Nineteen-ninety-seven was another good year for engineering. Salaries were up, according to the latest Design News salary survey (see "Engineers on a wild ride," June 7, 1997), and so was job satisfaction. And, thanks to some spectacular technical feats and the publicity they garnered, respect for the engineering profession was up too.
One of the highest-profile engineering achievements of the decade was the mission to Mars. It was engineers who took the nation there, and the fuel for the trip was their knowledge of components, materials, and design tools.
Here on Earth, several developments caught the attention of Design News readers. We ask readers to tell us which stories in each issue are the most useful to them. Among the stories readers say they found most useful this year were:
A description of SatCon's Reaction Mass Actuator, which senses noise and vibration in helicopters. The heart of the device is a cylinder of Terfenol-D, a magnetostrictive material, developed by the former Naval Ordinance Laboratory. (January 6, 1997)
"Barnstormer of the deep," the profile of the work of engineer Graham Hawkes, a pioneer in advanced submersibles. Hawkes won the 1997 Design News Special Achievement Award for his work. (March 3, 1997)
The explanation of technology in Porsche's new Boxster. Instead of air cooling, it employs water cooling. The Boxster uses a Bosch Motronic M5.2 electronic engine management system, variable camshaft timing, and a four-valve-per-cylinder design. (March 24, 1997)
A report on a pump that replaces the chain in a bicycle drive. It could also be used in IC engines and air motors. (June 23, 1997)
The Fastener Productivity Kit, with reports on innovative products to solve fastening problems. (July 21, 1997)
Overall, these stories show the wide range of interests of our readers and their need for the latest technical information in a variety of fields. Which was the story most useful to you in '97?
Safety networks have become more complex, and have actually become simpler and easier to deploy for plant operators. This slideshow highlights developments in plant safety with an emphasis on integrated safety networks.
As the MEMS industry spans a myriad of industries and markets, the future of MEMS in consumer electronics will enable a myriad of functionality, applications, and personalization.
The Nest is a sleek-looking digital thermostat which can actually "learn" its owners' schedule and then continue to regulate temperature to suit the user's preferences and patterns.
Thanks to embedded electronics, medical devices are getting smaller and smarter than ever. Pacemakers and implantable defibrillators are now able to call physicians. MRIs, CT scanners, and ultrasound machines are gaining mobility. And the venerable Band-Aid may soon be able to detect illnesses ranging from fevers to heart arrhythmias. On February 21, join Design News senior editor Charles Murray for a wide-ranging discussion, "Embedded Angles for Medical Products," which will explore the latest developments in medical electronics. The discussion will examine advances in medical device technology and offer an inside look at the embedded electronics behind it.
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