The Leading Source for Design Engineering News & Insight
Court Ruling May Open Up Breast Cancer Gene Tests
June 14, 2013 10:02 am | by Marilynn Marchione, AP Chief Medical Writer | News | CommentsA ruling by the Supreme Court that human genes can't be patented is expected to increase access and drop the cost for tests for gene mutations that greatly raise the risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. In a bit of a mixed message, the court unanimously decided that certain types of gene tests may still be protected by patents, yet it struck down patents that a company has long held for BRCA genes.
New Array Measures Vibrations Across Skin May Help Engineers Design Tactile Displays
June 14, 2013 9:45 am | by Jennifer Chu, MIT News Office | News | CommentsIn the near future, a buzz in your belt or a pulse from your jacket may give you instructions on how to navigate your surroundings. Think of it as tactile Morse code: vibrations from a wearable, GPS-linked device that tell you to turn right or left, or stop, depending on the pattern of pulses you feel.
First Flight of Airbus A350 Reopens Wide-Body Race
June 14, 2013 9:35 am | by Lori Hinnant, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Airbus A350's maiden flight ended with a safe landing on Friday, setting the stage for intensifying competition with U.S. rival Boeing in the long-haul wide-body aircraft market. The four-hour flight from Toulouse marks a key step on the path to full certification for the jet, which can carry between 250 and 400 passengers.
3D TV Falls Flat
June 14, 2013 9:29 am | by Peter Svensson and Ryan Nakashima, AP Technology Writers | News | CommentsESPN's decision to shut down its 3D channel by the end of the year is the latest sign the format won't revolutionize entertainment as the industry once hoped. Troubling signs for 3D have been on the horizon for a last year or so.
Maine Ocean Wind Prototype to Generate Power
June 14, 2013 9:23 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsElectrons will soon be flowing from a prototype windmill off Maine's coast in a first-on-the-continent event. The turbine was towed down the Penobscot River from Brewer, where it was launched May 31, to ocean waters off Castine. It's been hooked up to the grid and will be the first offshore windmill to generate electricity.
Top 5 Design Tools of the Week
June 14, 2013 9:14 am | by Melissa Fassbender, Associate Editor, PD&D | Texas Instruments, Inc., Microchip Technology Inc. | Articles | CommentsA new 3D gesture control technology, an evaluation kit that lets you observe responses in real-time, a free viewing solution application, and an online simulation tool are among this week’s top 5 design tools.
How Did an Outside Contractor Miss Flaws at Nuke Plant?
June 13, 2013 8:58 pm | by Emery P. Dalesio - AP Business Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsAn outside contractor hired to look for flaws in a Duke Energy nuclear reactor near Raleigh last year missed a quarter-inch spot of corrosion and cracking near the reactor core that forced a full shutdown last month after new eyes reviewing year-old data found the problem, federal regulators said Thursday.
IBM Layoffs; Company Eyes New Markets
June 13, 2013 5:15 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsIBM has laid off an undisclosed number of workers this week as the company intensifies its focus on some of the technology industry's hottest markets. The cutbacks are part of a reorganization that IBM executives disclosed in April during a conference call discussing the Armonk, NY, company's first-quarter earnings.
JT2Go Brings Free JT Viewing to Windows 8 Devices
June 13, 2013 4:32 pm | by Siemens PLM Software | Siemens Plm Software | News | CommentsJT is the common language of PLM and it is the first ISO International Standard (IS 14306-1) for 3D visualization and collaboration. JT2Go enables users to view 3D JT files for free, eliminating the barrier for companies to communicate clearly in 3D with their partners, suppliers and customers throughout the product lifecycle.
Faiveley Transport Event Recorders
June 13, 2013 4:21 pm | by Faiveley Transport | News | CommentsFaiveley Transport’s event recorders stand out first and foremost for their reliability. Analyzing customer feedback has enabled new optimized programs to be launched. One of the design differences is the reduced number of electronic card components, ensuring that only the cards necessary are used.
Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE Selected by Pininfarina to Design New Concept Car
June 13, 2013 4:00 pm | by Dassault Systèmes | News | CommentsDassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, has announced that leading Italian design house Pininfarina, has selected Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA for Creative Designers application, to design and manufacture a new concept car in honor of its honorary chairman, Sergio Pininfarina.
More Touchy-Feely Robots
June 13, 2013 12:58 pm | by Cordis | News | CommentsRobots could become a lot more 'sensitive' thanks to new artificial skins and sensor technologies developed by European scientists. Leading to better robotic platforms that could one day be used in industry, hospitals, and even at home.
3D Magnetic Field Measurement
June 13, 2013 12:49 pm | by Fraunhofer | News | CommentsMagnetic field sensors are a contact- and wear-free means of measuring the position of machine parts and products. A new generation of Hall sensors is now making the process even more precise and free of interference.
Discovery of New Material State Counterintuitive to Laws of Physics
June 13, 2013 12:42 pm | by Tona Kunz, Argonne National Laboratory | News | CommentsWhen you squeeze something, it gets smaller. Unless you’re at Argonne National Laboratory. At the suburban Chicago laboratory, a group of researchers has seemingly defied the laws of physics and found a way to apply pressure to make a material expand instead of compress/contract.
NSA's New Mega-Warehouse for Data
June 13, 2013 12:27 pm | by Brady McCombs, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe nation's new billion-dollar epicenter for fighting global cyberthreats sits just south of Salt Lake City, tucked away on a National Guard base at the foot of snow-capped mountains. The long, squat buildings span 1.5 million square feet, and are filled with super-powered computers designed to store massive amounts of information gathered secretly from phone calls and emails.
