount of energy, so much so that my car did not move far after the initial impact. I remember that in the previous accident that the car bounced off of the initial impact significantly.

The understanding of the behavior of vehicles and occupants during collisions has led to significant innovations in automobile safety. As an engineer who has studied the physics of collisions in general and crashworthiness of vehicles in particular, I gained a new appreciation for the engineering of the safety features of my car by experiencing them in action.

Posted by Susan Kristoff

This week, CNN reported that the Marine Corps is questioning bureaucratic delays in the delivery of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, or MRAPs, currently in production. MRAPs are a new breed of combat vehicle, designed to deflect the blast of a mine or improvised explosive device (IED) to reduce casualties of soldiers riding in the vehicles.

In many cases, injuries caused by shrapnel and debris is secondary in this type of attack. The primary injuries are from the blast wave itself, or the acceleration that the blast induces on the vehicle. The MRAP reduces the effect of the blast on the vehicle through the use of a V-shaped hull. The hull deflects the blast wave out and away from the vehicle, reducing the impact on the floor of the vehicle, and in turn the crew within the vehicle.

MRAPs aren't invincible, however. The current designs for MRAPs can be compromised by Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs), which are armor-piercing bombs designed to breach the vehicle hull, rather than just produce a shock wave. EFPs are becoming more widely used in Iraq. There are designs underway for MRAP II that will increase their effectiveness against EFPs, although these designs have yet to be fabricated and tested in combat situations. The engineering challenge is to create a protection scheme for a vehicle that is not so heavy that the vehicle cannot operate properly, so simply increasing the steel structure and skin of the vehicle is not an option.

Sources:

CNN.com - Marines want probe into armored vehicle program delays - 2/26/08

Wired.com - MRAP vs. Superbombs - 8/24/07

Posted by Holly Bigelow Martin

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) recently awarded Professor Bernard Amadei, of the University of Colorado at Boulder, the 2007 Hoover Medal for his work with students on international community development projects.

Prof. Amadei was honored for founding the humanitarian non-profit Engineers Without Borders (EWB). The group, which Amadei started in 2001, now claims over 230 student and professional chapters--and about 8.000 members--worldwide.

EWB students from universities all over the world travel to remote locations to help provide basics such as clean water, sanitation, housing, food production and electrical power for communties in the developing world, often as part of their required senior projects. Their focus is on sustainable solutions that local citizens can help build, and can maintain once the students are gone. Engineering professionals provide guidance and oversight to the students.

And the students receive more than just a grade in return for their hard work--they also gain practical experience, a global awareness, and the chance to really make a difference in other peoples' lives.

The EWB also provides ways for engineering and non-engineering volunteers and donors to contribute to the lives of others in a significant way.

To make a donation to EWB, visit their donations web page.