The Leading Source for Design Engineering News & Insight
'Popcorn' Particle Pathways Promise Better Lithium-Ion Batteries
June 11, 2013 12:00 pm | by DOE/Sandia National Laboratories | News | CommentsResearchers at Sandia National Laboratories have confirmed the particle-by-particle mechanism by which lithium ions move in and out of electrodes made of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4, or LFP), findings that could lead to better performance in lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, medical equipment, and aircraft.
RapidFire: 3D Scanning Spider Has Many Eyes for Detail
June 11, 2013 11:56 am | by Eric Sorensen, Coordinator of Multimedia Development | Videos | CommentsOn today's episode of RapidFire we're 3D scanning with the Spider, a new hand-held 3D scanner from Artec3D. With a resolution of up to 0.15 mm and an accuracy from 0.03 to 0.05 mm, the Spider can scan sharp edges and intricate details.
Last Engineer Let Go At Idaho Hoku Plant
June 11, 2013 11:21 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsAn estimated $400 million polysilicon plant in eastern Idaho now has only eight workers, all security guards, after its last engineer exited last month amid dwindling hopes the facility will ever produce materials for solar panels. Hoku Scientific based in Hawaii, started building the plant in Pocatello about five years ago, as interest in solar energy grew and polysilicon prices rose.
Chrysler Recalls 15,000 Darts
June 11, 2013 10:47 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsChrysler is recalling about 15,000 new Dodge Dart compact cars worldwide because the engines can stall in cold weather. The recall affects 2013 model year cars with 1.4-liter four-cylinder engines and dual-clutch automatic transmissions.
Fight Over Who Really Took First Flight
June 11, 2013 10:28 am | by Stephen Singer, Associated Press | News | CommentsConnecticut's leading role in aviation has never been disputed, but legislators have passed a bill insisting that a Connecticut aviator flew two years before the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, N.C. The measure is the latest twist in an effort to credit the first successful airplane flight to German-born aviator and Bridgeport resident Gustave Whitehead.
The Rising Demands & Requirements of Wearable Soldier Systems
June 11, 2013 10:23 am | by Wes Morgan, Director, Product Management, Americas at ITT Interconnect Solutions | Articles | CommentsModern soldiers require state-of-the-art innovations, particularly when integrating connectors within advanced Wearable Soldier Systems (WSS). Key requirements for wearable soldier electronics are: increased situational awareness, increased weapons effectiveness, and increased individual agility.
Why Own Expensive Equipment When You Can Lease It?
June 11, 2013 10:16 am | by Chris Fox, Associate Editor, PD&D | Blogs | CommentsThe idea is that owning something as expensive as a jet engine is not only costly, but risky. An investment in an engine of such size and innovation needs to be kept up, and (just like most technology) will eventually wear out and/or find itself quickly outdated.
Software Toolkit Shapes Models for Personalized Radionuclide Therapy
June 11, 2013 10:11 am | by SNMMI | News | CommentsExternal beam radiation treatment has long been manipulated into the unique shape of patients’ tumors for personalized cancer care. Technology providing a means of patient-specific radionuclide drug therapies has not been standardized, as it has been limited to software that requires oncologists to manually define the areas of tumors.
The Human Centric Design Platform
June 11, 2013 10:03 am | by OPTIS | News | CommentsOPTIS has launched H.I.M. (for Human Interactivity Manikin) enabling ergonomics investigations, and lighting and illumination study on the basis of Virtual Reality. H.I.M. enables operators to “enter” and interact with a full-scale 3D realistic digital model by wearing special goggles, helmet-mounted displays, or even as an avatar artificial figure with human dimensions.
Photos of the Day: Virtual Reality Brings User into Full-Scale 3D Digital Model
June 11, 2013 10:02 am | by OPTIS | News | CommentsDesigners, engineers, and ergonomists can take the place of the future pilot, crew member, passenger or technician, to experience various tasks and explore a series of technical solutions by interacting directly with the digital mock up.
The Body Electric: Researchers Move Closer to Low-Cost, Implantable Electronics
June 11, 2013 9:49 am | by Ohio State University | News | CommentsNew technology under development at The Ohio State University is paving the way for low-cost electronic devices that work in direct contact with living tissue inside the body. The first planned use of the technology is a sensor that will detect the very early stages of organ transplant rejection.
2D Electronics Take a Step Forward
June 11, 2013 9:46 am | by Rice University | News | CommentsScientists at Rice University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have advanced on the goal of two-dimensional electronics with a method to control the growth of uniform atomic layers of molybdenum disulfide (MDS). MDS, a semiconductor, is one of a trilogy of materials needed to make functioning 2-D electronic components.
Apple Revamp
June 11, 2013 9:45 am | by Michael Liedtke and Peter Svensson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsApple is throwing out most of the real-world graphical cues from its iPhone and iPad software in what it calls the biggest update since the iPhone's launch in 2007. The new operating system, called iOS 7, strives for a clean, simple, translucent look.
Brazil Govt to Perform Crash Tests After AP Report
June 11, 2013 9:37 am | by Bradley Brooks, Associated Press | News | CommentsAfter a decade of spiking fatalities from passenger car wrecks, the Brazilian government said Monday it plans to build its first auto crash test facility in an effort to improve the poor safety record of vehicles built and sold in the world's fourth-largest automobile market.
Boeing Gets $4B Helicopter Pact from Army
June 11, 2013 9:26 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsBoeing has received a $4 billion, multi-year contract from the Army for 177 CH-47F Chinook helicopters. The Army has options to buy up to an additional 38 helicopters. Deliveries are expected to start in 2015.
