Future of Engineering

Industrial Designers Develop Harness to Provide Spine Support During Water Rescues

From small beginnings come great things. That's exactly what has happened at the University of Virginia Tech. A simple assignment has led to the creation of a life saving product.

Everyday the swift water rescue team is up against a mission that looks as difficult as Mission Impossible. Rough waters and an unconcious vitim means just one thing - disaster is just around the corner. Putting their life on the line they struggle to save lives.

Rescue doesn't stop with pulling out a victim. It's important to pull out the person without causing further physical injuries. That isn't a easy task. To minimise injury during rescue, the Hydrospine has been designed.

The Hydrospine is a rigid frame designed for use in water rescue situations, especially in fast-moving rivers. It is made from structural foam, a neoprene liner, nylon strops, buoyant buckles, and buoyant foam. It is intended to replace the metal framed harnesses currently used by rescue workers to stabilize accident victims with possible spinal injuries. The metal-free frame allows doctors to perform MRI and other scans at the hospital without removing the patient from the protection of the brace. The brace is designed to right itself if tipped upside down in the water, protecting the victim from drowning.

"The biggest thing we did was provide flotation, so if the unconscious person should become face down in the water, it will flip them over and keep them in the correct position in the water," said Varnerin.

Source - Virginia Tech

Labels: Engineering-Education, Safety

“Never underestimate the power of the architectural imagination.” says Kennedy

Curtains play an important role in any household. They don't just filter dust and heat, they spice up a room with their colorful vibrancy. Thanks to the adventurous spirit of Shiela Kennedy, now they have an additional role to perform - absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity.



Sheila Kennedy a visiting lecturer in architecture teaches Sustainable Strategies for Textile Construction at MIT. And she has found a way to enable solar textiles made of semiconductor materials and organic photovoltaics(OPV) to generate electricity.



In a project named Soft House, Kennedy has transformed household curtains into mobile, flexible energy-harvesting surfaces with integrated solid-state lighting. These curtains powered by the sun can generate up to 16,000 watt-hours of electricity--more than half the daily power needs of an average American household.

Currently she is keen on creating affordable prototypes that will demonstrate the efficiency of her ideas.

Source - MIT

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Labels: Electrical-Engineering, Engineering-Education

“It’s the circulation problems that are the most difficult for them, and it’s circulation problems that kill them”, says Jan Hoff, a professor of medicine at NTNU.

Paraplegics who are confined to the chairs are susceptible to both mental and physical illnesses such as weight gain, diabetes and heart problems. In order to rouse them out of their sedantary condition a new type of excercise equipment has been developed at NTNU.

The equipment, which was partly developed at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, was first designed for the American actor Christopher Reeve - who himself played Superman in fims.

The Ergys 2 is a stationary training bicycle, where the patient’s legs and feet are strapped to a leg holder and pedals. Electrodes are then fastened to the patient’s thigh and seat muscles, and electrical impulses trigger the muscles to contract and relax. The impulses are computer controlled to guarantee the best possible effect.

Not content with leg excercises, NTNU researchers came up with the arm cycle which is intended for patients who can use their arms without help.

Excercise studies show that paralysed patients experienced an average increase in their oxygen uptake by 25 per cent and in their heart pumping volume by fully 37 per cent – after just eight weeks of training.

Currently researchers are trying to create an unplugged version of Ergys 2 in a wheelchair. Their success would surely have a huge impact on the lifestyle of many patients.

Source - Alphagalileo

Labels: Engineering-Education, innovation

Mr. Langille and his four colleagues are thrilled with their project. “It was an awesome experience, very fulfilling. We’re excited to see it work so well because there were a lot of people who were doubtful and it was exciting to get an A+.”

The Famous Five in Enid Blyton's stories were popular for their investigative skills that kept the little readers spellbound throughout the world.

Dalhousie University's Famous Five are sure to keep Racing fans and scientists spellbound with their latest invention - air powered go-kart cars.

Five Dalhousie mechanical engineering students David Alderson, Scott Allan, David Langille, Michael Roy and Dave Spencer had set upon an ambitious task for their year-long research project. They planned to develop a air powered go-kart cars. That's definitely a tall order.

To achieve it the students modified a 40-year-old snowmobile engine and ran compressed air through the engine to produce power similar to a gas engine. They attached the engine to a refurbished go-kart using two scuba tanks to house the air. The air is released through a standard scuba fitting with a high-flow regulator. The released air travels through tubing to a ball-valve connected to the foot pedal and throttle. “It operates much like a normal rotary engine,” says Mr. Langille.

The students are currently working on setting right the drawbacks. The major drawback is that it runs out of air quickly. But once the engine's capacity is refined one can look forward to a successor to conventional gas-powered engines.

The students officially unveiled their air-powered go-kart at Kartbahn Racing in Bayer’s Lake Business Park last week and invited members of the media to take it for a spin.

Source - Dalhousie University
Catch the exciting drive here.
Image credit - Nick Pearce

Labels: Energy-Environment-Engineering, Engineering-Education, Logistics-Transportation-Engineering

Future of engineering courses in the UK in doubt, say academics

The Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) and the Engineering Professors' Council (EPC) claim the sustainability and the future quality of teaching is under threat because of the imbalance between the amount of public funding universities get and how much it actually costs them to teach engineering.

A study by JM Consulting commissioned by ETB and EPC looked at differences in the costs of four universities in England in 2005-06, covering a wide range of engineering disciplines.

It found that equipment was often old and out of date and universities are increasingly depending on fees from non-EU students to make up the shortfall in funds.

Full story here

Labels: Engineering-Education, Society