Got to admit it, I laughed out loud going through this slide show of the top 2011 Gadget Freaks. What a fun ride. And to think each one of the Gadget Freaks comes with a BOM, schematic and build instructions. You can actually make these in your home.
I have to admit, I laughed out loud at the Justin Timberlake comment - wonder how many engineers in our audience got the reference. =)
One thing that has been on my mind for several months concerning our monthly Gadget Freak feature is this: What percentage of our readers actually try to build the gadget? If you are one of them, let us know!
I definitely can see the JT resemblance--how funny. But beyond the beer pong, my personal favorite was the e-volvo manned electric helicopter. That's one strange looking gadget and not one I'd want to personally test, but ... looks like some serious ingenuity!
As content director of Design News, I'd like to invite readers who enjoyed this article to register for the site (here) and also to send me any suggests for stories, including potential Gadget Freaks. Write to me at alex.wolfe@ubm.com
It's hard to beat the e-volo, but I do like Turbo Dave's jet engine, made from $85 worth of junk parts. Our Department of Defense procurement people need to talk to Dave.
Necessity is really the mother of invention. But it is also the telling proof of man's desire to highlight his existence. Engineering is indeed making the world a better place to live. These GF projects send that message that there is light always at the end of the tunnel. This is a must watch for all the budding engineers...!
Yes, necessity is the mother of invention. But I have to admit that I'm scratching my head as to the necessity behind the e-volo. Great design, but this may be the exception to the necessity rule.
Charles, necessity here is the engineering desire. I agree with you on the necessity aspects of some of the projects, ,but then that is nothing but an attempt to stretch the limits of possibilities..!
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
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I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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