Industries
Precision bearings help make robotics a reality
As is often the case, at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) the spotlight remained on robot personal assistants. Inspired by the show, Chris Johnson, Managing Director of SMB Bearings, explains what design engineers, as well as end users specifying a robot, should know about thin section bearings.
Dance of auroras: first direct observation of electron frolic
The Northern Lights have been directly observed for the first time by an international team of scientists. While the cause of these colourful auroras has long been hypothesised, researchers had never directly observed the underlying mechanism until now. The scientists published their results in Nature. The spectacle of these subatomic showers is legendary. Green, red, and purple waltz across the night sky, blending into one another...
Black hole simulation predicts light signals at collision
A simulation of supermassive black holes uses a realistic scenario to predict the light signals emitted in the surrounding gas before the masses collide, said Rochester Institute of Technology researchers. The study represents the first step toward predicting the approaching merger of supermassive black holes using the two channels of information now available to scientists—the electromagnetic and the gravitational wave spectra—k...
Injectable nanomaterials for sustained delivery of drugs
Because they can be programmed to travel the body and selectively target cancer and other sites of disease, nanometer-scale vehicles called nanocarriers can deliver higher concentrations of drugs to bombard specific areas of the body while minimising systemic side effects. Nanocarriers can also deliver drugs and diagnostic agents that are typically not soluble in water or blood as well as significantly decrease the effective dosage.
Top tips on how to build a robotic hand
Ben Lopez checked out some of the Jameco's submitted projects when he found the Robotic Hand Kit by designer Anshul Sanam. He thought it was a great kit for getting started with motors, sensors or even animatronics. Lopez wanted to take on the challenge of making a hand. Here, he gives his top tips on how to build a robotic hand.
University robotics kit prepares engineers for systems-level design
To stay competitive in a world increasing in complexity and efficiency, today’s engineering students must graduate with an understanding of engineering concepts across multiple disciplines and products. To equip future engineers with this strong foundation in systems-level design, Texas Instruments (TI) has announced its newest educational solution for the university classroom, the TI Robotics System Learning Kit (TI-RSLK).
The formation of myelin sheaths around nerve fibres
Nerve fibres are surrounded by a myelin sheath. Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now made the first-ever 'live' observations of how this protective layer is formed. The team discovered that the characteristic patterns of the myelin layer are determined at an early stage. However, these patterns can be adjusted as needed in a process apparently controlled by the nerve cells themselves.
Introduction to TI robotics system lab kit curriculum
This video from Texas Instruments provides an introduction from Dr. Jon Valvano on the content of the 20 modules of the TI-RSLK curriculum.
Engineering artist and designer creates a bigger 3D footprint
If you delve deeper into 3D printing of larger fine art sculpture pieces and specialist elements for the stage and theatre industry, you will find engineering artist and designer Richard Grant, who decided to take the plunge and build his own. For the x/y gantry, he used the drylin E linear robot from igus. Since completing a multi-disciplined engineering degree at Brunel, then a postgraduate in 3D printing at Stafford (1996), Richard G...
Alien ocean helps test NASA outer space submarine
Engineers know how to design submarines on Earth, but building one gets a lot trickier when the temperature drops to -300ºF and the ocean is made of methane and ethane. Washington State University researchers are working with NASA to determine how a submarine might work on Titan, the largest of Saturn’s many moons and the second largest in the solar system. The space agency plans to launch a real submarine into Titan seas in the n...