Today's Interesting Engineering

DaveM · Jun 29, 2015

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Old Lady House turns out to be a masterpiece shipping container modern home

Adam Kalkin has designed a home with the name of the Old Lady House but it is far from being a cosy cottage for a granny. Instead it is a modern masterpiece designed from three shipping containers in Califon, NJ. The home is spread out over three containers wide and two tall and it has sides that are made almost entirely out of glass.

[Image Courtesy of Adam Kalkin]

All of the surfaces and décor in the home have been constructed to give the home an industrial look, including the concrete floor, the glass sliding doors, huge glass panes, stainless steel, columns and beams. There is a mixture of natural designs to make sure the home fits it within the natural surroundings. Materials such as mahogany have been used for the sliding doors and fir has been used for the floors of some of the smaller rooms of the house, such as pantry, laundry room and half-bath.

[Image Courtesy of Adam Kalkin]

In the main living area of the Old Lady House there is a kitchen island of 12 feet in length and this offers stunning views out over the forest while the owner is preparing and cooking food. Close to the kitchen are two huge sofas and these have been placed close to the cosy fireplace, which gives the home a comfortable warm space to overlook the woodland at night and during the winter.

[Image Courtesy of Adam Kalkin]

You might think that the corrugation of the shipping containers would make the home interior take on an ugly appearance. However the corrugation is cleverly hidden behind drywall and this means that from the inside you would never know that the home is made from shipping containers. The exterior of the shipping containers have been painted in a colour that is rustic and perfect for the woodland setting.

[Image Courtesy of Adam Kalkin]

Via [Adam Kalkin]

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DaveM · Jun 29, 2015

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Clothing is about to get smarter thanks to new conductive ink

We have smart cell phones, smart cars, smart homes, smart watches and soon there could be smart clothing. This is due to the fact that a new printing process using just one step uses elastic conducting ink to turn clothes along with other textiles into wearable, flexible electronic sensors or devices thanks to University of Tokyo researchers.

[Image Courtesy of University of Tokyo]

The researchers have come up with ink that is able to retain its highly conductive effect even though it can be stretched to more than three times the original length. They say that it can be used in sportswear and underwear as sensors and this could be the first signs of wearable electronics that are focused on comfort.

The new ink is a mixture of organic solvent, silver flakes, flurone surfactant and fluorine rubber. It can be printed onto clothing and fabrics the same any other desktop printed ink based plastic and paper. There is just one single step to the printing as the flakes are able to self-assemble on the surface of the pattern that is printed and this makes the material highly conductive.

[Image Courtesy of University of Tokyo]

The researchers used the ink to print out a muscle activity sensor onto material that could be stretched. The electrodes were printed on just one side and the wiring was printed on the outside of the material. The sensor was able to measure the electrical potential of the muscles which lie beneath it. This was over a region of 16 square centimetre using nine electrodes which they placed 2cm on a grid of 3cm by 3cm.

It is hoped that the new technology will take them one step closer to making wearable devices that will be more comfortable to wear. In the future sensors along with electronics could be integrated into just about everything that people wear.

Via [University of Tokyo]

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DaveM · Jun 29, 2015

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Lully device prevents night terrors

Is your child’s nightmare not letting you sleep at night? The solution to these sleepless nights might be Lully, a device that claims to stop nightmares. It was developed by doctor Andy Rink and engineer Varun Boriah after studying sleep patterns along with their teammates at Stanford University.

The device uses precisely timed vibrations to help children who suffer from night terrors to adopt a healthy sleep pattern. It learns the child’s sleep patterns and vibrates for a few minutes before the night terrors to gently pull the child into a lighter sleep stage.

Rink and Boriah worked with sleep researchers in a clinical study to test the effectiveness of their device, recruiting participants between 2 and 12 years old. Lully was able to prevent 90 percent of night terrors during the tests.

The Lully should be placed under the mattress near the child’s torso. It can be used with a smartphone, which will receive notifications from the app whenever the Lully pod should be activated. Treatment should be done every night for four weeks but if the nightmares return, the process can be restarted.

Source: Lully

Via: Tech Crunch

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triumph david · Jun 29, 2015

I like the paper airplane trick, that would be fun to play with.

DaveM · Jun 30, 2015

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Flytrex Sky delivers straight out of the box

Amazon are testing out delivery drones but it seems that Flytrex in Israel may be one step ahead as they are testing new delivery drones by the name of FlytrexSky. The drones work alongside a 3G based platform that allows them to send along with receive small packages as they are connected to an app. The company states that this is the first drone to be connected to a cloud and carry a 3G module that is able to track UAV and keep an internet connection whilst it is in flight.

[Image Courtesy of Flytrex]

The Flytrex Sky can log all flights through the online profile which users can connect to through the internet and on their smartphones and tablets. The flying range of the drone is however limited due to the dual battery. This only allows 35 minutes of flying time.

[Image Courtesy of Flytrex]

The drone can be controlled easily through an RC transmitter along with GSM connection and it includes a docking bay for the GoPro to provide the owner with a first person view. The drone is able to connect and fly when taken out of the box and it connects to the Flytrex Messenger along with Pilot apps on Android and iOS devices. It is also able to return home automatically along with holding its position in the air and it has autopilot.

[Image Courtesy of Flytrex]

The Sky drone has four hooks and two custom bands that allow for the attachment of lightweight small parcels. However the weight limit is unknown at the moment. The efficiency of the battery is also tied in with the payload. It can be flown by virtually anyone as there is no experience needed and it comes with take-off that is automated along with automated features for landing.

[Image Courtesy of Flytrex]

The Flytrex Sky is being offered for US$649 if you fancy delivering yourself a nice cold beer on a hot sunny summer day.

[Image Courtesy of Flytrex]

Via [Flytrex]

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DaveM · Jun 30, 2015

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

The Homping Grill makes BBQs smoke free

Everyone loves a BBQ but there is one thing that can be annoying and that is the amount of smoke that plumes from them when lighting the charcoals in the grille. Of course there are gas versions of grilles but the food doesn’t taste the same at all. Soon BBQs could become smoke free thanks to the Homping Grill that uses a fan that is battery powered to not only make it more efficient at cooking but also almost entirely eliminate the smoke that comes from it.

[Image Courtesy of Homping]

Gone are the days of the chunky old fashioned grille and in comes a designer model that is very portable and more convenient. The grille needs just a small amount of charcoal, around 8 briquettes will give you an hour of grilling food at around 400 farenheit. The grill is just 14 x 7 inches and has a weight of 8.4lbs, which means it is very compact.

[Image Courtesy of Homping]

The Homping Grill also relies on an ignition gel to get the charcoals started and this is lit in a dish that is set below the basket holding the charcoal. The fan means that it can get burning in just 3 to 4 minutes. If you want to turn down the cooking heat or turn it up there is a fan dial.

[Image Courtesy of Homping]

The design means that the grille is cool to the touch and you can even move it during cooking. There is a dripping pan that helps to stop flare-ups and thanks to the fan it eliminates around 95% of the smoke of a traditional grille. This essentially means that you could use the grille indoors. The Homping Grille was designed in 2013 but has just recently made its way to the US from Korea. It can be pre-ordered for US$199 and the designers are working on a USB powered version too.

[Image Courtesy of Homping]

Via [Homping]

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DaveM · Jun 30, 2015

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

These 3D printed metal faucets seem physically impossible to funtion

3D printers are increasingly being used to create new and innovative designs in everything from cars to home decor that defy the traditional manufacturing techniques. Using state-of-the-art technology and a whole lot of inspiration, the North American plumbing and building product manufacturer American Standard, launched it’s DXV line of metal 3D printed faucets.

The new designs open up new possibilities of using faucets for more than what they’re originally meant to be, but as unique and beautiful pieces of decoration as well.

American Standard created these faucets in such complex shapes that it makes you wonder if it actually works. But in order to make them functional the design team used computational fluid dynamics technology to ensure efficient water flow. To manufacture these new faucets, American Standard uses a 3D printing method called laser sintering, in which a computer guided laser beam fuses powdered metal into the shape with high heat and pressure. Printing the faucets takes about 24 hours and they still need to be further hand-finished and polished afterwards.

Metal 3D printing makes a lot of products easier and faster to manufacture and enables bold and custom designs. This is a great example of how this technology can be applied, producing something that wouldn’t be possible to manufacture using traditional methods.

The DXV line faucets will be available within the next 12 months, but you can already start saving for it’s estimated price of up to US$20,000.

Via: Gizmodo

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hemibee · Jul 1, 2015

$20,000 USD for a faucet? I couldn't even sell both of my trucks to cover the cost. I'll just use a bucket and run down to the creek to provide water for my indoor plumbing.

DaveM · Jul 1, 2015

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

This irrigation pump needs no fuel to run, Find out how!

This irrigation pump needs no fuel to run. It also does not run on electricity. It was invented by a Dutch startup company called aQysta and won Europe’s best clean-technology innovation of 2014. It is called the Barsha irrigation pump.

So what does it run on?

The Barsha irrigation pump capitalizes on the energy of a flowing body of water – a river for example. It comprises of a single wheel that sits on a platform. This platform can float on water so that the water can pass under the wheel.

Barsha irrigation pump [Courtesy: Climate-KIC ]

As the body of water flows under the platform, it causes the wheel to spin. A special mechanism uses the rotational energy of the wheel to compress air within it. This compressed air is used to force water through a water pipe that is attached to the irrigation pump. As long as the body of water remains moving, the Barsha irrigation pump continues to pump water endlessly.

The Barsha irrigation pump can supply water up to a height of 25 meters. Currently, the highest amount of water it can supply is 1 litre per second. Crop yields can improve up to five times their normal yield with the help of the pump in developing countries. The pump also runs completely on clean energy, so it has no emission whatsoever.

“Our hydro-powered pump easily implemented anywhere where there is flowing water nearby and requires very little maintenance. Furthermore, by doubling yields by proper irrigation, Barsha will pay back for itself within 18 months.” says a statement on their website.

Barsha irrigation pump running on a water body [Courtesy: Gizmag]

There are currently plans to distribute Barsha irrigation pumps to various developing countries in the world to help supply water where there is no fuel and electricity to run current water pumps.

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DaveM · Jul 1, 2015

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

$2.3 million Vulcan hypercar may be next Aston Martin for Bond

A new vehicle from Aston Martin has been dubbed the Vulcan hypercar and the $2.3 million dollar car could be heading for an appearance in the next James Bond movie. The hypercar is going to be released in a limited amount of just 24 units and it is one of the most technologically advanced cars with a U shaped steering wheel playing home to the controls.

[Image Courtesy of Aston Martin]

The hypercar is for the track only and it was revealed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. If you want one of the 24 you will have to have deep pockets and be prepared to take a course so that you can learn how to drive the car.

[Image Courtesy of Aston Martin]

The Vulcan is one of the most advanced cars Aston Martin produced and it would be the perfect vehicle to feature in the next James Bond movie, as of course Bond is well known for liking Aston Martins. It is all-carbon fiber and those who want to drive it will have to take a special course not only to learn how to drive the vehicle but also how to customize it to their own tastes.

The CEO of Aston Martin said that the Vulcan is a thrilling and rare supercar that has been designed to offer owners a driving experience that is bespoke and which draws on the rich heritage of Aston Martin. The vehicle can be tailored to the capabilities of the driver along with the tracks characteristics. It is a true sports car for lovers of sports cars and the Vulcan will set new standards in the ultra-high luxury supercar class.

[Image Courtesy of Aston Martin]

What sets the vehicle apart is the U shaped steering wheel allowing the owner to perform the majority of functions. It can start the car, it has the pit lane limiter, indicators, high beams, traction control and ABS that is adjustable and controls the wipers. On the back of the wheel are the paddle shifters for swapping gears.

While the Vulcans specs are not quite final Aston Martin has said that the vehicle has a naturally aspirated 800 horse power V12 7 litre engine. This takes the supercar from standstill to 60mph in under 3 seconds and takes it to a top speed of more than 200mph. The 800 plus brake horse power engine was developed along with Aston Martin Racing and the power to weight ratio is more than the GTE vehicles seen in competition in the World Endurance Championship of FIA.

[Image Courtesy of Aston Martin]

The body is constructed of carbon fiber monocoque by Multimatic, who has a long term partnership with Aston Martin. It has integral limited slip differential along with Brembo racing calipers and carbon ceramic racing discs for the brakes measuring 380mm diameter on the front wheels and 360mm on the back. It also features a magnesium torque tube with carbon fiber propeller shaft. The drive has been channeled to the wheels on the back, which are 345/30 x 19 with race specification tires from Michelin through a rear mid-mounted race-bred Xtac 6 speed sequential shift gears.

Other specifications of the hypercar include the track derived push-rod suspension complete with anti-dive geometry and the dynamic suspension spool valve from Multimatic. It also features anti-roll bars at the back and front along with variable traction control and anti-lock brakes that can be adjusted by the driver. The vehicle is going to comply with the FIA race safety requirements.

[Image Courtesy of Aston Martin]

Before owners take delivery of their Vulcan hypercar they will be offered the chance to participate in intensive track driver training. The training involves the use of many high performance vehicles from Aston Martin, including the V12 Vantage S and Vantage GT4 race cars. Owners will build up their experience and then finally take the wheel of their own Aston Martin Vulcan.

Via [DailyMail]

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DaveM · Jul 1, 2015

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Palestinian man designs DIY solar ovens to beat energy cuts in Gaza

One man living in Gaza turned his hand to helping out the community beat the energy shortages as he has designed DIY solar ovens that are affordable.

[Image Courtesy of Gaza Gateway]

For those living in the Gaza Strip, life comes with many challenges as they are faced with shortages of fuel and food and the electricity supply cannot be relied upon. Along with this there is warfare, with 2,310 Gazans dying in a month long conflict with Israel. One thing that the Strip does have is lots of sunlight and one man has made the most of this.

Khaled Bashir has designed and made a solar oven that is able to cook food relying only on the natural resources, which the Gaza Strip has in abundance, the sun. While the design of the oven may be crude it does the job of cooking food perfectly and it is affordable.

[Image Courtesy of Gaza Gateway]

Bashir made good use of his background and qualifications that he received. He earned an M.Sc when studying at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Upon his graduation he then went to work for the Palestinian Agriculture Ministry and is working at the moment in construction materials. However while he remains very busy he still has time for helping out the community.

The solar ovens he designed may take time to cook but they are very effective and Bashir said that they are much better than a gas or electric oven. One of the main advantages of solar cooking is that it keeps in the flavor of the food. Another advantage is that the food doesn’t burn as the sun is always moving. The temperature inside the solar oven reaches up to 284 degrees Fahrenheit and it runs on just one tank of gas a year.

Bashir has made 20 units of the solar ovens so that his neighbors can use them. He also shows people how to make them for 700 shekels for the parts and labor and an oven takes about two days to construct.

Via [Inhabitant]

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DaveM · Jul 1, 2015

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Harvard’s Lung-on-a-chip wins Design of the Year

Lung-on-a-chip is what they call it – Harvard’s new innovation that won Design of the Year from London’s Design Museum. This new technology has the potential to replace animal testing in pharmaceutical companies. This device was created by the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. It is basically a small transparent device that tries to mimic the properties of the human lung. It contains human tissue structures and is flexible enough to accommodate both the stretching and relaxation mechanisms observed during human respiration.

The Lung-on-a-chip, a transparent device that simulates the chemical and mechanical performance of human lungs [Courtesy: theguardian.com]

Tubes connected to a main block carry airway cells from the air sac and human capillary blood vessel cells which are separated by a flexible porous membrane. On the side of the membrane that contains the airway cells, there is a layer of lung cells distributed on top of the membrane. On the other side of the membrane, there is a layer of capillary cells.

A deep look into the channels of the Lung-in-a-chip. A membrane separates an air channel (blue top) and a blood channel (red bottom). The sides of the membrane for these channels are covered with lung cells and capillary cells respectively [Courtesy: www.wyss.harvard.edu]

The breathing of the human lung is simulated on the Lung-on-a-chip with the help of cyclic suctions in the side channels. With this setting, the effect of various human conditions can be observed on the Lung-on-a-chip through a microscope thanks to the transparency of the device.

In one study conducted by the Wyss Institute, bacteria were introduced to the air channel. This serves to simulate an infection or disease in a human lung. In the blood channel, white blood cells were introduced. It was observed that the white blood cells went across the central membrane and into the air channel where they attacked the bacteria. This is typical of how the white blood cells behave in a human body.

Animals such as dogs and mice are not necessarily predictive of humans when it comes to drug testing. This makes drug testing a failure a significant number of times. Not only does the Lung-on-a-chip avoid animal testing, it is also much cheaper. It is also much easier to use and its usage requires little or no training. It is also small so little amounts of drug is need for testing.

To take it one step further, other organs have also been simulated such as the kidney and liver. And then another step even further was taken whereby these organs-on-a-chip were connected to each other to form a network. This can be used to perhaps simulate the effect of a certain drug moving from one organ to the next, among other things.

Will the Wyss Institute be able simulate the human brain and beat robots to singularity? “We won’t be able to model consciousness, or the effect of gravity on your joints,” says Ingber. But can it still be done anyway?

Source: The Guardian

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DaveM · Jul 1, 2015

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Your childhood was a lie: Claw machines are rigged!

Remember those claw machines filled with plush toys that were very popular in the 90’s? Have you actually managed to ever score a prize? If not, just know that you were not alone. And the problem is not your lack of ability, those claw machines are actually rigged.

All those coins you spent throughout your childhood in numerous attempts to beat the machine and manage to catch a stuffed animal were really not your fault. A recent research revealed that the mechanism of these machines can be manipulated to have a grip strong enough to “grab” the object only part of the time.

The machines are regulated according to the owner’s preference: if they set the claw to maintains its strength in only 10% of the attempts, that’s exactly how it’s going to happen. So your chances of winning a prize depends not on luck or skill, but the programming of the machine and the owner’s choice on how fair or unfair they want to make the game.

Founded in the US in the 1950’s, the claw machines have spread around the world entertaining (or tricking) children. In the video you can learn more about the history of these machines and understand its mechanism, if it hasn’t become clear yet that the best thing to do is stay away from them.

Via: VOX

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DaveM · Jul 2, 2015

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Kingii – An Answer to Drowning Deaths

According to the World Health Organization, there are over 370,000 accidental drownings annually, worldwide; that makes drowning the 3rd leading cause of accidental death. The WHO goes on to note that this figure “may be significantly underestimated.” Males and children are especially at risk, and low to middle income countries account for 91% of those deaths. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, 88% of drowning victims in the United States weren’t wearing a life jacket. With that in mind, a reliable, relatively inexpensive anti-drowning device could make a huge difference. Enter the Kingii, (pronounced ken-gee), a small, wrist worn water safety device that may be an answer to those drowning deaths.

Image courtesy of Kingii

The Kingii is the brainchild of Tom Athanasios, an entrepreneur with several patents under his name related to automotive technology. After a close friend drowned, Athanasios turned his considerable inventor’s skills toward a solution. With the stats regarding life jacket use first in mind, he set out to make a small, unobtrusive device, designed so that folks would actually wear it. In June of 2014, he filed a U.S. Patent for the Kingii.

Image courtesy of Kingii

At just under 5 ounces in weight, the device is very light. Kingii is fundamentally composed of two components, the CO2 charge/activator, and a small box that holds the flotation balloon; it’s about the size of a 3″ x 5″ card and about an inch thick. The company notes that the “one size fits most” design is suitable for children 6 years and up in age. Kingii has been tested to provide viable buoyancy for adults as heavy as 275 pounds.

Image courtesy of Kingii

When ready to use, the device is armed by inserting a proprietary CO2 cartridge into a dedicated housing. It’s then attached to the wearer by a dive watch style wrist strap. The wearer activates the Kingii by pulling up on a small lever on top of the housing for the CO2 cartridge; the device inflates fully in less than a second, and up you go.

Image courtesy of Kingii

Image courtesy of Kingii

Perhaps most impressive in this throw away age, the Kingii is reusable. After being triggered, one simply removes the spent CO2 cartridge, expels all the air out of the bag, then refolds and packs the bag back into its housing according to instructions printed on the bag itself. With a fresh cartridge inserted, the device is good to go once again.

Image courtesy of Kingii

Kingii is currently in the late stages of a fundraising campaign to bring the device fully to market, (anticipated for August of this year). Devices can currently be bought through their campaign website on indiegogo.com. Prices start at US$69 for a single unit and 2 spare cartridges, and run all the way up to US$1,399 for 20 units plus 40 spare cartridges. I was not able to find any information regarding retail prices once the units are in production. The viability of the concept is clearly demonstrated by the overwhelming success of the campaign thus far; Kingii’s initial goal of US$65,000 has been far surpassed; they’ve raised slightly over US$416,000 to date.

With a device this promising and a hugely successful funding campaign, it would be a wonderful thing if the company were able to find a way to get the Kingii to the parts of the world where it is most needed, at an affordable price.

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DaveM · Jul 2, 2015

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

WWII bomb shelter 100ft below London tubes becomes subterranean farm

Sitting 100 feet below the London tube station in Clapham is a WWII bomb shelter and it has now been turned into a subterranean farm growing mini vegetables, salads and herbs thanks to chef Michel Roux Jnr.