Blogs
How to walk on ice
February 12, 2013 8:38 pm | by Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog | CommentsInfographic by Tablet. Falling on ice leads to many injuries and even 60 deaths a year in the USA (about the number that will die due to tornados). The graphic encourages thinking like a penguin. Penguins walk well on ice....
What Walter Cronkite thought 2001 would look like
February 12, 2013 3:41 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsPredictions about future technology are always interesting. Sometimes, the prediction is pretty mainstream, like a mobile phone. Other times they’re a little more ambitious. I’m still waiting for my flying car. But one thing is always guaranteed: Predictions about the future are always fun to watch decades later — particularly if they star Mr. Walter Cronkite.
America's growing minerals deficit
February 11, 2013 5:10 pm | by Daniel McGroarty | CommentsAfter every election, there's a mad scramble in Washington over the must-make-it-happen agenda for the newly inaugurated president and Congress. There are welcome signs from the White House's own Material Genome Initiative that securing America's access to critical metals and minerals will be high on the list.
This device punishes you for skipping a workout
February 11, 2013 2:50 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsWe’ve all done it. You come home from a long day at the office. Sit down on the couch to watch a little Walking Dead. You feel a little guilty that you haven’t hit the gym or gone for a run, but you figure no one will know. But then your television set turns itself off, then your phone goes down, then your iPad, and then your reading lamp switches off and leaves you in the dark.
Preserving Holocaust stories through 3D technology
February 8, 2013 1:06 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsIt seems that a few groups consistently struggle with how to incorporate and use new technology in a manner that is both appropriate and effective for their brand. They often fall short and take advantage of the “next big thing” only to find it doesn’t work or hasn’t been adopted by enough of the public to make a difference.
Beer: The next great alternative energy source
February 8, 2013 10:10 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsForget solar power. The future of energy is beer power. I’m not talking about beer goggles that make you feel like you can invent the perfect form of alternative energy ... but actually using beer to power a brewery. The Alaskan Brewing Co, is located in Juneau, Alaska...
Power: Less is more for 2013
February 7, 2013 3:10 pm | by Bryon Moyer, Mouser Electronics | Mouser Electronics | CommentsPower has come of age as a defining parameter in electronic systems. Whether maximizing battery life, keeping an enclosure cool, or passing large currents more efficiently, projects now start with power in mind. In 2013, we will see the continued migration of power technologies from research to commercial availability.
Automotive electronics in 2013 and beyond: Batteries bear a burden
February 7, 2013 2:58 pm | by David Carey, Mouser Electronics | Mouser Electronics | CommentsThis year will see automotive electronics designers approach power management (PM) more like their mobile industry counterparts. While it may seem a fringe concern, the burgeoning security, convenience, connectivity, safety, and infotainment features of tomorrow’s vehicles will drive design and component choices that address standby power consumption.
Why your car is a better driver than you
February 7, 2013 2:06 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsIt came to my attention while working on an article about intelligent systems in cars that people might be a tad touchy when it comes to talking about letting cars do the work when driving. I’m not talking about infotainment systems or fancy doodads, I’m talking about systems that could greatly improve the safety of cars....
Is the atmosphere a giant steam engine?
February 7, 2013 11:40 am | by M. Simon, Technical Contributor | CommentsAs a former Naval Nuke, I was intrigued by a recent paper on climate. It looks at atmospheric circulation in terms of water vapor condensation. A steam engine if you will. The paper claims that winds are driven by the condensation of water vapor, and the resultant variations in local atmospheric pressure that the condensation causes.
Iranian "stealth fighter" looks like a clown car
February 7, 2013 11:09 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsSo it turns out that the new Iranian stealth fighter may be as genuine as the Islamic Republic’s concern for human rights. The regime unveiled the jet, 'Qaher 313', on Saturday, and the blogosphere immediately went to work debunking what could be one of the laziest forgeries of all time.
Open Source Ecology: Using Open Engineering to Create Economic Benefit
February 7, 2013 12:39 am | by Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog | CommentsOpen Source Philosophy. from Open Source Ecology on Vimeo. I think the video’s message is overly simplistic and unrealistic (great innovations often seem unrealistic so I don’t mind people trying things I don’t think are likely to succeed in the … Continue reading →
In defense of crazy technology
February 6, 2013 4:22 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsAlright, I’ll admit it. I’m a bit of a technological dreamer. I’ve seen my fair share of pipe-dream technology—easily created, easily dismissed—but most days are a roving door of surprisingly innovative, potentially life-changing, incredibly awesome designs. In general, I tend to be a bit jaded, some might say curmudgeonly...
Health care reform: Will the medical device tax harm the industry?
February 6, 2013 3:57 pm | by Sean Fenske, Editor-in-Chief, Medical Design Technology | CommentsObviously, the overwhelming majority of the industry is not in favor of the medical device tax associated with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka, Obamacare). There are the remote pockets of support within the industry where people say that the tax, as part of the whole picture, will be a positive.
A new U.S. war: Restoring our competitiveness
February 6, 2013 3:26 pm | by Gordon Zuckerman | CommentsIf the United States economy is to restore itself to earlier levels of full employment, prosperity and financial soundness, the American manufacturing community must engage in a national effort to resurrect its global competitiveness.
