Blogs
Finding a needle in the solution
February 19, 2013 9:01 am | by M. Simon, Technical Contributor | CommentsBack in 1968 when I was just starting out as a very junior engineer, I worked for Chromatronix designing sensors for and building High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) equipment. In those days, "High Pressure" was 500 psi going up to 1,000 psi with research on 3,000 psi equipment well underway.
Human gene origins: 37% bacterial, 35% animal, 28% eukaryotic
February 17, 2013 1:18 am | by Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog | CommentsThe percent of human genes that emerged in various stages of evolution: 37% bacterial, 28% eukaryotic, 16% animal, 13% vertebrate, 6% primate. The history that brought us to where we are is amazing. Eukaryotes include animals, plants, amoebae, flagellates, amoeboflagellates, … Continue reading →
Paint Your Pizza turns MS Paint scribbles into ugly-looking pizzas
February 15, 2013 10:34 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsI never thought I’d say this, but I’m nauseated by pizza – this after taking a gander at Paint Your Pizza, a crowdsourcing site that allows you to turn amateur artwork into quasi-edible Neapolitan creations. I stress quasi-edible because I don’t think I could stomach any of these custom-designed "pizzas."
Manufacturing’s evolving workforce
February 14, 2013 2:39 pm | by Bob Dean, Executive Director, Business Transformation, Cisco | CommentsPop culture references manufacturing as the factories of the 1800s or modern-day overseas sweatshops — full of mind-numbing, remedial tasks in dark and dingy factories. Today’s manufacturing environments tell a much different story: clean and safe environments with employees managing advanced machinery that drives innovation and productivity.
Stores are tracking your every move
February 14, 2013 2:11 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsWhen you walk into a store, you basically expect that you’re going to be recorded on a security video and surreptitiously watched by sales associates lest you decide to steal anything. But did you ever stop to think what information the store is gleaning from your cell?
Retrofitting an old-school game controller with a USB interface
February 14, 2013 12:25 pm | by Parker Dorris and Greg Posey | Silicon Laboratories Inc. | CommentsPlaying retro-style, side-scrolling computer games from indie developers with a keyboard and mouse just doesn't feel right. The 16-bit sprite animations, simple player controls and synthesized audio all harken back to the days when game consoles couldn’t deliver photorealistic graphics and lifelike gaming experiences.
Iranian clown car flies ... with the help of Photoshop
February 14, 2013 11:06 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsTake that, free world! For all you naysayers out there who thought Iran’s clown car, er ... stealth fighter ... smelled a bit fishy, the Islamic Republic has the ultimate retort: a badly-Photoshopped image of the Qaher-313 set against stock photo #3.
Engineers weigh in on best energy management tactics
February 13, 2013 9:28 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | CommentsWe know ECN readers have varied and valuable opinions – now here’s a great opportunity to showcase them. Send us an answer to the question below and if we think yours is the best, we’ll feature your response in the April print issue. Plus, you’ll get a $15 Starbucks gift card simply for sharing your thoughts.
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.
