Some breakthroughs, like the elimination of oil changes in an engine, come from continual improvement. Other ideas are entirely new – like generating electricity from air flows inside a building or using the gravitational energy of a sack to power a light. Despite the diversity of creations, a commonality is that regardless of the uncertainties in the basic science, engineers still need to make things work, and work safely. Happy reading.
New Lawn Mower Engine Never Needs an Oil Change
By reducing the chances for contaminants to enter the oil and by reducing engine temperatures, engineers made the oil last the lifetime of the engine. Although the “problem” is only that of inconvenience, a technical approach developed a better performing product.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 2015
New System in Omaha Apartment Building Uses Warm Air to Generate Electricity
Tall buildings use revolving doors at ground level because rising warm air can render regular swing doors difficult to open. Can the energy of these updrafts be practically harnessed to reduce the demands of high rise buildings on the electricity grid?
Omaha.com, March 2015
Lighting Up Developing Countries
Hopefully this gravity-powered light will prove to be useful for many people. The upfront engineering of the energy transfer is invisible to the end user. However, with only 0.1 W of power produced by the gravity bag, this product needs to be well engineered.
IMechE News, April 2015
Where’s the Proof in Science? There is None
“In a mathematical sense… science has proved nothing.” “All the jury can do is decide that one suspect is more guilty than another.” “What do we actually mean by research and how does it help inform our understanding of things?”
The Conversation, September 2014