Latest News & Analysis
HEADLINES ARCHIVE
Ultrasound Technology Could Help Make Hands Touchscreens
The University of Sussex-led study is the first to find a way for users to feel what they are doing when interacting with displays projected on their hand.
U.S. Roofs in Good Repair Can Handle the Weight of PV: Sandia
Dwyer says engineers doing rooftop structural analysis often calculate stresses on the basis of an individual beam, rafter or truss.
Scania Readies Self-Driving Truck for Mining Operations
The tests are aimed at implementing self-driving trucks in mining operations within a year or two.
Smart Sensor Predicts Failures in Car Tires and Hoses
The technology uses a sensor that can predict, up to two weeks in advance, when a tire or hose is compromised and in danger of breaking.
Simple Building Retrofit Can Reduce Sway from Earthquakes
The device can be placed anywhere internal or external fluids interact with physical structures and subsequently be tuned to the frequency at which a building moves.
San Francisco Seawall Requires $3 Billion for Quake-Proofing
Weak soils below the seawall are highly susceptible to lateral spreading along its entire three-mile length, increasing the expected damage to structures and infrastructure adjacent to the seawall.
Pint-Sized Wireless Robot Inspects Power Lines
Equipped with a spinning brush, the robot can clear utility lines of vegetation, bird droppings, salt deposits and other debris that may degrade the line.
Engineering’s Seabee Moment
The string of bad news involving engineered products offers an opportunity.
Oxygen Could Be Key to Containing Coal Ash Contamination
In the wake of a 2014 coal ash spill, the question of what to do with other aging coal ash retention ponds has been hotly debated.
New Method for Converting Methane Directly to Methanol Developed
Currently, it is not sufficiently profitable to convert methane into methanol in liquid form, which is easier to transport and more reactive.
Drones to Begin Ferrying Blood Supplies in Rwanda
Zipline's battery-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) weigh 10 kg, use fixed wings with a 1.5 m span and can carry two pints of blood.
DARPA: "Volleys" of UASs Could Be Launched, Retrieved Mid-Air
Gremlins” would be deployed with a mixture of payloads capable of carrying out a variety of activities in a coordinated manner.
"Smart" Clothes One Step Closer to Reality
The “e-textiles” were created in part on a tabletop sewing machine. Thread was substituted with fine metal wires that feel the same as traditional thread.
Submersible ROV Could Remove Sludge from Cooling Ponds
Drawing on technologies used in the oil and gas sector, the 2m-long tracked "Stobot" can excavate sludge using both a backhoe and a front-mounted scoop.
Big Data and the Defeat of Nazi U-Boats
Before his Nobel Prize, Patrick Blackett used data analysis, error bounding and probability theory to devise strategies against deadly German submarines in World War II.
HMIs Adapt to Reality on the Plant Floor
The human-machine interface is transforming into a central system enabling data-driven decision-making in an increasingly mobile environment.
Many Consumers Willing to Share IoT Data for Money: Survey
Survey respondents were universally worried about potential security threats from smart homes, with 92% expressing some concern that their personal data could be hacked by cybercriminals.
Dairies Could Clean-in-Place with Water Recycled from Whey
Water recycled from whey was used to clean stainless steel surfaces that had a biofilm, with promising results.
Pill Attaches to Gastrointestinal Tract for Slow Release
Extended-release pills could be used to reduce the dosage frequency of some drugs.
New Mercedes-Benz Sports Fiber Sunroof Frame
FiberFrame comprises 70% renewable raw material content and provides up to 50% in weight savings compared to a conventional metal frame.