1
’
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3
	 The past several months have
feverishly gone by just like that. From
the months running up to the grand
launch, to the past several weeks of live
operation, my editorial team and I have
been moving at such a frenetic pace,
keeping several plates turning, including
conceptualizing, revising and producing
content, on top of responding to readers’
questions and addressing feedback.
	 We at the GineersNow team
know that we are in for a herculean
pursuit of competing with the more es-
tablished and wider reaching information
portals. Though it is inevitable to com-
pete with them, that isn’t why we existed
for. At this point, we deem it best to stay
true to our avowed purpose, assume our
own identity, and most of all, have fun
and exude fun.
	 Our work has been paying off
thus far, as since “project GineersNow”
started several months ago, we have
already hailed several milestones. Some-
times, we catch ourselves asking: “Did we
actually achieve this?” I, as the Senior Ed-
itor, understand where this slight doubt
comes from. More than doubt, however,
I think it is more of astonishment. But,
the engineers in us still try to make sense
of how far GineersNow have come in its
several months of existence. “If we have
already hailed several milestones in less
than a quarter of a year, does it mean
we have already covered an enormous
distance? With time being constant, and
Alice Hernandez
Senior Editor-At-Large
Ems Bagatsing
Sales & Marketing Director
Ems@LincolnMartin.com
Robert Bagatsing
Editor-In-Chief
editor@GineersNow.com
Alice Hernandez
Senior Editor-At-Large
John Vauden
Senior Editor
Asia-Pacific
Hina Sapra
Senior Editor
South Asia
Therese Matheren
Senior Editor
North America
Dion Greg Reyes
Junior Editor
Cielo Panda
Junior Editor
Farrel Pinto
Junior Editor
Raymond Gerard del Valle
Junior Editor
Abhishek Tarafder
Matrix Media
Information Technology
Aiza King
Creative & Layout
Note
Editor's
using the formula Distance = Rate x
Time, does it mean that we are moving at
a remarkable speed?
	 At an astonishing speed we
are moving indeed, as today, we have yet
marked another milestone in our short
history – the launch of GineersNow
magazine. What you are reading now is a
compendium of the 100 best stories that
we have featured in our website, written
by our correspondents across Asia and
Australia. Our maiden issue banners
an exclusive one-on-one with Robert
Bagatsing, the Founder and Chief Giving
Officer of GineersNow, as he shares the
history and the roadmap ahead of “the
online home of kickass engineers”. This
issue also features select articles on a wide
range of engineering fields, including
electronics, bio-medical, chemical, in-
dustrial, civil, mechanical and electrical,
to name a few. Our content covers an
extensive range of industries, among
which are mining, oil & gas, aeronautics,
renewables, robotics, IT, food, telecom-
munications and wearables.
	 We hope that you’ll enjoy read-
ing our maiden issue, as much as we had
fun creating it. On behalf of the entire ed-
itorial team, I would like to thank you for
your support and in making the launch of
GineersNow a resounding success. Now
that we have solved the Distance = Rate x
Time conundrum, you think it’s time to
tackle Force = Mass x Acceleration?
GineersNow is a subsidiary of
Lincoln Martin Strategic Marketing
Level 14, Boulevard Plaza Tower 1
MBR Boulevard, Emaar Square,
Downtown Dubai, UAE
P.O. Box 334036, Dubai, U.A.E.
Mob: +971 50 4289684
www.LincolnMartin.com
GINEERSNOW
T E A M
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5
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7
T
A KICKASS STORY
here’s a new information
portal whose following is
snowballing as we speak.
Earlier this year, GineersNow,
a professed news platform
for badass engineers, was
publicly launched with relatively conser-
vative expectations. Venturing into a sea
of seemingly endless stream of online
information, driven by a small team of
budding engineer writers and designers,
and armed with almost nothing but inno-
vation, passion and vision, GineersNow
sailed in January, treading slowly and
steadily, but training its sight on never
going back to shore.
	 The impact that GineersNow
has made astounded its audience, and
even, admittedly, the team behind it.
Spurred by creative content, engaging
stories, gripping open debates and in-
novative interaction platforms, Gineer-
sNow’s following on Facebook alone has
grown to more than 140,000 in a little
over a month, with its popularity rippling
through other social media platforms, as
well as its proprietary website, www.Gi-
neersNow.com, which now enjoys almost
30,000 page views. Amidst fierce com-
petition in the digital publishing sphere,
GineersNow was able to immediately
carve a niche for itself, and command an
engaged following.
	 Though utterly pleased with
the initial success of GineersNow, its
Founder and Chief Giving Officer, Robert
Bagatsing, does not plan on resting on its
laurels. He recognizes that the key to con-
tinued success is constant re-invention,
consistent differentiation, and loyalty to
one’s avowed purpose.
	 In this exclusive interview,
Robert lets us into the story of Gineer-
sNow, and into how he, together with
his team and community of “engineers
with a social purpose”, plans to write its
successive chapters.
GINEERSNOW:
The Inspiration
Robert, the brains behind GineersNow,
fondly describes himself as a man learned
in Manila, formed in Dubai, fortified in
Boston and inspired by the world.
	 Using his expertise in Market-
ing and his belief in the power of CSR,
Robert headed the formation of Lincoln
Martin Strategic Marketing (LMSM), a
purpose-driven strategic marketing agency.
“I started LMSM to teach my five-year-old
son, Lincoln, the golden values in life,” said
Robert. He envisioned that LMSM would
help the poor, especially young students, by
being a vehicle through which companies
could contribute and provide financial
support to poor areas in Asia and Africa.
“We created LMSM to be able to provide
classrooms and scholarships to those who
deserve it. It’s truly a social innovation.”
	 LMSM gave Robert and his
team a consistent stream of revenue and
emotional profit, which he described as
overwhelming. “I wanted to replicate the
success of LMSM in a more targeted envi-
ronment,” said Robert, explaining that one
way he thought of carrying this out was by
creating a dedicated online platform for a
“marginalized” sector.
	 Backed by a team of young and
passionate engineer writers, social media
experts and designers, and supported by his
family and friends, Robert thus embarked
on creating GineersNow.
C O V E R S T O R Y
8
Building a
Community of
Engineers with a
Social PurposeRobert ascribed the early success of Gineer-
sNow to social media platforms, particular-
ly Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram
and Google+, which he described as allies
to amplifying the presence of the website.
	 He also credited the creative
team behind GineersNow’s social media
sites for producing unique, engaging posts,
which includes GN Bot and Engineer-
ing Debates. GN Bot is the young robot
engineer that “answers” questions from
the readers. His “knowledge” spans from
affairs of the heart to the latest engineering
technologies. Engineering Debates, on the
other hand, allows GineersNow’s followers
to offer their insights on the latest issues
concerning the engineering and allied
industries.
	 “Aside from GN Bot and our
weekly debates, we have introduced a lot
of unique content in the past 30 days,” said
Robert. Trawling GineersNow’s social me-
dia pages, one can see contents like “Fash-
ioneering”, which talks about the fusion of
fashion and wearable technologies. There
is also “Kitcheneering”, which features how
industrial engineers and IT professionals
are pioneering IoT kitchen products. Then,
there’s “Life of an Engineer”, which revolves
around engineers-turned-chefs or other
career shifts. “All of these stories are inspira-
tional, funny and really compelling to read,”
said Robert.
	 Owing to a sweet mix of aggres-
sive, consistent marketing and quality con-
tent, GineersNow’s social media pages have
attracted an exponentially growing number
of followers, majority of which come from
the Eastern hemisphere. GineersNow’s
social media success drives notable traffic to
its website.
Why Engineers?From Robert’s extensive experience in the
energy and industrial sectors, he realized
that there was a notable deficiency in
engineering stories that actually zero in on
the engineers themselves. “Engineers are
the real heroes of this world, so I wonder
why they have not been given (by the
media) the attention that they deserve,”
said Robert. He admitted that there was an
abundance of engineering-related stories,
but most of them focused on products and
processes. “It think it’s time that the world
hears the ‘real’ stories of the engineers
behind the engineering marvels: their lives,
struggles, failures, learnings and successes.”
Robert believed that by telling the stories
of engineers, especially the young ones,
GineersNow could inspire other engineers
to strive amidst difficulties and celebrate
their triumphs, and move young students
to specialize in engineering-related fields
and make a difference.
	 GineersNow has been successful
in its pursuit to communicate to young
engineers, as most of its followers are 18-35
years old.
The Internet,
Native Advertising
and Hybrid
Social EnterpriseGineersNow differentiates itself from other
online news platform not only through
its targeted audience, but also through its
marketing and business models.
	 The continuous decline in the
consumption of printed media prompted
the team behind GineersNow to anchor it
on the Internet. “I remember a case study
that we took up when I was still in Harvard:
It was about the competition between
online and traditional media, the Hubspot
and New York Times paywall,” said Robert,
explaining that the study had revealed print
media would gradually fade as a medium
of education and information dissemina-
tion. “The revenue of print magazine and
newspapers will dwindle because of the
Internet. In 10-20 years, we’ll be seeing less
newspapers in the stands.”
	 GineersNow veers away from
anything conventional, even in advertising.
Traditional advertising is characterized by
pushing the ads in front of the readers, even
though they did not ask for it. Called “in-
terruption marketing”, this kind of invasive
advertising is now in decline. Harvard case
studies attributed this drop to the rise of
mobile technology, increase of ad blockers,
and decrease in TV spending habits and
of consumers’ affinity to print media. “You
go to Starbucks and you will no longer
see people reading newspapers; they hold
a coffee cup and read their social media
updates,” said Robert.
	 Instead of “interruption mar-
keting”, GineersNow swears by “native
advertising” as a means of making profit.
Dubbed as a non-intrusive and inbound
marketing approach, Robert explained that
the native advertising model would allow
the customers to organically find Gineer-
sNow’s contents and the contents of its ad-
vertisers. “We are able to organically attract
attention, without interrupting our reader’s
flow of activity. When the content is funny,
inspiring or really compelling, it will be
shared on social media and eventually go
viral.”
	 As a hybrid social enterprise, Gi-
neersNow consequently channels its profits
towards socially beneficial causes. “Amass-
ing revenue is not our main objective,” said
Robert, adding that GineersNow aimed
to help build engineering schools in Asia
and Africa. “We don’t aim to profit only to
make ourselves richer. We want to pour
GineersNow’s earnings into helping com-
munities by building schools, and sharing
information on the advantages and benefits
of engineering. We hope that by doing this,
we can inspire young students to choose
engineering as a field of specialization. We
believe that it will not only give them better
opportunities for self-improvement, it will
open roads for them to make a real differ-
ence in their families, communities and in
the world.”
	 In the next few months, the
GineersNow team aims to convert its
audience into a socially driven engineer-
ing community. “I think the best way to
describe it is that we are creating a com-
munity of young engineers with a social
purpose, empowered by a social innovation
movement that is making a difference in
the engineering world.” After building
engineering schools, the GineersNow team
deems to invite engineers to volunteer and
teach engineering subjects to poor commu-
nities, invent ways to electrify remote villag-
es, create portable desalination systems to
promote access to drinking water, and pos-
sibly re-purpose wastewater for agricultural
use. “If you have a community of socially
driven engineers, we can make this world a
better place. And possibly, inspire others to
do the same.”
9
Creating a
Social MovementThough a relatively new entrant, Gineer-
sNow has already successfully distin-
guished itself from the competition. From
its fun, engaging content, to its marketing
and business models, to its fidelity to
its avowed purpose, GineersNow has
indubitably forged an identity of its own.
“Everyone at GineersNow is trying to cre-
ate a ‘social movement’,” said Robert. “We
aim to make engineering accessible to the
poor, break engineering stereotypes and
encourage young students to be involved
in the field. We want to change lives one
engineering story at a time. In fact it is
not just stories we are writing; we are
writing history.”
The Next ChaptersGineersNow’s initial success is nothing
short of encouraging, and the team behind
it has the highest hopes for its future. “We
are looking to expand GineersNow’s geo-
graphic and demographic reach. We have
originally developed our platform to cater
to the Eastern hemisphere, from Dubai to
Shanghai, but I think that in the near future,
we will pursue the Western market as well.”
As GineersNow becomes an established
news media outlet, the team also plans
to produce an “offshoot” to the Medical,
Finance and Civil Service industries. “We
will use the same business model for those.
We hope to see them online by 2022.”
	 Robert also explained that
there would be more to GineersNow than
just sharing engineering news. “In a few
months,” he said, “we will shift our platform
from an engineering news magazine to
building an online community that aims to
connect people from different engineering
industries and fields of expertise.”
	 The GineersNow team is also
training its sight into making the portal
a crowdfunding platform that will allow
engineers promote their ideas to the public
to attract funding for their projects. “We
are all aware that most young engineers
have so many new ideas. The realization
of these ideas into innovative products are
being curtailed by the lack of funding. If we
can connect our advertisers, friends or big
companies with these young engineers, we
would be able to create an impressive array
of social innovation products that could
change the lives of millions. Imagine the
endless possibility of creating meaningful
products for humanity? GineersNow will be
like a matchmaking or dating site between
young engineers and the engineering com-
munity.”
	 It is also exploring the possibility
of adding features to GineersNow to allow
young professionals and hiring companies
to connect. “On the one hand, we have the
engineers; on the other, there are companies
who might want to hire these engineers and
collaborate online. Again, GineersNow be-
ing a matchmaking or dating site will come
in handy in connecting young engineers
and engineering companies.”
	 Robert said that he and his team
want the business model of GineersNow to
be “open-source”; that means other com-
panies will be free to emulate it. “I believe
that the model can be replicated by other
start-up companies.”
10
Imagine
a world
without
engineers.
11
magine. What would our world be like
without engineers? Pretty normal?
Would the world be the same? Oh come
on, this world may not even be livable
without engineers. Imagine, if there were
no Engineers, there would be no one to
design the bridges you drive through. If
there were no engineers, there would be
no cars. If there were no engineers there
would be no video game designers to support your
lazy-ass games. If there were no engineers how
could you even “like” this post from the internet?
Better yet, if there were no engineers, there would
be no electricity in your area right now. I bet
you didn’t realize, but almost every mechanical,
electrical, structural body in your house or even
neighborhood is run by engineers.
	 Engineering is one of the broadest fields
of Science. It is subdivided into many divisions
such as Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering,
Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Agricul-
tural Engineering and the list goes on and on. The
responsibilities of an engineer is undeniably very
crucial in any part of the world. Unfortunately
since it is the broadest, it is also one of the most
difficult to understand. A lot of people don’t even
know exactly what an engineer does, and this
results in a shortage of people studying this field of
Science.
	 The pictures on the right may be a bit too
farfetched, but they speak for themselves. But if en-
gineering really has an important role in our world,
then why are the number of people studying them
getting lesser and lesser? There are a lot of factors
that are inducing the shortage of engineers in our
world. First is the most common, people don’t
really understand what an engineer does. Some
people even think that engineers are the people
responsible for repairing vending machines. Some
children think engineers are the people who drive
“choo-choo” trains. These ideas were instilled onto
a lot of people as kids. But if students, especially
high school students are properly guided by their
professors on what engineering really is and, what
the different roles of engineers are in the commu-
nity, then they would have a better understanding
of what the engineering field is all about. Who
knows they might want to take an engineering
course in the university.
	 Another reason why people don’t invest
themselves in the field of engineering is because, it
doesn’t make you rich fast enough. A lot of people
would rather spend their time taking up their
MBA’s and open up a business. After all, business is
the fastest way to make money.
	 Engineering is definitely a necessary
profession in every part of the world. If people
would understand the scope of engineering and its
effect to our world today, there might not be any
shortages. Engineers nowadays need to be given
the right credit they deserve, so they themselves
see their worth and importance as engineers.
I
Lyon Sprague DeCamp once said,
“The story of civilisation is, in a
sense, the story of engineering -
that long and arduous struggle to
make the forces of nature work for
man’s good.”
by Cielo Panda
12
Travellinginvacuumtubesmaysound
likesciencefiction.Itisveryfuturistic
andaheadstarttowardsbuildingsmart
citiesandhightechsuburbs.Really,it
isjustsomethingyoucanjustwatchin
movies.
	 Butnow,it’sgettingreal.
	 Froma57-pageconcept
paperproposedbySpaceXandTesla
MotorsCEOElonMuskin2013,com-
paniesarenowinvestedtoconstruct
anddemonstrateatestrunofthe
Hyperloopthis2016.TheHyper-
loopTransportationTechnologies
recentlyannounceditssigned
agreementstopartnerwith
OerlikonLeyboldVacuumand
Aecom,anengineeringdesign
firm.Allcompanieswillshareits
expertiseinengineeringdesign
SpaceX’s Hyperloop
Pod Competition
andconstructioninexchangeforstock
optionsinthecompany.Theteams
willconsistofengineersandscientists
fromNASA,Boeing,SpaceXandTesla
moonlightinginthesaidHyperloop
project.
	 Aspertheproject,the
companyaimstocreateatranspor-
tationsystemrunningfasterthanthe
speedoflightatapotentialof760mph.
HTTboughtalandfieldlastyearin
QuayValleyfortheconstructionof
theHyperloop.Itaimstoconnectthe
HTT’stesttracktothenearbysolar
poweredconceptcitybeingbuiltin
King’sCountyinCaliforniaasitsmain
transportationsystem.Thetesttrack
willbe5mileslongandwilltake8min-
utestraveltimetotheconceptcity.The
releasedatewillbeattheendof2016.
	 Also,thisyear,SpaceXan-
nounceditspodprototypeHyperloop
competitionopenedtoengineering
studentsandotherresearchentities
tobetestedona1-miletracknearits
headquartersinHawthorne,California.
Thetargettestingwillbeheldinsum-
merthisyear.Accordingtotheirweb-
site,thoughtheiraimisnottodevelopa
commercialHyperloopforthemselves,
SpaceXareinterestedinassistingand
acceleratingthedevelopmentofa
functionalHyperloopprototype.
	 AnotherHyperloopcom-
pany,calledHyperloopTechnologies,is
alsosettingitsowntracksfortestingin
theCaliforniadesert.
	 Seriously,thetubetranspois
reallyhappening.
Hyperloop Passenger Capsule Subsystem Notional Locations (Photo Source: Pinterest)
Photo Credit:
Blog Automobile
13
yperloop Technologies Inc.
proudly announced that as a
sponsor of the SpaceX Hyperloop
Pod Design Weekend January 29-
30 at Texas A&M, they will offer
$150,000 in prize money to teams
who present the strongest design concepts.
Hyperloop Tech will work with the select-
ed teams to provide resources and offset
the costs of building the pod in support of
student innovation in engineering.
	 After deliberate judging, more
than 115 students engineering teams rep-
resenting 27 U.S. states and 20 countries
were trimmed down to 22 to advance in
the next stage of the SpaceX’s Hyperloop
Pod Competition. The selected teams will
head to California this summer to test
their design prototype at the world’s first
Hyperloop Test Track.
	 Important criteria were consid-
ered to select the qualifiers: innovation
and uniqueness of design, full Hyperloop
system applicability and economics, level
of design detail, strength of supporting
analysis and test, feasibility for test tract
competition, and quality of documentation
and presentation.
22 Teams PROCEED
TO Prototype Testing
IN CALIFORNIA
WINNING TEAMS
MITHyperloopTeam,MassachusettsInstituteofTechnology
rLoop(non-studentteam)
uWaterlooHyperloop,UniversityofWaterloo
UWashingtonHyperloop,UniversityofWashington
UniversityofToronto,UniversityofToronto
RUMDLoop,UniversityofMarylandandRutgersUniversity
GatorLoop,UniversityofFlorida
TeamHyperLynx,UniversityofColorado-Denver
HyperloopUC,UniversityofCincinnati
UCSBHyperloop,UniversityofCalifornia-SantaBarbara
bLoop,UniversityofCalifornia-Berkeley
TAMUAerospaceHyperloop,TexasA&M
WARRHyperloop,TechnicalUniversityofMunich(Germany)
PurdueHyperloopDesignTeam,PurdueUniversity
Codex,OralRobertsUniversity
LehighHyperloop,LehighUniversity
KeioAlpha,KeioUniversity
DrexelHyperloop,DrexelUniversity
CarnegieMellonHyperloop,Carnegie-MellonUniversity
BEST OVERALL DESIGN AWARD:
MIT Hyperloop Team, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
POD INNOVATION AWARD:
Delft Hyperloop, Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands)
POD TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE AWARD:
Badgerloop, University of Wisconsin-Madison
POD TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE AWARD:
Hyperloop at Virginia Tech, Virginia Tech
POD TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE AWARD:
HyperXite, University of California Irvine
H
Photo Credit: Sanal Ulke
Photo Source: The Hoops News
14
Water-Droplet Operated Computer
ater and a computer can be an
unusual combination. However, an
assistant professor of Bioengineering
in Stanford, along with his students,
has invented a synchronous com-
puter that works on the principle
of moving droplets of water. These computers are
being produced in such a way that they will be able
to control as well as manipulate physical matter.
	 The group of engineers has been working
on this project for almost a decade now. The idea
of creating such computers came to Manu Prakash
during his graduation. The dynamics of the fluid
droplet manipulates the basic element of computer
science.
	 The computer performs the same
functions as that of a normal electronic computer.
Nevertheless, it is comparatively slow. Though, this
is not included in the list of goals of the developers.
The primary aim is to concentrate on the physical
dimension and not on the fragments of informa-
tion.
W
	 The all-new computer chip has been
based on the rotating magnetic fields and a type of
maze of glass for small single droplets that is incul-
cated with the magnetic field. Each movement of
the rotating magnetic field mobilizes the droplets
of liquid in a proposed direction. In a binary code,
the presence of a water droplet is regarded as 1.
	 These first generation chips are very
minute in size. They’re almost half the size of
available postage stamps. In fact the water droplets
are smaller than the size of the poppy seeds. The
engineers encourages anyone who are interested in
trying out their new invention. They also want to
enable people who want to design new circuits that
are based on their start-up building blocks.
	 Opening this technology to the public,
can open doorways for new technologies that can
spring up. These new technologies can lead to
different new understandings that may or may not
make the world a better place.
Just add water to make your computer work.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
Photo Source: New Mobile Life
15
Real-Life
Iron Man
As the song goes “What
doesn’t kill you makes you
stronger”. This line can be
related to Wayan Sumardana,
a 31-year old welder by trade
from Bali, Indonesia, who
was able to innovate some-
thing amazing despite his
social status and having just
survived a mild stroke.
	 Wayan, or Tawan
as people call him, was able
to make a bionic arm from
scratch using only tools and
scrap metals from his work-
shop.
Tawan’s arm was left para-
lyzed after he suffered from a
mild stroke. Being his family’s
breadwinner, he had to find a
way to be able to work. Using
his enthusiasm and some
knowledge in electrical engi-
neering, he was able to create
his own mind-controlled
bionic arm.
	 He can transmit
signals from his head to his
bionic arms, so it can work
like a real arm.
According to Tawan, his ma-
chine works like a lie detector.
Electrodes are attached to his
scalp, wherein it takes signals
from his head. The signals are
them amplified then analyzed
in the micro-control on his
back, then will be transmitted
to his bionic arm.
	 “I want to motivate
people who have strokes.”
Tawan said.
ELECTRO-ME C HA N IC A L ENGIN EER ING
Photo Source: We Reblog
Photo Source: Blogger Reporter
16
Invisible
Lightweight
Materials Soon
To Be A Reality
n 29-year old Iranian researcher,
Dr. Mohsen Esmaily, at Chalmers
University in Sweden has recently
made a breakthrough in magnesium
lightweight materials that could
pave way to creating invisible ma-
terials. He has been awarded with the prestigious
scientific prize by the Royal Swedish Academy
of Engineering Sciences for his breakthrough
in magnesium alloys. His research could greatly
impact the future of materials science as the back-
bone of every industrialized nation science and
important to developing countries. According to
the Dr. Esmaily, saving our resources is of utmost
importance as we now experience climate change
and depleting environmental resources. Manufac-
turing lighter components is an effective way to
reduce uses of our resources and prevent further
carbon emissions.
	 His results in magnesium alloys
demonstrate possible microstructural design
improvements for enhanced properties such as
the invisibility effect. It is related to the interac-
tion of light and the material and producing such
‘metamaterials’ through nanotechnology. Now, it is
possible to control the bending of light in the ma-
terials. Imagine those invisible laptops and phones
in the coming decade, he says. There has been an
emerging arena in research to create lightweight
materials around the globe in the last decade.
Countries like the UK, the USA, Germany and
Japan are also undertaking major national research
in this area.
Optical Brush Takes
Images Without Lenses
MIT scientists develop the Optical Brush, through bundles of fibers immersed in pipes and liquids
to image oil fields without risking watertight housing damages.
IT scientists devel-
oped a new imaging
device that consists
of bundles of fibers
through pipes im-
mersed in fluids. This
can image oil fields, aquifers and plumbing
without risking damages to watertight
housings. These bundles of fibers can yield
narrow endoscopes that would not need
additional electronics.
The fibers are connected to an array of
photo sensors at one end and the another
left wave free to pass through micro meter
scale gaps in porous membrane and
get image on other side. By measuring
different times at which bursts of light is
photo detected, the device can identify the
relative locations of the fiber.
The commercial type will have these
bursts of lights calibrated within the fibers
while the prototype, with 1,100 fibers
C H E M I C A L
A
M
measuring 300 micrometer in diameter,
used external laser source and can pro-
duce 33 by 33 pixels. Time of flight, was
the technique used by the group and has
never been used in other things according
to Barmak Heshmat, the work leader and
author from MIT.
The device is further develop to extend
its imaging capabilities such as extracting
depth information and getting positions at
different arrival time interval of the lights
from the fiber. As of now it can produce
2D map positions of the fibers tips and can
potentially unscramble image captured by
conventional camera.
Other scientists like Keisuke Goda, a
professor chemist, says that it can be
useful for intestine endoscopy as it can
propel in complex structure. Definitely, it
is an interesting and innovative computa-
tional imaging that could be used in many
aspects.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
C H E M I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G
Photo Source: Plastic Material
Photo Source: Universal Sci
17
Doodling Your Circuits That Easy
ased on personal experi-
ence, I certainly had a hard
time taking up my electrical
engineering elective where
in I struggled visualizing
circuit analysis and solving
circuit problems. Branches,
nodes and loops would just scramble in my
head. Then I get lost where to apply Kirchoff’s
Law, Ohm’s Law and Thevenin’s Theory etc.
But with this cool pen, I think students would
learn electronics faster and easier. Goodbye,
breadboards!
	 Elektroniks, a start-up company
from University of Illinois, creates Circuit
Scribe, a roller pen with conductive silver
ink for STEM education. It is a project based
learning where in students can build circuits
and switches in their notebooks by just
drawing lines. You can even create low-cost
high quality electronics with just papers, LED,
small batteries and clips.
	 It comes in different kits and tools
starting at a price of $20 per Circuit Scribe
pen. Basic kits cost $30 packed with basic
components like LED magnetic sensor and
boards, resistors, capacitors and switches. 
More advanced learning kits range at $50-
$5000 from classroom to developer levels.
Add on tools can be also bought per piece.
The project was launched in Kickstarter and
has garnered a lot of pledges and backers.
Circuit Scribe has indeed attracted a lot of
people from the STEM field. Now, it can be
ordered through the Elektroniks and Kick-
starter websites and can be shipped anywhere
in the world. Definitely, this is a must-have for
electronics students and beginners. Doodle
your circuits and learn that easy!
B
E L E C T R I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G
Photo Sources
Top: The Hindu
Bottom: Crowd Supply
18
by Alice Hernandez
C O M P U T E R
Karlie Kloss:
the SUPERMODEL
CODER
ou may have seen her in a Taylor Swift music
video or passed by the magazine stand and
see her face on the covers of different popular
magazines such as Vogue but there is more to
this supermodel extraordinaire than having
a pretty face and a body most women would
love to have.
	 She’s Karlie Kloss. Currently at the top of the
modeling game and making a difference in her attempts
to help fund meals for starving children all over the
world, Kloss also has cool hobbies we never expected
her to have. These hobbies include ballet and baking
cookies. Check out her instagram feed. She really likes
to bake. But what makes this 23-year-old cooler is her
love for coding.
	 Yes! The supermodel, who walks in couture
gowns for different brands and became a household
name for strutting her stuff in the Victoria’s Secret Fash-
ion Show, pursues her passion for coding. Normally,
models quit school just to pursue modeling – Kloss did
the opposite. Kloss just proves that models shouldn’t
just focus on their looks but also on their brains.
	 She initially took a crash course in coding
and found herself in love with it. Later on, we see her
talking about coding like it’s one of her obsessions.
Last September 2015, she enrolled herself in NYU’s
Gallatin School of Individualized Study. When she
graced the cover of British Vogue last December 2015,
she discussed her love for coding: “Call me a nerd, but I
love coding, the language of computers. Understanding
coding is a superpower. I met some tech entrepreneurs
and they are billionaires through learning this stuff. I’m
so competitive with myself and I am fascinated by the
language of technology so I decided to be part of the
conversation… I think it’s sexy to learn this stuff; it en-
Y
ables and it empowers both sexes. About two years ago
I started to think about what happens to me next. I’m
a 23-year-old model and I want to think less about my
looks and more about my future, and that involves my
brain. I want to run companies, have a business future.”
	 Knowing that she can’t bank on her looks
alone, she’ll use her coding skills to build an empire in
the future. Isn’t that an amazing role model for all the
younger kids out there? Speaking of being a good role
model, Kloss is also inspiring young girls to code. With
millions of followers in her social media accounts, she
uses it to let the public know the importance of coding
in today’s society. Now, she wants other women to fol-
low her footsteps. In an interview with The Guardian,
she expresses her opinion on the matter: “I think it’s
crucial that young women learn to code as early as pos-
sible to ensure that we as young women have a voice
and a stake in what the world looks like.” Last year, she
offered scholarship to 21 young girls between the ages
of 13 and 18 in her Kode for Karlie Scholarship. This is
in collaboration with Flatiron School. For two weeks,
21 girls were luck enough to immerse themselves in
the world of coding for two weeks with other young
coding enthusiasts.
	 Through the supermodel’s enthusiastic
posts about her love for coding, this will encourage
younger women to pursue a career in computer
science. This will allow an opportunity to address the
gender inequality issue in the workplace. Isn’t Kloss’
coding advocacy a refreshing view from all the other
shallow posts from other social media ‘it’ girls? We’re
hoping that the supermodel will inspire young women
to develop their brains instead of doing shallow things
just to get a few likes on their social media accounts.
D E S I G N
Over the last year I
started taking coding
classes and realized
how creative coding
truly is. Similar to
dance and fashion,
coding is a form of
self-expression. It's
a way to turn a cool
innovative idea to a
product, website, app,
tool or experience.
”
“
by Alice Hernandez
F A S H I O N E E R I N G
Photo Source: Pinterest
19
Using a
Gemasolar
Thermosolar Plant
as the Runway
long straight stage can be a boring place
for a model to show off her clothes. The
clothes may be gorgeous but without
an interesting background, the fashion
show wouldn’t be very memorable
for an industry that thrives on the
ever-constant changes of the trends. So,
this model wants her fashion show to
be an event people would talk about – not just
in the fashion industry but also to everyone who
supports the green energy movement.
	 Meet Jessica Minh Anh. She’s a mod-
el, entrepreneur and a fashion show producer,
who transforms popular places into phenomenal
catwalks. She has made catwalks out of places
such as the Eiffel Tower, One World Trade Cen-
ter, Petronas Twin Towers and Londons Tower
Bridge.
	 What an awesome way to make a
mark in the fashion world. For her 10th year in
making extravagant productions, she chose the
famous Gemasolar Thermosolar Plant in Seville,
Spain. Who would have thought that this power
plant can be made into an awesome cinematic
backdrop for the J Summer Fashion Show 2015.
	 Wearing a red flamenco dress, Minh
Anh strut the catwalk located in the main road
at the center of the power plant, followed by
other models wearing maxi dresses. The show’s
audience sat on both sides of the catwalk while
drones flew around on top. These drones filmed
the whole show and featured how the sunlight
gives a stunning effect on the power plant’s
surroundings.
	 Thanks to Jessica Minh Anh’s catwalk
stint last July 2015, it inspired other people in the
creative world to pay attention to green energy as
well. In an interview, Minh Anh how Gemasolar
inspired her to take her extravagant show to this
power plant: “Gemasolar took my breath away. It
represents a rare modern beauty, which sees the
best of designs and sustainability efforts in one
place. I would consider this show my most chal-
lenging yet exciting project so far.” With Minh
Anh’s ambitious creative side, where will she take
her fashion show next? Would it also involve the
theme of renewable energy in her next projects?
A
by Alice Hernandez
Photo Source: jessicaminhanh via tumblr
Photo Source: jessicaminhanh via tumblr
Photo Source: jessicaminhanh via tumblr
20
he physique of our human body is one of the
most grotesque creations ever made. From
the strands of our DNA in our cells up to our
outer epidermis, everything has sophisticated
structure. Honed symmetrical and function-
al, it is no doubt a vast field of intertwining
studies and gray areas. The perceptions of the human
body indeed is in a continuum of constructs and
relationships. Leonardo Da Vinci once incorporated
the beauty and architecture of the body through the
Vitruvian Man understanding its physical design.
Gregor Mendel with his study of genetics for charac-
teristics and traits. Charles Darwin for the theory of
evolution tracing our primitive origins and plotting
physiological changes over time. These all muster
to the different kinds of appreciation about what
human body is.
	 But what about trying to augment what
it already is? To encompass enhancement and per-
petuate the value of its functions, life in general? If
we conceptualize that our body is a manipulable cre-
ation, then it can be a technological tool for further
enhancements and innovations. Technology has now
provided earphones as the ear, the camera as the eye,
the cellular phones for the communication and other
useful advancements. Such relationship transcends
the differences and functions of what our body can
do and could do further. Let us take the perspective
of a unique ‘Body Architect’ on how she expresses
the relationship of technology and the human body.
Lucy McRae, a body architect as she calls herself, is
a featured TED speaker who works at Philips Elec-
tronics in the far-future design research lab. She is
a trained ballerina with an architecture and fashion
background. She fused the biological, technological
and philosophical fields forging a distinct job and
futuristic goals for the human body. She talks about
extending the links of what our body can do, how
certain visual imagery could do human evolution and
exploring its coexistence with technology. It’s more
of trying to move forward and reverting at the same
time in enhancing our body. To provide a redefini-
tion of our body functions as well is one mode of her
projects and creations.
T
Lucy McRae’s
Body Architecture
Experiments
B I O M E D I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G
Photos Source: Lucy McRae
by Farrel Pinto
21
n invention she made was the swallowable
perfume. It is a cosmetic pill that would
perspire out fragrance from the skin once
consumed. She fascinates the way how
human attracts partners being reverted like
animals to communicate through their own
odor. Thus, making the human body also
an atomizer itself. It fastens the expression of human
emotions through digitized and enhanced body
function such as that of the skin.
	 Similar projects she has also initiated
embodies the adaptive function of our body through
vacuum cases. It has been inspired by the NASA
preparation for astronauts going outer space. It is
a futuristic spa prepping the body for zero gravity
and deep pressure. Participants undergoing the
prepping experience reduced tension and anxiety by
dilating body senses as they are encased in a vacuum
chamber. The device can be also used to treat autism,
depression and other physiological disorders.
	 Definitely, one could marvel out discov-
eries and innovations from our bodies if we started
inside out. Appreciating the functionalities and
aesthetics first idealizes how things will progress. And
through technology, we enhanced each part and then
the whole body providing new and protracted capa-
bilities. There are countless of possibilities and ideas
if we open our minds to the synergies of technology
and the nature of our human body. Who knows? Just
like Lucy McRae, we can redesign a human body that
does not age, a body that lives triple times the average
life span today or a self-healing body. We could bring
in different worlds. Wouldn’t it be exciting?
Lucy McRae’s Vacuum Case Experiment
A Lucy McRae
Lucy McRae is a trained classical ballerina and
an architect who considers herself as a Body
Architect, a science artist and a trailblazer,
who started her artistic study of technology at
Philips Design. She now leads the company’s
far-future research lab and conducts creative
innovations on human body archetype
through science and fashion technological
projects.
B I O M E D I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G
Photo Source: Lucy McRae
Photo Source:
Lucy McRae
22
ver wondered what 4D
technology looks like?
Well, it’s pretty much like
3D plus another dimen-
sion: time.
	 Research from Harvard
University has found a way for a
3D-printed flower to shapeshift
while being immersed in water.
It is 4D-printed hydrogel com-
posite structure that is the shape
of an orchid, which is printed in
a single step but in a modified
print path.
	 Hydrogel composites
contain cellulose fibrils, an
organic compound found in
plants. It solidifies quickly upon
E
Shapeshifting
4D Technology
4 D T E C H N O L O G Y
printing but changes its shape
with the cellulose fibrils.
	 It comes from the idea
of developing an object, espe-
cially that of nature, the way
plants reacts to external stim-
uli like sun or rain. It was the
brainchild of the scientists from
Wyss Institute for Biologically
Inspired Engineering and the
Harvard John A Paulson School
of Engineering and Applied
Siences.
	 This groundbreaking
research is funded by the US
Army Research Office and the
Materials Research Science and
Engineering Center.
Photo Source: Twitter
Photo Source: DigitaltTrends
Photo Source: Live Science
23
t has been a well-debated topic to whoever
has a more complicated job, or which
one is better: architects or civil engineers.
While to answer which one is better is
quite an unsound thought, it is safe to say
that civil engineers have a more compli-
cated job. I will say all these according to
my biases because I am a civil engineer and I have
experienced firsthand how difficult it is in the con-
struction industry to implement what architects do.
	 Civil engineers might as well agree with
on this one: an architect’s dream is a civil engineer’s
nightmare. To be able to fully understand that
expression, we have to know what architects and civil
engineers do. What architects essentially do is control
and innovate the overall aesthetics of a building or
structure. They study and focus on the aesthetic
principles of design and push its limits when it comes
to layout; they think outside of the box to provide
the most appealing structures according to form and
function, and also to local laws that will affect their
design.	
	 That’s the scary part: when architects think
outside of the box, civil engineers might as well hide
in that box. Civil engineers are basically the builders
of the structures that architects put in construction
plans. We make sure that what the architects want
will be constructed according to their specifications.
Armed with technical knowledge and planning, we
have to find ways to make them work considering all
construction and structural codes necessary. It will
need several engineering laws to be followed that are
deep-rooted in math and in physics for the structure
to serve mankind for a long time. It will require
computations to prove that the structure is safe to be
constructed and feasible. This cannot be done by ar-
chitects because, as the good old joke goes, architects
are civil engineers who cannot do math.	
	 Apart from the feasibility of the design of
the architects, civil engineers also deal with problems
on how to construct them in real life. Every single
item on the plan must be followed – each material,
dimensions, and location– which were mostly as-
signed by the architects. Civil engineers supervise the
construction work, as we have the knowledge of what
should be done to accomplish a building or a struc-
ture and what kind of building methods and practices
should be done. Perhaps there is already a grasp now
what it means to say that an architect’s dream is a
civil engineer’s nightmare; when the imagination of
architects go wild, civil engineers themselves go wild
in providing how such imagination can become real.
	 There would not be so much of a problem
if the two can meet halfway: an architect can be free
to design a structure with the permission of a civil
engineer that the structure can be built. Otherwise,
it will be a riot. Others say that civil engineers can
become architects on their own by having the right
amount of imagination. While that can be true, we
might end up having curve-less structures everything
will just be straight lines as that is an easier task for
civil engineers to prove to be feasible and easier to
construct. That is the reason why civil engineers and
architects need to have the collaboration in producing
structures that will serve the next generation. It isn’t
about who is better than the other, but about what
each one can contribute to accomplish a project. It is
only just sometimes, architects bring so much head-
ache to civil engineers when they go out of bounds.
I
AN ARCHITECT’S DREAM IS
A CIVIL ENGINEER’S NIGHTMARE
by Dion Greg Reyes
OPINION
24
o you ever wonder
what the world
will look like by
the year 2050? Is
the technology
too advanced for
us? Will it make
the world a better
place? Or will the
world look just
like those dystopian films we see in the
big screen? Will there be more robots
than people?
	 Technology is advancing at
a rapid pace and affecting all industries
and sectors in one way or the other. It is
likely that technology will have brought
to reality things by 2050 that only exist
in fiction now. It will also have certainly
made a major impact in the sectors of
energy production and engineering. In
fact, researches have already uncovered
certain remarkable possibilities will come
into being by 2050.
	 For example, engineers at
the Stanford University have already
developed a plan that can transform
the United States into a nation that uses
only renewable sources of energy by the
year 2050. The plan details the actions
that need to be taken by each of the 50
states of the country in order to achieve
the transformation. There are aggressive
changes required in the energy consump-
tion patterns and also the infrastructure.
What does
the Year 2050
have in store
for Engineers ?
Nonetheless, the plan is feasible from an
economic and technical standpoint.
	 Is it the end of the coal indus-
try then? Clean energy for all? What will
the green activists complain about then?
	 Similar plans are afoot in
London, UK. A plan has been proposed
which can bring about major changes in
the infrastructure so as to make the city
sustainable for over 11 million people,
the projected population of London in
2050. One of the major concerns has
been water shortage, others being energy,
waste, transport and resource manage-
ment.
	 Some of the largest engineer-
ing groups in the world have stated that
we already have technologies which
are capable of reducing the greenhouse
gases in the planet by as much as 85%
by the year 2050. Another prediction
being made for the year 2050 is that the
world will have a total population of
9.5 billion. In order to feed such a large
population, researchers are suggesting
the use of genetic engineering and high
performance computing to increase the
photosynthetic efficiency of the plants.
This method can boost food production
and crop yields.
	 With all these plans for cleaner
energy and sustainability, do you think
engineers and scientists can make them
happen by the year 2050? Only time can
tell.
D
25
ne of the most common
complaints against wind
turbines is not the difficulty
of use, usually it’s that the
wind turbines are quite
dull-looking. Most wind turbines
look so completely out of place in
the landscape they are placed on,
that they become eyesores.
	 However, that is set to
change if Jérôme Michaud-Larivière
would have his way.
	 Jérôme Michaud-Larivière
is the man behind New Wind, a
startup venture based in Paris. He
has created the Tree Wind, a wind
turbine that is shaped like a tree.
This is certainly a more aesthetical-
ly pleasing take on wind turbines.
At the same time, the wind tree
remains completely silent while the
‘leaves’ move in the wind.
	 According to Mi-
chaud-Larivière, the leaves of these
trees act as miniature versions of
wind turbines. He hit upon this idea
when he noticed tree leaves moving
even if there was almost no wind.
He wondered about the wattage that
could be produced by the leaves.
O
Trees
carry
artsy
wind
turbines
E N V I R O N M E N T A L E N G I N E E R I N G
Photo Source: Energosovet
26
It demands an extreme interest
and attention to know even the
minutest detail of an object that
nobody else would ever be interest-
ed in. The air conditioner cools you
down while a room heater brings
your body temperature to normal.
However, there’s hardly anyone of
us who would have ever shown
interest in knowing what mecha-
nism works behind them or how
their electric circuits are connected,
unless you’re an engineer. Here’s
another character.
	 Designer Cindy Strobach
is different from most of us. For her
graduate presentation at London’s
Royal College of Art, she chose to
do something out of ordinary. She
decided to visualize the insides of
commonplace electronic objects,
specifically, a toaster and a speaker.
She used silk, organic dye made
from cabbage juice, and a pair
of electrodes to create colorful
“X-rays” (of sorts) of the internal
structures of these objects, which
completely resemble Abstract Ex-
pressionist paintings or Shibori tie-
dye. This technique, called “Electro
Colour”, was described as “painting
with electricity”. The printing pro-
cess she used was based upon the
principle of electrolysis of water,
which describes the decomposition
DESIGN ENGINEERING
of water (H20) into oxygen and
hydrogen gas when an electric
current is passed through. The
water, in her experiment, was the
red cabbage juice.
	 The technique she used
is simple. She stained a piece of silk
with an organic dye made from red
cabbage juice. This created a bright
monochromatic square laid on top
of the inner circuit board of the
toaster and the speaker. This was
then connected to a negative and
a positive electrode. The negative
electrode converts into alkaline and
the positive electrode into acidic,
which then sends electric currents
through the silk. The color of the
dye changes as the current passes
through it, which creates impres-
sions in midnight blues, mustard
yellows, and blacks. The appliances
are, then, draped with these dyed
“X-rays” from outside, picturing
their skeletal internal circuitry
from the outside. It looks like a hu-
man wearing one of those skeleton
T-shirts.
	 The new experiment
exudes a new understanding to the
everyday product and technologies
we used on a daily basis. Creativity
is truly not limited to canvas, it can
take any form you might not even
think of.
ARTWORK
MADE BY
ELECTRICITY
Photo Sources
Top: Royal College of Art
Top 3, Right: Frame Web
Bottom 2, Right: This is Paper
by Farrel Pinto
27
ost construction sites
are safe when all safety
procedures from the
textbook are followed.
But when there is
already an impossible
way to gain acces in
some portions of the
construction to check for safety, the pres-
ence of drones will be a life-saver.
	 Well, the primary purpose of
drones in construction is its ability to
access parts that humans cannot easily
do or spot. Since safety is very much
upheld in the site, drones are of big help in
monitoring dangerously perched scaffolds,
evaluating harness equipment, and assess-
ing ladder placement for a worker above it,
among others. Being small and agile, they
can also go into hard-to-see places inside
the buildings, where small workers could
fit but may deem to be unsafe.
	 Other than the safety of con-
struction workers, drones are also useful
in maintaining the time frame and budget
of the project. Since it can help prevent
incidents that are harmful, the project can
make use of full-time workers that aren’t
involved in circumstances that will alter
the duration and cost of the project.
	 In this regard, Japan, through
Komatsu, is already exploiting the drones’
potential especially that the country is now
facing a declining population. They have
come out with a service called Smart Con-
struction, which allows workers to connect
to a cloud where drones and artificial
intelligence assisted controls will be able to
report their success. It’s meant to improve
the overall efficacy of any construction
company that is using workers and drones.
	 Countries like Australia and
Kenya have also began construction appli-
cation of these drones.
	 Drones, other than in construc-
tion, also find its purpose in surveying.
They can provide up-to-date 3D maps and
progress reports via sending pictures right
from the drone.
	 The use of drones in engineering
has indeed stepped up. It will be no won-
der if all construction sites will be filled
with flying machines later on.
M
Drones in the
Construction Site
by Dion Greg Reyes
CIVIL ENGINEERING
Photo Source: Rakenapp
28
Harnessing
Electric Power from
Women’s Boobs
k! You think I’m pulling
your leg right? Women’s
breasts, a source of ener-
gy? No WAY! Well hear
me out here! A woman
from San Francisco –
Adrienne, wondered
if her natural D cup impediments
to her love of sport could be put to
some other good use, “they will ful-
fill their intended function for about
three of the 70 years that I have
them” she says. Fair point if you
think about it! So she thought why
not “put her girls to work”? Why not
indeed? Since human powered de-
vices are emerging across the globe.
Thus began a journey of discovery
for Adrienne.
	 The physics of breast
motion has been researched since
the mid 1980’s; and LaJean Lawson,
a former professor of exercise
science at Oregon State University
had discovered a D cup can move as
much as 35 inches during exercise!
This motion would be enough to
power an mp3 player or smart-
phone! However smaller cup sizes
would generate less motion thus
less power. Other solutions could
incorporate solar panels or mini
rotary generators. These rotary
generators are used in “Lightening
packs” backpacks used on long hikes
that can generate up to 7 watts of
energy (enough to power small LED
lights). But these options seemed all
too cumbersome. Then Adrienne
discovered the work of Professor
Zhong Lin Wan of Georgia State
University.
	 Prof. Wan is developing a
fabric made of nanowires 1/1,000th
the width of a human hair. They rub
together in the fabric converting
friction energy into an electrical
charge. Unbelievably, Prof. Wan
believes this technology will be
available within the next 5 years!
The big catch? Washing. The dis-
tance between nanowires has to be
at a constant for them to work and
washing may distort the fabric. So
it seems Professor Wan has 5 years
to perfect his fabric and when he
does? Well think of the possibilities.
Adrienne will be able to listen to
her smartphone while she exercises
and us lesser mortals could have our
Google glasses and Apple watches
powered by our frantic daily lives!
O
W E A R A B L E T E C H
Photo Source: Wikia
29
Women in Space Seek More Women in Space
by Farrel Pinto
	 This strong sentiment is what
Natalie Panek, a mission systems engineer
in robotics and automation at Canada’s
MDA Corp., firmly believes. A wider per-
spective is necessary, which looks at the
statistics regarding women advancing in
their careers into leadership, director-lev-
el, and board-level positions according to
her.
	 As a child, watching TV shows
like Star Trek and Stargate SG-1 inspired
her to a life’s calling- Space. She just not
designs rovers but also aims to inspire
women to pursue their dreams and see
their reflections in the industry. She
also pointed out resolving problem on
retaining women in STEM fields through-
out their careers. Women must not be
hindered to rise up and advance in their
careers, she implied.
	 Natalie Panek is a rocket scien-
tist and an explorer, as she calls herself,
who dreams to become an astronaut.
Now, she works with her team to build
chassis and locomotion system for the
European Space Agency’s 2018 ExoMars
Rover. She was recently named as Can-
ada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by
the Woman’s Executive Network.
	 She is a vocal advocate for
woman in technology according to The
Financial Post and named under Forbes
30 under 30 in 2015.
Photo Source: Flare
	 Dr. Lucianne Walkowicz, an
astronomer at the Adler Planetarium in
Chicago, also sees that diversity in her in-
dustry is imperative. Thus, conducting more
research is needed to back this up.
	 She also argued on a report on re-
cruiting women into technical positions by
the Anita Borg Institute that there are con-
sistent blind spots in recruiting and hiring
practices. There are hiring processes that
are implicitly biased lacking organizational
infrastructure to support diversity efforts.
	 It recommends to take up steps
like blind resume screening process, show-
ing technical women during the interview
process and that every technical position
has a viable female candidate.
	 She was inspired to pursue her
field upon her interest in chemistry and
physics in high school. Wanting a career
consisting both, she participated a research
program at the New York Academy of Sci-
ences. Someone suggested astronomy and
brought her to work with a professor in
New York University on chemistry of plane-
tary atmospheres. From there, she immedi-
ately was fascinated in the field. 
	 Now, as an astronomer, she works
both on research and public education. Lu-
cianne currently works on the Large Synop-
tic Survey Telescope project which she says
the flagship observatory for the next decade.
Photo Source: The Lavin Agency
Dr. Lucianne Walkowicz
	 As a consultant in space engi-
neering and STEM outreach and founder
of Rocket Women, Vinita focused on wom-
en and space. She aims to encourage more
women to enter the field.
	 Vinita Marwaha Madill works
as engineering manager leading the In-
telligent Transportation Systems Team in
Canada. She also stints as an International
Space Station operations engineer at the
German Aerospace Center.
	 She works on a diversity of de-
signing smart roads and spacesuits, pro-
posing parabolic flights and the likes.
	 Vinita found her fascination
in space back in his childhood days in
London where she learned about Helen
Sharman, a chemist and the first British
astronaut, who flew to Mir. At the age of
6, she was fond of the space as her parents
took her planetarium and space centers.
	 She suggests that to encourage
more women, they should think about ca-
reers in space, science and other equivalent
fields that would focus impact of technolo-
gy to mankind.
	 From here, we see that women
as equals can also advance in science and
technology. Nothing should hinder them as
they could positively influence the young
people to pursue their dreams and express
themselves in their chosen paths.
Vinita Marwaha MadillNatalie Panek
E N G I N E E R C H I C K
Photo Source: Rocket-women
30
hances are, like me, you
have already heard or read
a lot of other people’s suc-
cess stories. I can, without
any pretention, say that I
am genuinely happy for a
successful person, but at
the same time, I also feel a little jealous.
Maybe not green with envy, but I ask
myself what that successful person has
done to achieve more success than I have.
Of course, there are different measures of
success, but the most tangible, at least up
to this day, is obviously wealth. So, when I
hear or read stories about how this or that
person has become a multi-billionaire, I
wonder how he ever did it.
	 Some people made it big
through sheer work, with a dusting of
good luck. Some inherit the wealth of their
family. Yet some are just more education-
ally fit than others, in that their formation
proved to be the most essential through of
the arc of the generation when they lived.
	 A recent study conducted
by Approved Index, a UK-based busi-
ness-to-business platform, showed that
22% of the world’s wealthiest people stud-
ied engineering in college. This is in stark
contrast to only 12% who had a business
degree, nine per cent who had an Arts
degree, and six per cent who studied either
Science, Maths or Law.
	 Engineering-graduate billion-
aires are not only more, they are actually
richer than their ultra-wealthy peers. They
Want to be a Billionaire?
Study Engineering!
have an average net worth of US$ 33 bil-
lion, compared to US$ 29 billion for those
with a Finance degree.
	 Curiously, the study indicated
that having a degree was far from being
a stringent requirement to be a fat cat. A
third of the world’s top 100 billionaires
had no university degree, and they have
a net worth or US$ 31 billion, hot on the
heels of those with Engineering degrees.
In fact, those without degrees have the
most fabled success stories, read Mark
Zuckerberg of Facebook and Bill Gates of
Microsoft.
	 Though the billionaire’s list was
dominated by those with Engineering and
Finance degrees (like Carlos Slim who
studied Civil Engineering), and those
without (like Gates and Zuckerberg),
experts say that the results of the study,
which showed people of other specialisms
make it to the list, underline the impor-
tance of having a society in which people
have varied range of specialization to a
thriving and diverse economy.
	 Sure, not everyone dreams
of becoming a billionaire. We all have
different measures of success. To some, it
lies on the stability of their job, the hap-
piness of their family, the good manners
of their children and other people’s regard
of them, among others. It doesn’t matter
whatever “success” you may be enjoying at
the moment, what is important is that you
worked for it and that you’re happy and
proud about it.
C
Photo Sources:
Zuckerberg: Born Rich;
Gates: Business Dictionary;
Slim: Business Insider
31
“The biggest risk is not taking
any risk… In a world that is
changing really quickly, the only
strategy that is guaranteed to fail
is not taking risks.”
Mark Zuckerberg
“If you are born poor, it’s not
your mistake. If you die poor, it
is your mistake.”
Bill Gates
“If you’re in business, you need
to understand the environment.
You need to have a vision of the
future, and you need to know the
past.”
Carlos Slim
32
IEEE Foundation
Signature Program
empowers off-grid
communities through
education and the
creation of sustain-
able, affordable, lo-
cally owned entre-
preneurial energy
businesses
IEEE Smart Village, a global humanitarian
program helping remote, energy-deprived
communities build toward sustainability with
renewable energy and technology, announced
today the expansion of their partnership
with Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE).
With this expansion, IEEE Smart Village is
supporting GHE in providing clean ener-
gy access through solar power to improve
the living standards of rural villages in the
remote Himalayan frontiers of India.
	 IEEE Smart Village’s investment
in GHE will specifically go toward funding
access to basic electricity, through installation
of energy efficient high lumen LED lights for
residential lighting, solar LED street lighting
for the outdoor community space, mobile
charging points and customized DC HD LED
TV for these villages which are typically lo-
cated above 13000 ft. in the Indian Himalayas
bordering countries such as Pakistan and
China.
	 In partnership with IEEE Smart
Village, GHE’s objective is to implement the
renewable energy and technology solutions
in a sustainable, scalable and environmentally
beneficial way—leading to an overall devel-
opment of the remote villages in the Ladakh
and Zanskar regions of India. In August 2015,
an international cast of volunteers, including
IEEE members, helped set-up DC Solar mi-
crogrids, ranging in capacity from 100 watts
(W) to 300 watts (W), to the remote ancient
village of Shingo, nestled in Hemis National
Park, in the Rumbak Valley of Ladakh, under
the banner of GHE.
	 To date, GHE has electrified eight
Himalayan villages and has impacted over
1800 lives directly. GHE has been instru-
mental in promoting these electrified villages
in the form of Home-Stays (Hostels) for
trekkers, who usually are seeking food and
shelter while hiking through these remote
Himalayan valleys. This has helped increase
the income generation of these remote
communities and has provided them with
a livelihood opportunity towards a better
future.
	 IEEE Smart Village is a donor
supported signature program of the IEEE
Foundation with a vision to bring basic
electrical and educational services to more
than 50 million people by 2025. The program
is currently serving more than 50,000 people
through local partners in Haiti, Cameroon,
Nigeria, South Sudan, Kenya, Namibia,
Zambia and India. About IEEE IEEE, a large,
global technical professional organization,
is dedicated to advancing technology for
the benefit of humanity. Through its highly
cited publications, conferences, technology
standards, and professional and educational
activities, IEEE is the trusted voice on a wide
variety of areas ranging from aerospace sys-
tems, computers and telecommunications to
biomedical engineering, electric power and
consumer electronics.
	 About IEEE Foundation As the
philanthropic arm of IEEE, the IEEE Foun-
dation inspires the generosity of donors so
it may enable IEEE programs that enhance
technology access, literacy and education, as
well as support the IEEE professional com-
munity. The IEEE Foundation, a tax-exempt
501(c)(3) organization in the United States,
fulfills its purpose by soliciting and managing
donations, recognizing the generosity of our
donors, awarding grants to IEEE grassroots
projects of strategic importance, supporting
high impact Signature Programs, serving as
a steward of donations that empower bright
minds, recognize innovation and preserve the
history of technology. With donor support,
the IEEE Foundation strives to be a leader
in transforming lives through the power of
technology and education.
IEEE Smart Village
Expands Partnership
SOCIAL IMPACT ENGINEERS
Photo Source: IEEE
33
First True Peer-to-Peer
Risk Sharing Platform
Besurance Corporation (“Besurance”)
launches besureTM the first true
peer-topeer risk sharing platform. Be-
sure’s peer-to-peer risk sharing enables
individuals to:
• Come together as a community
• Agree on risks to be protected
• Set contributions for the risk coverage
using best actuarial practices
• Have claims adjudicated by their own
community
B
esure is the vision of experienced actu-
aries and risk professionals – allowing
communities to socially share their
risk and protect gadgets, health, travel,
events, automobiles, home, job loss, and person-
al circumstances. The patent pending platform
as a service provides end-to-end processing, and
gives control back to individuals. Besure is roll-
ing out in stages over the next couple of months
a customizable, on-line, risk-sharing platform
with an efficient and scalable operational model.
	 “Besure is a peer-to-peer platform
that harnesses the power of social networking,
co-operation, and the sharing economy by em-
powering individuals to come together within
their community to protect the things that mat-
ter most to them.” - KarimLalani, besure Lead
About Besurance: Besurance is a private corpo-
ration dedicated to community empowerment
through the design andimplementation of easy-to-
use, transparent and cost-effective solutions in the
risk sharing economy.
SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
Photo Source: Inusa News
34
PACKAGING ENGINEERS
HAVE SOMETHING TO
DO WITH TOYS THAT
ARE SO HARD TO OPEN,
THE BAGS OF CHIPS
THAT ARE HALF-AIR,
AND THE PULL TAPE
THAT ALWAYS SEEM
TO BREAK BEFORE YOU
OPEN THE ENVELOPE.
BUT NO, PACKAGING ENGINEERS DON’T
MAKE YOUR LIFE COMPLICATED.
THEY HAVE BUBBLE WRAP.
INDUSTRIAL/PACKAGING ENGINEERING
35
by Dion Greg Reyes
Packaging Engineers
and What They Do
ost of
the time,
people
are never
interested
in pack-
ages of
products.
Whether these people are in the
supermarket, toy stores, drug stores
and warehouses, they just don’t give
much attention to the packaging;
as long as the package is pretty, it
doesn’t matter because they will be
thrown away after the products are
consumed anyway. Well, it hurts to
the packaging engineers who sweat
their ass out in laboratories and
computer-aided drafting software
just to give the perfect preservation
for your products.
	 Packaging is more than
just containing the product: the
package needs to withstand certain
temperatures, be of certain shape,
be tamper-resistant, among others,
to properly protect the products
from manufacturing down to
the consumers. The packaging
engineers determine the materials
fit to use for the product, may it be
cardboard, glass, plastic or wood,
which are the most common. They
also choose methods and machin-
ery that go into the production of
packaging supplies.
	 It sounds easy for most
of us but in reality, packaging
engineering is just as hard as
other engineering disciplines. It
deals with multiple disciplines like
chemical, industrial, materials,
and mechanical engineering to
perfect the design and create boxes,
cartons, bottles and other packing
materials that meet specific criteria.
There also needs to be coordination
from research and development,
manufacturing, marketing, graphic
design, and regulatory departments
to address technical and marketing
challenges.
	 But there is an arising
issue to this multi-billion dollar
business, as concern for the envi-
ronmental degradation increases
– they have to go green and devise
ways to minimize waste by using
the least amount of packaging ma-
terial possible. Efforts to recycle the
packages have gone to producing
recyclable or biodegradable materi-
als.
	 So there. The next time
you purchase a product with a
difficult-to-open package, it doesn’t
mean to make your life hard. Pack-
aging engineers have a reason for
doing that, they just don’t explain
it on the label. Or to the very least,
the next time you destroy a package
of a product which would probably
be within the next hour, remember
the packaging engineers who made
it for you. Photo Source: ECP Quality
M
36
Internet of Things of the Future
BODYHACKING
ouldn’t it be nice to get things done
with just a wave of the hand? Like
when paying you bills, all you have
to do is wave your hand in front
of the scanner. Or maybe let your
car engine start once you wave in
front of your car’s ignition to prove you are
authorized to use it. All this conve-
nience relies with the power of your
hand, and is soon possible with
Bodyhacking.
	 Sounds too futuristic?
Well technology has already
advanced through this stage
and is making bodyhacking a
possibility. Hannes Sjöblad, a
famous Swedish bodyhacker, ex-
perimented with this technology,
by implanting electronics, including
W
a passive Near-Field Communications (NFC) trans-
mitter, into his own hand. When he wants to start
his car, he just waves in front of the ignition, when
he wants to open a door, he waves at the digital lock,
when he wants to order coffee, and all he has to do
is wave his hand! Apparently his everyday chores are
done with just a wave of the hand!
	 Sjöblad explained to a group
of journalists at CeBIT Preview 2016
in Hannover, Germany, that he sees
bodyhacking as the next step of
wearable computing. Though we
could wear rings, use, phones,
bracelets and gadgets to host
small electronics, the real future
would still be embedded electron-
ics. With Sjöblad’s experiment,
this kind of future doesn’t seem that
far away after all. Photo Source: Kristallen
BIOMEDICALENGINEERING
Photo Source: Tech 365
Photo Source: GPS-tracker
37
In Dresden, researchers are devising microrobots
to help sperm swim its way to the egg.
Sperm Robots for the
Lousy Swimmer Sperms
o those men whose genitalia
seem to house slow swimmers,
there is now a silver lining to
conceive your baby as research-
ers from the Dresden Institute
for Integrative Nanosciences de-
velop the future deliverers of life, the spermbots.
	 Spermbots being studied are es-
sentially made of microtubes, which are thin
sheets of titanium and iron rolled into conical
tubes with one end wider than the other. The
microtubes are put into a solution in a Petri
dish and added bovine (bull) sperm cells, which
are similar in size to the human sperm. When
a live sperm entered the wider end of the tube,
it became trapped down near the narrow end.
The narrow end is also closed to prohibit the
sperm from swimming out. The mobility of the
sperm is generated from the trapped cell pushed
against the tube.
	 With the magnetic property of titani-
um and iron, the scientists can then control the
direction of the sperm, leaving the propulsion to
the sperm.
T
N A N O T E C H N O L O G Y
Once the sperm hits its desired target, that is the
mighty egg, it can be manipulated magnetically
to release the sperm. There is no certainty yet
to the way the microtubes will leave the sperm;
however, researchers say that it should be pos-
sible by altering the temperature to unroll the
tubes just before they reach the target.
	 Each spermbot can travel up to
100 micrometers per second, comparable to a
6-footer human swimming 50 meters in 14 sec-
onds. If that speed won’t help sperm that doesn’t
swim so well, we don’t know yet what will.
This is being studied among sperm cells since
they are easily available, harmless, and efficient
at swimming through bodily fluids. Although
it is yet to be put to human test, this kind of
assisted fertilization is planned for test among
animals.
	 Nonetheless, this is a promising feat
for sperms which have motor struggles and to
the men who carry them. Do not lose hope just
yet, brother.
38
If you love C-3PO from the Star
Wars movie, then it’s not unlikely
for you to love Pepper too!
	 Pepper is the “emotional”
humanoid robot designed by the
French firm Aldebaran Robotics, a
subsidiary mobile carrier of Soft-
bank. Just like C-3Po, he is designed
to be a day-to-day companion
whose most significant function is
his ability to perceive emotions.
	 Pepper stands 4feet (1.2
meter) tall, with an attached tablet
on front and moves on wheels. He
can initiate small talk end even
give you advices. Pepper’s analyzer
enables him to identify human
emotions based on voices, facial
expressions and body movements.
The robot’s memory stores these
data and gradually memorizes per-
sonality traits as well as preferences
of the owner.
	 Pepper responses by
commenting on the mood of the
moment and expresses himself by
changing color and glittering his
eyes. He moves around and dance
while shaking his hands up. With
Pepper, there will never be a dull
moment!
	 You can even personalize
this robot by downloading software
applications and make if learn to
sing, dance or even speak in anoth-
er language. A specialized software
application is also programmed to
Pepper that makes you earn points
Pepper: the real
Star Wars C-3P0
humanoid robot
R O B O T I C S
Biomimetics is a damn exciting field.
Engineers in this field use nature as their
inspiration for systems and designs to
create awesome stuff. For example, they
used the elephant’s trunk to create a cool
robotic arm.
	 At first glance, the thingamajig
looks like a cross between a mechanical
claw and iron snake with a good measure
of tentacle horror thrown in. In fact, they
are reminiscent of the sweet robotic arms
used by the infamous Dr. Octopus, the
Spiderman villain. Of course, they are
calling it the Bionic Handling Assistant,
the blandest name possible for the cool
robot. But it’s cool anyway.
	 As it stands, elephant trunks
are possibly the coolest appendages in the
Animal Kingdom. So, making a robotic
arm based on that is a fantastic idea.
This robotic arm was made by Festo, a
German automation company.
	 What is even more fantastic
is that the arm acts and learns just like a
baby’s arm. The researcher will guide the
arm to perform certain actions. The robot
will learn and memorizes the movements
so as to repeat them whenever necessary.
This will enable the robot to fulfill func-
tions such as operating in tight quarters
and helping people in the medical or the
industrial sector. It can even be pro-
grammed to change a light bulb.
Elephant
Trunk
Robotic
ArmsPhoto Source: Innorobo
Photo Source: Rude Baguette
39
by frequently interacting with him.
Earning points will give you access
to exclusive applications.
	 On the first production
of these robots last July 2015 in
Japan, all units were sold out on the
first minute of its sale. Pepper, the
humanoid robot costing $1,600, was
really a big hit!
	 A big customer, Nestle, is
said to equip its 1000 Nescafe sales
outlets in Japan with these robot
to inform their customers about
their products in an amusing way.
Definitely, this is an example of
how cost effective it would be for
businesses to save manpower using
these functional and charming
robots.
Robots that
will Cook for You
If you have a problem with your own
cooking, or wanted a chef in your own
kitchen, that won’t be so much of a prob-
lem anymore with the world’s first ever
robotic kitchen.
	 The robotic kitchen features
four key integrated kitchen items of
robotic arms, an oven, a hob and a
touchscreen unit. It can be operated right
at your fingertips via a smartphone or via
The Consumer Electronics Show this year
showcased many gadgets like smart-
phones, wearables, laptops, and gaming
gears. But something unusually exciting
was there too! It’s every boy’s dream to
own it. It blew the minds of all those who
were present at the event. It’s Melamon,
the future of toys.
	 Mekamon is not just a ‘toy’,
but much more than that. The robots
named Mekamon are really the ‘future of
toys’. These four-legged modular fighting
robots have been designed to fight, cus-
tomize, and collect. These robots are also
equipped with the infrared technology
and Bluetooth. The bots are also fitted
with internal compass, which allows
them to pinpoint at the opponent.
	 The main idea behind the
designing of Mekamon is to
bring robot fights to the living
room just like in a child’s
fantasies. The company behind
the development of Mekamon
is UK-based Reach Robotics.
The company is currently
developing a game, which
involves two players engage
in robot fight by using their
smartphones as controllers.
Mekamon can now be handled
using the smartphone to attack,
aim, and switch weapons.
Mekamon:
World’s First
Gaming Robot
the included touch screen; all you need
to do is pull up a recipe and wait for the
robot to serve you the food.
	 It isn’t a machine that just
cooks; it has hands that can cook like
a master chef. The hands get its articu-
lation – its speed, its sensitivity, and its
movement – by recording the cooking
skills of Master Chef Tim Anderson,
winner of the BBC Master Chef title, in a
demonstration and putting the skills into
its system. The hands then replicate, even
the pauses in between and the OK gesture
in the end, the master chef’s abilities into
its kitchen. No wonder about that, since
the nuclear industry and NASA uses the
same kind of hands made by the Shadow
Robot Company.
	 If you are concerned with being
stabbed by the robot, no need to fret as
the robots uses a food processor and lim-
its itself to knives. The kitchen also comes
with a protective screen as an additional
layer of safety.
	 This technology, however, will
not be available to consumers until the
fourth quarter of 2017. It will be sup-
ported by an iTunes-style downloadable
library of recipes that the robot chef can
cook at your own home which are about
2,000 recipes. Just prepare a good amount
of $75,000 at its first launch.
	 The robot kitchen is the
brainchild of U.K.-based Moley Robotics,
which prototype premiered at an inter-
national robotics show Hanover Messe.
The eureka moment for the idea was of
Mark Oleynik in January of 2014. The
first patents were filed in the following
month; a prototype was built by Moley in
September of the same year.
Photo Source: Moley Robotics
Photo Source: Canoe
Photo Source: Reach Robotics
40
5 WEARABLES
TO WATCH OUT
FOR IN 2016
Now that wearable technology
has gone more advanced than
ever, 2016 is a good year for wear-
ables. Consumers have become
more aware of the technology and
they realize the impact of their
wearables in their life.
The wearables in the market right
now are already serving purposes
to the users’ extent, but there’s
more. Here are five wearables that
are must-look for this 2016.
Lumenus ClothingThe name suggests that this clothing is luminous. It is
a fitness-focused wear that lights up whenever users
will go for an early morning or late-night run or
cycle. The clothing has unveiled jackets, vests, shirts,
and leggings with built-in LED lights.
HTC ViveOne step forward in virtual reality (VR)
is the HTC Vive, which lets users play
graphic intensive apps, AR games, and
view HD films, among others. It will be
on sale by April 2016 with an unknown
pricetag for now. But the product can be
pre-ordered starting 29th of February.
Samsung Smart SuitThis is not your ordinary suit; this is a Smart Suit by Samsung with
NFC-powered cuffs. The cuffs works as a control to turn the handset
on the “do not disturb” mode when you run for a quick meeting. The
cuffs can also send your contact details to nearby handsets that works
with premium handsets of Samsung. With this you will no longer need
business cards.
Altra IQFor the fitness enthusiasts and heavily depen-
dent to technology, here’s Altra IQ which can
measure pace and contact time for improved
running efficiency. It has a multi-sensor
within the length of the midsole that syncs
the shoes to the smartphone. Altra’s shoe is set
for release in late of 2016. Prepare your bucks
because it will cost $199 a piece.
Apple Watch 2If you can’t get enough of the first Apple Watch, here’s for you. This is
out in the market come middle of this year with a lot of step ups from
its predecessor – improved battery life, which last at least a full day of
usage, and modern design, with more color options, mature hues, and
better typography.
WEARABLE TECH
Photo Source: Indian Express Photo Source: NFC Forum
Photo Source: Business WirePhoto Source: Tech Zaa Photo Source: Burn Tech
41
Mind-reading
Wearables:
Are they Possible?
it by bit, our tech-
nology is carefully
advancing, taking
into study different
and more complex
topics. With the
current craze over
the Internet of Things, wearable
technology has boomed in the
market. Now, numerous com-
panies are trying to delve into a
new kind of wearable that can
connect to our minds—a sort of
“mind-reading” wearable.
	 But, are mind-reading
wearables really a possibility? Are
they safe? How will it affect our
daily lives?
The main component in these
kind of wearables are Electro
Encephalography (EEG) sensors;
many companies are claiming that
they are able to create or innovate
products that have the ability to
monitor, detect and interpret the
activities that are going on in our
brains.
	 Though this kind of
technology has been used and is
still being used today, many com-
panies see this technology’s po-
tential to be applied in fields other
that medical: virtual or augmented
reality for games or surreal movie
watching experiences, next level
robotics, and others.
	 The possibility of this
kind of technology can be consid-
ered possible, since the basic idea
for creating it is already available,
and can readily be based on med-
ical EEG machines. What makes
it difficult is the data processing. It
makes us ask questions like, how
accurate will be the collected data;
will it be able to store everything I
am thinking about? Innovators are
still in the process of learning all
there is to make this technology
possible.
	 With the current tech-
nology we have, and the rate by
which our technology is advanc-
ing we can expect to see this kind
of technology in the very near fu-
ture. Hopefully, when this device
is released in the market, it will be
useful, effective and positively life
changing.
B
Photo Source: Live Science
Photo Source: Choose Muse
42
n this day and age of powerful
machines, there is a big chance
you’ve heard about horsepow-
er. From heavy machinery, to
cars, to air conditioners, to
lawnmowers, the term horse-
power is used to describe an
engine’s power. But, have you ever
wondered why of all animals the
horse was chosen as the benchmark
for power?
	 The reason was pretty
literal, actually. In the early 1780s,
Scottish engineer James Watt was
looking for a compelling way to
market his new invention – a steam
engine superior to the then classic
Newcomen steam engine. Many of
his prospective customers at that
time used horses to power their
operation, so Watt had to come up
with a new unit of measurement
that he could use to illustrate the
advantage of using his steam en-
gine as opposed to horses. Hence,
horsepower.
	 The way Watt came up
with the numbers he did is still up
for discussion, but after doing the
experiments that he did, he figured
out that a typical draft horse could
do about 32,400 foot-pounds of
WHY DO WE CALL IT
“HORSEPOWER”
INSTEAD OF ANY
OTHER ANIMAL?
by Raymond Gerard del Valle
work in 60 seconds, and maintain
that power rate for the entire work
day. That means that, by Watt’s
approximation, a draft horse could
lift 32,400 pounds of material one
foot in one minute. After doing
some rounding up, Watt settled for
33,000 foot-pounds per minute for
one horsepower (hp).
	 Of course, Watt’s esti-
mates were very generous, as the
horses involved in his experiments
were far from mutants! But that
wasn’t Watt’s original intention
anyway. By overestimating what
a typical horse could do, Watt
made sure that
his product would
always perform
better than the
real horses.
	 The unit of
measure horse-
power became
popular thanks
to the invaluable
contribution of
Watt’s engine
during the indus-
trial revolution.
Today, however,
the SI unit of
power, the Watt,
which was named
in tribute to James
Watt, is progres-
sively replacing
horsepower in
most applications.
I
ELECTRO-MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Photo Source: Pinterest
Photo Source: www.sodahead.com
43
by Robert Bagatsing
If you are reading this article, you
are lucky – congratulations, you
have electricity. It is oftentimes hard
to imagine the extent of un-con-
nectedness in a world, where others
enjoy superfluous modernity. The
truth is there are still over a billion
people in the world without elec-
tricity, and the future remains bleak
for them that spend their nights in
darkness.
	 Children are among the
most impacted by the lack of light in
un-connected households. Because
their nights remain dark, children
cannot study their lessons and do
their homework, so either they don’t
learn much from what they are
studying, or they choose to abandon
school altogether and spend their
entire days at play. But, what if there
was actually not any conundrum?
A skipping
rope that
generates
electricity
What if they can repurpose the en-
ergy that they spend playing to fuel
basic devices of modern life, like
lights, so they can study and prepare
for their lessons? 
	 Introducing a skipping
rope whose length and handles light
up at night, called Jumping Lighting.
During the day, say after school,
children could have an hour of fun
playing with the skipping rope. The
movement of the cord between the
handles will charge the internal
batteries of the device, thanks to the
kinetic pendulum that builds up the
energy. With enough charge, once
turned on, the LED lamps within
the jump rope and its handles will
illuminate, giving off light that can
allow children to comfortably study
their lessons, and the adults to ade-
quately do household chores.   
	 Designed by Bae Gyu Ri
of Daegu University, Jumping Light-
ing is a winner of Korea’s Interna-
tional K-Design Award in 2014.
	 Jumping Lighting is a cool
toy for any child to have. But for
kids in dire need of lighting in their
homes, Jumping Lighting is more
than just for play – it is a source of
hope for a brighter future.
Photos Source: vickian.blogspot.com
TOYS
Photos Source: Vickian
44
by Dion Greg Reyes
ngineers, whatever
field you specialize in,
have a universal best
friend: your calcula-
tors. Almost all the
time – when your fin-
gers can no longer perform a trigo-
nometric function – you depend
on your life with the calculators
in solving problems. But there will
be cases that you will be faced with
errors you didn’t know you have
made. And that could cost you
a failing grade or even your job.
Maybe even lives of people.
	 While there are so many
kinds of calculators, here are the
common input errors that you may
have encountered in any calcu-
lator. It’s best that you read your
calculator manuals, but most likely
you can find those input errors
here.
E
Using [–] instead of
[(-)] to indicate that a
number is negative
Common rookie error. You use the [–] to
subtract, and [(-)] to denote a negative number.
There is a difference. When you use [–] instead
of [(-)] in the interior of an expression to denote
a negative number, the calculator responds with
the syntax error message.
Indicating the order of
operations incorrectly
by using parentheses
In your calculator, –3^2 is not the same as
(–3)^2. The calculator first performs the opera-
tion in parentheses, then it squares the number.
If there is a negative outside the parentheses, it
first performs the squaring, then the operation of
a negating a number. That’s how crucial the order
of operations is in evaluating expressions.
Entering an angle in
degre in radian mode
In the calculator, trigonometric functions can
be used with two modes: degree or radian. Just
make sure that you are using the degree mode
or radian mode, depending on what you’re
required. Changing the mode depends on the
settings of your calculator.
Entering the inverse
trigonometric notation
Here’s another: just because the trigonometric
function is raised to a negative number, which
you know is an inverse, it is not an exponent; in
the calculator, the inverse of the cos(x) function
is not 1/cos(x). In short,   but, 
.
Placing the powers
for trigonometric
functions
Remember the order of operations? Yeah, that’s
it. All trigonometric functions hold this nota-
tional idiosyncrasy.
&
Common Input Errors with
Your Calculator that You
Probably Didn’t Notice
E N G I N E E R I N G H A C K S
Photo Source: Davidson Math
45
Cause: You executed a matrix, graphing, or some other
operation that caused remaining memory capacity to be
exceeded. 
Action: Delete memory data you no longer need. Make
sure that the number of variables used in your expression
does not exceed the number of variables that are available. 
Cause: The calculation result is outside of the allowable
calculation range or you are trying to perform an ille-
gal mathematical operation (such as division by zero). 
Action: Check your input values and adjust them to
allow the calculation result to be within the allowable
range. If you are using memory for your calculation,
make sure that you check the memory value. 
Cause: The calculation expression is the wrong
syntax, or the program you are using contains a
syntax error. 
Action: Press the <right> or <left> key to display
the location of the error, and correct it. 
Cause: The calculation you are performing has caused
the capacity of the numeric stack or the command stack
to be exceeded. 
Action: Simplify your calculation expression. You could
also split your calculation expression into two or more
parts and execute the parts separately. 
Common Output Errors with
Your Calculator that You
Definitely Will Notice
Photo Source: Livedoor Blog
46
J
ake Barnett, born on
May 26th 1998, is
presently an American
Physics Student and
child prodigy. However,
his parents never knew
that he was—because at
the age of two, Jake was
diagnosed with Autism, Asperger Syn-
drome. Jake’s parents were crushed when
they were told he may never talk or read
ever again.  His parents never gave up
and used a special treatment for children
with autism called “floortime therapy”,
where children are allowed to play or
focus on subjects that interested them.
Jake showed a remarkable early interest
in astronomy and would study books of
stars over and over again.
	 During an outing to a local
planetarium, one of the presenters asked
the audience why the moons of Mars are
odd-shaped like potatoes. The three-
year-old Jake simply raised his hand
	 “Excuse me, but what are the
sizes of the moons around mars?”
	 The lecturer answered and
Jake looked at him and said,
	 “The gravity of the planet is so
large that [the moon’s] gravity would not
be able to pull it into a round shape.”
	 Silence filled the room. All
eyes were on 3-year old Jake. It was clear
what everyone was thinking.
	 “Who is this three year old?”
	 Jake continued to attend
public school, but was soon bored. Jake’s
parents took the psychologist’s advice
and withdrew him from school and
he was allowed to sit-in on astronomy
and advanced math classes at Indiana
University—Purdue Institute Indianap-
olis (IUPUI). Jake prepared for proper
college schooling, by learning—all by
himself—pre-requisite high school
math. This includes Algebra, Algebra 2,
Geometry, Trigonometry and Calculus.
He learned all this by himself in just two
weeks! He passed all the test that were
needed to exempt him from school. Jake
enrolled at the college at the young age of
twelve.
	 The prodigy, Jake, tutors
fellow students, normally graduate and
post-graduate students. He has healthy
discussions with professors and is de-
veloping an alternative theory of the Big
Bang Theory, his hypothesis being that
the Big Bang couldn’t have happened
through advanced math. He is also
presently a paid researcher in Quantum
Physics.
	 In 2013, Jake was admitted
to the Perimeter Scholars International,
a one-year non-degree master’s level
program at the Perimeter Institute for
theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario.
At the age of 15, he was the youngest
student admitted into the program. He
completed the program in 2014, and has
subsequently been listed as a doctoral
student at the Perimeter Institute.
	 Jake, also wants to help other
kids and adults who find mathematics
difficult. He believes that math can be
learned easily if the subject is presented
in a much simpler manner. So he plans
to write books on how to simplify math.
He has also appeared in TEDxTeens to
inspire other kids his age. This amazing
guy hopes that one day he will be able to
disprove Einstein’s theory of Relativity.
Jake Barnett:
Autistic Child
turned
Physics Genius
by Cielo Panda
P R O D I G Y
Photo Source:
Indianapolis Monthly
Photo Source: Indianapolis Monthly
47
World’s
Smallest Car
Meet the smallest car of the world
from Austin Coulson, a custom car
maker. He has always been interested
in building cars and he believes that he
will make history one day. It turns out
that he was not at all wrong.
Twenty-nine year old Coulson built
the smallest car of the world and
entered the Guinness Book of World
Record in the year 2014. Some would
say that this small car may be inopera-
ble – nope, this car has been legalized
to be taken out on the road.
	 Coulson was so interested in
automobiles that it drove him to look
up the previous records in the Guin-
ness Book of World Records. The mo-
ment he looked at the previous record
he felt that he could do something to
beat said record.
	 The result of his determi-
nation was this awesome car. This
miniature car measures 25 inches high
and 2 feet wide. You will recognize the
car the instant you see it. How? Well,
this kickass car has a license plate that
read IM BIG. Quite ironic, isn’t it?
	 What’s more amazing is the
paint of the car. He painted it like the
Mustang Military aircraft U.S. P-51.
The side of the car with the tail num-
ber of the same ship that Coulson’s
grandfather served on when he was
fighting in the World War I inscribed
on it.
But the main issue was getting the car
registered. For this, Coulson had to
get the car inspected and not forget to
put safety features like any other cars
out there.
	 Like everybody else, even
his family was skeptical about the
plan and kept questioning it through
the process of developing the vehicle.
However, he was successful in proving
everybody wrong. Seeing this tiny
vehicle on the road will absolutely be a
treat to the eye.
	 For some, this is merely a toy
car; but cars are toys, right?
A U T O M O T I V E
Photo Source: Leisure Wheels
48
It was on March 10, 1906 that the
burning of methane by the naked
flame of a miner’s lamp led to
Europe’s worst mining accident,
resulting in dust explosion dev-
astating a coal mine and killing
around 1099 miners. This also led
to an increase number of black
lung disease cases.
ature
has
claimed
many
lives
across
the
globe with its unexpected
calamities. But things are
different with an industrial
disaster. They don’t just claim
lives but shake you from
within. There have been cas-
es when the precautionary
Lessonsfromthe
WorstIndustrial
EngineeringDisasters
N
CourrieresMineDisaster,France
steps taken by the industries
could not save life and so,
the people affected by them
have no choice but to live
with the damage caused by
them. Their mistakes have
definitely taught us some of
the biggest lessons of our life.
	 In this list, we will
find out the worst indus-
trial engineering disasters
that have ever occurred to
humanity.
I N D U S T R I A L
Photo Source: NDTV
Photo Source: Wikipedia
49
The explosion occurred on
21 September 1921. The store
that dealt with nitrogen fixa-
tion works contained around
4500 tons of ammonium
sulphate nitrate. Unaware of
the highly explosive nature of
ammonium nitrate, the work-
ers at Oppau site decided that
the best way to loosen 4500
tons of ammonium nitrate
was to detonate several
dynamite charges, which led
to an explosive equivalent to
1-2 kilotons of TNT, ripping
off roofs from houses situated
25km away from the site of
explosion.
The deadliest disaster
occurred on 19 Novem-
ber, 1984, around 20
km away from Mexico
City in a large LPG
storage and distribution
center. It was basically
caused by the LPG pipe
America’s worst disaster occurred on
April 16, 1947. A small fire broke out in
a ship that was carrying bags of ammo-
nium nitrate. Immediate attempts were
made to extinguish it. But it soon inten-
sified and led to a massive explosion.
The cause of the explosion was lack of
awareness. However not confirmed, a re-
port says that it is possible that a cigarette
could have been dropped into the hold.
On December 3, 1984, a pesticide
plant leaked methyl isocynate gas and
other chemicals into the atmosphere.
This killed around 4,000 – 20,000
people. The leakage formed a toxic
cloud settling over the region, which
killed 8,000 people in the very first
days mainly from cardiac arrest and
respiratory malfunction.
TheBhopalDisaster,India
TexasCityDisaster,USA
OppauExplosion,Germany
SANJUANICODISASTER,MEXICO
leakage due to excessive
pressure, resulting in
the formation of a vapor
cloud that floated across
the area. When the cloud
ignited, a massive fire
was caused at the plant
site.
Photo Source: IBN Live Photo Source: Greenpeace Italia
Photo Source: Greenpeace Italia
Photo Source: Texas History
Photo Source: SCANZ
50
gineersnow deBate
DOESSOCIALMEDIA
AFFECTRELATIONSHIPS
INANEGATIVEWAY?
WHOISTHEREAL
FATHEROF
ELECTRICITY?
NIKOLATESLA?
THOMASEDISON?
ISAACNEWTON?
It’s almost a given that engineers love to spark a debate
in almost any subject. Where there is an argument that is
worth fighting for, engineers will never think twice about
sharing their opinions based from concrete principles.
With that, GineersNow put these debates on Facebook which are
centered on anything related to engineering. Join the meeting of the
minds every Wednesday at the following times on our Facebook page.
08:00 AM Dubai	 09:30 AM Delhi	 12:00 PM Manila	
1:00 PM Tokyo	 03:00 Sydney
WHICHONEISA
BETTERPERSONAL
ASSISTANT?
GOOGLENOWOR
SIRI?
51
WindowsvsApple:
WhichistheBest?
WHICHISTHEBEST
SMARTPHONE?
APPLEORSAMSUNG?
WHERE GREAT MINDS MEET
52
She’s 22 and
She Could Be the
Next Einsteinby Alice Hernandez
While most of us were busy play-
ing with our friends and dealing
with difficult math problems
during the early years of our teen-
age lives, a young girl by the name
of Sabrina Gonzales Pasterski
built a single engine plane that she
was about to deliver to the campus
offices of MIT and have it shown
to the incredible minds that work
there.  Who would have thought
that this Cuban-American kid
was about to embark on a journey
that will lead her to make people
believe that she could be the ‘Ein-
stein’ of today’s generation?
	 She’s now 22 and has
already made a name for herself in
the world of Physics. She already
graduated from MIT and is cur-
rently working her way to get her
Miss Pasterski was waitlisted
in MIT when she applied.
Luckily for her, some profes-
sors from MIT saw her video
building a plane.
PhD degree in Harvard. By the
way, she got a perfect point grade
average in MIT. With a brain like
hers, she could rule the world!
	 After building planes
back when she was really really
young, Miss Pasterski is now
focused on the more serious
stuff. Really serious stuff not
everyone can understand but play
important roles to the fundamen-
tals of science. Her studies branch
out to black holes, spacetime and
quantum mechanics.
	 Clearly, this young sci-
entist is passionate about what she
does. In an interview with Yahoo,
she said:
	 “Physics itself is exciting
enough. It’s not like a 9-to-5 thing.
When you’re tired you sleep, and
when you’re not, you do physics.”
	 Miss Pasterski isn’t a
fan of social media. That means
there’s no chance of stalking
her on Facebook, Instagram or
Twitter. However, you do get a
glimpse of what’s going on with
her achievements on her website,
PhysicsGirl. Because she’s a
genius, different foundations such
as the Smith Foundation, Hertz
Foundation and the National
Science Foundation have given
her thousands of dollars for her
studies and work.
Photo Source: Slideroom Blog
W O M E NE N G I N E E R C H I C K
Photo Source: Vagabomb
53
“So What If I’m the Only Woman
in the Construction Site?”
Huge projects like Hong Kong-Zhu-
hai-Macao Bridge and the high-
speed railway to Guangzhou are
under a crisis: they lack skills in con-
struction labor for years. This has led
recruitment firm Manpower to find
more engineers, casting its net wider
to target women workers as well.
	 This is how we met Sonia,
23 years old, an on-site assistant
surveyor.
	 In her class of 90 students,
only 20 were girls. She joined the
field two years ago after getting her
associate degree. Work was quite easy
to find after graduation because of
the demand.
	 She is making a close
amount to HK$20,000 a month.
That is one key attraction, other
than a clear career path and good
promotion for young women to
enter the profession. The job security
is also not a problem, since most big
projects last at least four to five years.
	 At work, being the only
woman in her department, she uses
that uniqueness to her edge – male
colleagues are quite willing to take
care of her, as long as she is polite and
keeps a smile. Her greatest struggle,
however, is the dirty and dusty work
environment. Women aren’t usually
exposed to them so it is quite an
adjustment.
	 Other than that, there
isn’t much that women cannot do in
the construction site. She is a proud
engineer and she performs – that is
what matters. Who gives a damn that
she is a woman?
?!
54
For around five years, Nina has been
working with teams of programmers and
graphic artists to be able to create excep-
tionally personal games about relation-
ships and sex. She came into the limelight
with a game called “How Do You Do It”.
The game is all about a little girl who plays
with her Barbie dolls while her mom is
out, trying to find out how do grown-ups
“do it”, the player will be controlling this
event of course. Nina also created a game
called “Ladylike”, where you try to control
a conversation between a teenage girl and
her mom, during a drive to a mall. Any-
thing you say about boyfriends, school,
sex and clothes, the mom would always
disapprove—clearly a different game to
play, even in real life.
	 According to Nina, these games
were all based on her true to life stories.
How To Do It and Ladylike were games
that had been inspired by her childhood
experiences. For her, gaming is like poetry.
“When I started making games, my main
inspirations were poets. Elizabeth Bishop’s
poem “In the Waiting Room” was my
main inspiration for making Ladylike and
How Do You Do It?, which are games
about my childhood. Once I started
making games, though, I discovered other
game designers who were also interested
in these vignette-style games. Games like
Dys4ia and Gone Home are two of these
games that really inspired me to make
more vignette games about very human,
honest characters.” Nina said, when asked
on an interview who she was inspired by
when she says gaming is like poetry.
In November 2015, Nina released a new
game named “Cibele”. It’s an intimately
personal, multilayered narrative game
that has caught the intrigue of many. It is a
game based on a true story about love, sex,
and the internet. The player will be playing
a role of a 19-year old girl who became
close to a young man whom she met
through an online game. The two becomes
closer and their relationship heats up with
each phone call and private chat.
This game, of course, was based on one
of Nina’s experiences. It all started when
she was 16. She met an older guy named
Blake through Final Fantasy—a popular
online game—gaming community. After
numerous phone calls, flirty chats, and
sexy selfies, Blake flew across the country
to turn their online fantasy into a reality in
Nina’s New York dorm room.
Nina is very passionate about incorpo-
rating her personal experiences into her
game design. She wants to be able to create
and add a more feminine touch to her
video games. By sharing stories about her
sex life, she hopes to be able to define her
sexuality, career and inspire other women
to be able to be the hero of their own life
stories.
Hot Game Designer creates
Games about her Sex Life
Meet Nina Freeman, a 25-year
old game designer who designs
games based on her hot rela-
tionship adventures, exhilarating
experiences and sex life.
by Cielo Panda
W O M E NG A M E D E V E L O P M E N T
Photo Source: Meld Magazine Photo Source: News Fisher
55
oogle, known to be very
resistant in making changes in
their search engine, will allow
its users to remove “revenge
porn” from its search results.
Amit Singhal, the company’s senior vice
president of search, informed everyone in
his blog post about Google’s stand in pro-
tecting victims of this malicious act: “Our
philosophy has always been that Search
should reflect the whole web. But revenge
porn images are intensely personal and
emotionally damaging, and serve only to de-
grade the victims—predominantly women.
So going forward, we’ll honor requests from
people to remove nude or sexually explicit
images shared without their consent from
Revenge Porn,
Google Will Protect You
Rejoice, victims of “revenge porn”. Help is on the way.
Google Search results.”
	 Victims can fill up a web form
and submit it to Google as soon as it be-
comes available. Even though the company
admits that it will not entirely solve these
problems, this action is a small step towards
making changes and protecting its victims
– who are mostly women. These images are
often uploaded in websites where anyone
can post anything. Victims are required to
pay lots of money in order to remove these
photos from these websites. Other compa-
nies such as Facebook, Reddit and Twitter
have already created policies where nude
photos can’t be posted without the consent
of the person involved.
by Alice Hernandez
G
Imagine falling in love with some-
one. You become intimate with that
person, engage in activities normal
couples do, sending nude selfies
of each other, frequently fight and
eventually broke up. One day, a
friend tells you the most terrifying
news – the nude selfies you sent
to your ex are all over the inter-
net. The angry ex either posted
those photos or someone else
hacked into your account.
Isn’t that the most embar-
rassing thing one has to
face in the world of social
media? So many people
(famous or not) fell vic-
tims to the “revenge
porn”. Now, Google
wants to help these
victims remove
these images that
degrades them
in the public
eye.
I N F O R M AT I O N T E C H N O L O G Y
Photo Source: Change
56
Five Greatest
Feats of
Modern
Engineering
We normally take them for granted and just enjoy the easy life that is spoon-fed to us. So, let’s
take some time to get to know some of these structures that have been created and designed
by engineers for us, and marvel in the greatness of their masterpieces. Magnificent structures
are seen everywhere thanks to the improvement of different machineries and continuously
developing technology.
	 These are only five of the many engineering marvels we should appreciate. I’m sure
there are younger teams of researchers and engineers who want to surpass all these amazing
engineering achievements, and be part of technological history.
Danyang
Kunshan
Grand Bridge
The Bridge was opened to the public
in the year 2011. The length of this
bridge encompasses a length of 260
feet. 2000 sturdy pillars are built
to support its weight. Around ten
thousand workers were involved
in the construction of this bridge.
The bridge was built over the Yang
Cheeng Lake which is about 6 miles
in length.
Photo Source: Wikipedia
57
Millau Viaduct Bridge
The bridge, located in Southern France, has an exclusive
design. The bridge was built over the river Tarn that cre-
ates a driveway from Paris to Barcelona. This bridge runs
in between two plateaus. The bridge also has cable stayed
columns that are transparent and intricately designed.
They were constructed using minimum materials.
Three Gorges Dam
This dam has been the dream of the hy-
dro-engineers of China. The construction of
the dam started in the year 1992. More than
15 metric tons of concrete were used to fill
the massive barrier located across Yangtze
River to create a reservoir. The length of this
reservoir is almost as long as Britain. It has
a total of 26 turbines. It boasts of generating
18200 Megawatts of power.
The Hadron Collider
The Large Hadron Collider is one of the most awe-
some and complex creations of modern technology.
This is a scientific instrument that was built near the
city Geneva. This instrument spans between France
and Switzerland. It was created to augment the
study of the tiniest particles that exist in our world
today.  
Pan STARRS
This was developed in the University of Hawaii.
This has been designed for an extensive imaging
facility. The Institute of Astronomy has devel-
oped this so that the entire span of the sky could
be seen. There are several small mirrors and a
digital camera installed inside the device. It is
used for the observation of the solar system. Photo Source: Pan-STARRS
Photo Source: Wikipedia
Photo Source: Wikipedia
Photo Source: Wikipedia
58
Why Engineers
Don’t Fit In
Corporates Idon’tknowaboutyou,butthis
sureisafunnyscenarioofan
engineerinacorporateworld.
	 Basically,dealingwith
thissituationatfirsthandisnotan
easythingforanengineer.It’sjust
that“engineeringculture”wehave
thatthesecorporatepeopledon’t
appreciate,youknow?
	 Engineerstendtohave
thisdefaultmindsetofpracticality
andbeingsotechnicalwherein
theyareexperts.
	 Theengineerinthevid-
eothinks	thingsgeometrically
evenifthelinesdiscussedinthe
meetingismerelyjustarepre-
sentationofamarketingplan.So
hearguesandtriestobelogical
inwhichthesecorporatepeople
don’tunderstand.
	 Yes,heislogicaland
reasonablebuthisideamayseem
outofplace.
This short comedy clip shows how an
engineer tries to fit in a corporate meeting
and how he became “The Expert”.
	 Ithinktheactishilar-
iouslyahyperbole,(‘causeyou
know,wehaveMBAengineers!)
butwhatittriestosayisjust
exactlywhatitis.		
Technicality!
	 Well,thechallengehere
forus,engineers,isthemobilityto
expressourideasandplansinany
aspectandsetting.Wemustknow
whatkindofsolutionstorelayand
beabletoadaptwiththesituation
we’rein.Thenthat’showengineers
becometherealexperts.Justdon’t
getbulliedlikethisguythough.
Yes,weare“theexpert”,andwe
canshowthem.
	 So,Iguess,wedonot
concludethatALLengineersdo
notfitinthecorporateworld.We
canbecorporatemanagerstoo!
	 Now,thatseemslogical
eh?
Photo Source: Smilesumo
by Farrel Pinto
59
TrainspottersBotherTheGirl
FromTheViralTrainStory
remote Kami-Shirataki station
in the far north of Japan has
somehow given us some lit-
tle faith back to humanity: for
three years, the same train in
the station loads and unloads
a single passenger on her way to school.
The ride is but a lonely one; but it’s far
better than driving all the way to school
by her parents and waking up early for it.
	 Remember this popular sto-
ry? When China’s CCTV News pub-
lished that story, it got around 90,000
shares online. In its story, it shared:
	 “For years now trains have
stopped at the station just for her. Ja-
pan Railway will keep the train sta-
tion open until she leaves school. The
girl is expected to graduate on March
26, 2016, when the station will then be
closed. Every day only two trains stop
at the Kami-Shirataki station with a
unique timetable depending on when
the girl needs to go to school and back.”
	 As soon as story got out about
this feel-good story, people have been an-
noying and bothering the girl in the story.
	 Trainspotters are very com-
mon in Japan – with attempts to take
photos and share videos of trains in the
country. However, trainspotters have been
targetingthefemalehighschoolstudentas
their subject for their hobby. They wait for
herandassoonastheyseeher,theyharass
her with instructions to pose for them.
	 It seems like the girl
has to deal with these pesky train-
spotters until her graduation.
Photo Source: Blasting News
After the story became popular, people are visiting the
Kamishirataki Station in Hokkaido for the lone train
passenger to come out of the train lately
A
60
7 Video Games
that boost
your Brainby Cielo Panda
Research shows that video games
have an effect that raises your
brain activity in a good way.
	 Though a lot of us enjoy
video games on a regular basis,
some people scrutinize games as the
reasons why their children are mis-
behaving. But a lot of the “gamers”
out there are defending their ground
by saying that “Video Games don’t
cause Violence”.
	 It is true that some kids
nowadays who enjoy playing games
often show signs of misbehaving,
but we can’t really be sure that those
games are the cause. Research shows
that video games have an effect that
raises your brain activity in a good
way.
	 Ever wondered what
games help your brain become more
active? Here’s a list of games and
their positive effect on your mind.
This first person shooter fran-
chise is sure to get your adren-
aline pumping. From covert
missions to frontal assaults, this
game enhances your hand-eye
coordination and quick decision
making while you play.
This franchise has been alive
since the mid 90’s and is still
taking the world by storm.
Not only do you get to play as
your favorite basketball stars,
you also get to put your quick
decision skills to the test.
Action RPG
First Person Shooter
If you fancy roaming a world
while killing dragons, this game
is just for you. Not only does it
quench your thirst for dragon
blood, it offers you the chance
to challenge your inductive
reasoning skills, which is the
ability to think scientifically by
hypothesis testing.
SPORTS
G A M E SG A M E D E V E L O P M E N T
Photo Source: Call of Duty
Photo Source: Bethesda Softworks
Photo Source: EA Sports
61
Soar the skies in the comfort of
your own home. Microsoft Flight
Simulator offers you a chance to
become a pilot while giving your
brain some exercises. This flight
simulator enables your brain to
calculate possible outcomes and
analyze those calculations so you
can have a smooth flight.
Tickle your mind with this exciting
puzzle platformer. It offers a
variety of puzzles that require you
to think carefully what you need to
do next. The game is really simple,
beat the game with only one tool.
For those building enthusiasts out
there, this game allows you to cre-
ate whatever your mind imagines.
From houses, farms, to castles!
Boost your creativity and decision
making with Minecraft.
	 Video games are not
all that bad if you don’t play too
much. It can even help your brain
function more make it able to
organize thoughts easier. It’s fun to
take a break and play a game, but
remember that too much gaming
can also hurt your health.
ACTION ADVENTURE
PUZZLE
STRATEGY
SIMULATION
Fans of this franchise can say that
not anyone can play this game and
be good at it. But you don’t need
to be good at it to get its benefits.
This game given to us by Blizzard
Entertainment entices us to make
very fast decisions on a fast-chang-
ing environment.
Photo Source: Steam
Photo Source: Portal 2 Official Website
Photo Source: Keen Gamer
Photo Source: Blizzard Entertainment
62
	 Say goodbye to the
conventional push and pull
shopping cart as Kartum by
Charles Bombardier has revolu-
tionized your weekly shopping
experience.
	 Kartum is an electric
autonoumous shopping cart
that is also a virtual gro-
cery-shopping assistant. It has
features that will pick up the
items in your shopping list that
you can create via an online
application, monitor your items
that will be over your budget
and even calculate the calo-
ries in your items. It can even
plan the best itinerary in the
store which can link up with
Humungous Motorized
Shopping Trolleys:
his has to be a shopahol-
ic’s godsend. The worlds
biggest shopping cart,
standing over thirteen feet
high and eight feet across,
was originally conceived
by Robert Unnerstal, Sr. and built
by the National Cart Company
for the opening of a market in St
Louis Missouri. The cart can carry
more than 360 grocery bags and
up to four adults in the baby seat
at the back. Designed with busy
lifestyles in mind, it is powered
by a 460HP Chevy Big Block that
propel its wiry frame up to 60
MPH! The concept was successful
that National Cart built seven
more that tour America!
	 But eccentricities being
what they are, the dimensions and
practicality of the cart was not
enough for Frederick Reifsteck,
who thought the scale all wrong
for the true devotee of the super-
market isle. Frederick set to work
on a few improvements and built
a gargantuan twenty seven foot
long, fourteen feet wide shopping
cart that could easily swallow
up National Carts pride and joy.
It’s so big that its huge big block
engine can only motivate it to
fairly moderate speeds. Frederick’s
achievement won him a Guinness
World record and possibly the
adoration of every super market
chain on the face of the Earth.
What a fascination of carts into
“trucks”!
Ideal Carts for Engineers
C A R T S
Kartum:
Your Grocery Shopping Assistant
T
the store’s database to identify
location of the products.
	 This ‘smart shopping
cart’ also eliminates the need to
stop at the counter as you can
pay by using your digital print.
Once you unload the items
from the cart, it will proceed
with the next customer in sight.
	 There is no need to
plug Kartum in as it recharges
itself with wireless electricity. It
walks along with you based on
the user’s preferences, may it be
behind or just ahead of you.
	 Bet that this will
make you want to visit the
grocery stores even more.
R E TA I L
Photo Source: J News 163
Photo Source: Imaginactive
63
ccording to Bloomberg New En-
ergy Finance (BNEF), the total
investment on clean energy hit
$329 billion in 2015 accounting
50 percent of investment from
the Asia-Pacific Region.
	 BNEF Chairman of Adviso-
ry Board Michael Liebreich said that the figures
are a stunning riposte to all those who expected
clean energy investment to stall on failing oil
and gas prices. He even added that they high-
light the improving cost-competitiveness of solar
and wind power, driven in part by the move by
many countries to reverse-auction new capacity
rather than providing advantageous tariffs, a
shift that has put producers under continuing
price pressure.
Global Investments On Clean Energy
Totaled To $329 Billion In 2015
A
	 China was said to remain the largest
clean energy investor amounting to $111 billion
with solar energy as its largest funding. China
is likely to propel towards less pollution actions
and less coal powered energy sources as a part
of its 13th five year plan (2016-2020) to be im-
plemented in March 2016. It’s National Carbon
Emission Trading Program, the world’s largest
carbon emission control project, will cover
10,000 companies emitting 3-4 billion tons of
CO2.
	 The European Investment Bank also
allowed lending all over €100 billion for climate
action for the next five years.
	 China National Building Materials
recently signed a €1.6 billion agreement with
Hong Kong-based Welink Global in the United
Kingdom for solar power proj-
ects and energy saving hous-
ing in the United Kingdom.
	 The European Bank for
Reconstruction and Develop-
ment and the Clean Technolo-
gy Fund formed a programme
to lend $125 million in devel-
oping geothermal in Turkey. The plan consists of
constructing five geothermal power plants.
	 In Japan, the Development Bank of
Japan and Japan Wind Development implement-
ed the creation of the country’s first wind power
funding at $423 million.
	 Meanwhile in South Korea, LG Elec-
tronics plans to invest $435 million in building
solar manufacturing plants.
	 From a well invested 2015, may 2016
be a better year for all nations.
Photo Source: Gov Tech
C L E A N E N E R G YR E N E WA B L E S
Photo Source: Imaginactive
Photo Source: Gov Tech
64
Bienville Legacy:
The American Superbike
ienville Legacy is a
motorbike that has
shocked everybody.
The bike has a
special suspension
system. According
to the creators it is more
than just any ordinary bike.
It highlights the return
of superb craftsmanship
in America. The intricate
craftsmanship and artistry
of this motorbike makes the
bike deserving of the title
“Most POWERFUL Luxury
motorcycle”. The price? An
eye popping $350,000!
	 J.T. Nesbiit is the
designer, responsible for the
creation of this unique and
breathtaking motorcycle.
When the famous entre-
preneur Jim Jacoby sold his
company, he had a huge
amount of money along with
some dreams that he wanted
to fulfill. One of his dreams
was to renovate the concept
of master craftsmanship in
the state of America. This led
him to create organizations
known as the American
Design and Master Craft
Initiative.
	 He built a metallic
giant that was supposed to
have strength like Thor’s. This
motorcycle did not look like
any ordinary bike. Your eyes
would be instantly glued onto
its powerful frame. It has a
small yet majestic leather
saddle, a shining steel tube
spine, an underbelly built
for the fuel storage and the
carbon girder for the system
of suspension. The bike gave
the feeling that everything
will last more than thousand
years.
	 And who was the
right choice to build this
masterpiece? J.T. Nesbitt,
of course! Nesbitt was the
appropriate craftsman for the
construction of this project.
He definitely made this mo-
torcycle happen!
	 According to the
arrangement between Jacoby
and Nesbitt, Nesbitt had the
freedom and was given all
the required resources for
designing and building every
piece of ADMCi. Thus, the
Bienville Legacy was born!
The motorcycle has an engine
of 1650cc Motus MV4. This
gives an output of about
185HP. Nesbitt has also add-
ed a centrifugal supercharger
of Rotrex that will augment
the power to above 300HP.  
	 Both the girder
front end and the swingarm
of the rear have identical
carbon composites. The built-
in adjusters of the motor are
used as chain adjusters. With
all of these complicated pro-
cesses, can you believe that
everything was built by hand?
Amazing!
And this is Jacoby and Nes-
bitt’s answer to the question,
“What would you build if you
have all the time and money
in the world?”
B
B I K E S
Photo Source: Wellhous
Photo Source: Asphalt and Rubber
65
Denny, the Bike of the Future
Denny is a bicycle that comes with a range of features
that easily makes it the best bike for commuters in the city.
ne of the common factors
about most cities is the
unpredictable safety for the
average cyclist. That makes
cycling a rather dangerous
activity. Apart from the
omnipresent cars, a cyclist will have
to go up against buses, distracted
pedestrians and the bane of other
vehicles. In fact, these are enough
dangers to make one give up on
cycling forever. We aren’t joking. It’s
scary sometimes.
However, a nonprofit organization
called Oregon Manifest wants to
make cycling in the city a safer
activity by creating a safer and
better bike. They held a competition
where companies were invited to
design the ultimate bike. Fuji Bikes
won with its concept called Denny.
Oregon Manifest is now working
with Fuji bikes to bring Denny to
the masses.
The bike is certainly an awesome
one. For starters, it features a smart
lighting system which can adapt
to the ambient conditions. At the
same time, it will take care of the
functional and visibility require-
ments of the biker such as brake
signals, halo lights and turn signals
among others. There is automatic
assistance system called e-assist
which is capable of shifting gears
automatically. As they are activated
automatically, it becomes easier to
ride up on slopes and so on.
However, one of the coolest
features is certainly its handlebar.
Apart from being comfortable, the
handlebar can also be transformed
into a bike lock. There are even two
locking mechanisms. Depending on
the time you will be away from the
bike, you can set either a quick lock
or a long stay lock.
There are other nifty little features
present in the bike such as a remov-
able battery and a flexible storage
solution that adapts to the items
kept inside. Its features certainly
made biking convenient and surely,
Denny will be a hit in the market.
O
Photo Source: Denny Bike
Photo Source: Denny Bike
66
Lithium demand
booms ahead
As renewables and technology
advances, the need for portable
storage grows strongly says
Lithium Australia.
The previous record for the largest
diamond recovered in Angola
belonged to the 217.4 carat gem
Angolan Star. It was discovered
back in 2007.
	 Now, a miner working
for Lucapa Diamond Company
(an Australian mining company)
recently unearthed the largest
diamond in Angola’s Lunda Norte
province. It weighs around 80
grams and is 404.2 carats. This is the
27th biggest diamond ever recorded
around the world.
	 And can you guess how
much this diamond would cost? An
estimate of USD$800,000!
	 If this is used for jewelry,
it could cost millions of dollars.
	 Because of its latest
recovery, the company’s shares went
up by 32%. With over 10,372 carats
of diamond recovered these past
12 months, its diamond revenues
was around USD$8.1 million as of
December 2015. Each carat costs
around USD$2141. The search of
diamonds is under the company’s
Lulo diamond project.
	 The company’s CEO,
Stephen Wetherall, expressed how
proud he was of having recovered
this enormous diamond:
The diamond’s weight
alone could cost around
USD$800,000.
Lithium Australia mulls deeper project and
funding in lithium as potential demand
grows in the emergence of renewable and
portable storage technology. The Pilgangoo-
ra project in Western Australia is expected
to expand its scope for mining lithium as
the area was confirmed to be a pegmatite
zone. Pegmatite is the ore
containing lithium.
	 I think we’re
talking about a
paradigm shift
in the way
people think
about pow-
er”, Adrian
Griffin,
Managing
Director
of Lithium
Australia,
said pertaining
to renewables
and storage like
lithium-ion batteries.
	 The company recently com-
pleted a $6.55 million share replacement in
one of the worst weeks in the trading history.
This however added potentials to its business
model for a $29 million fundraising drive.
Lithium Australia’s stock trading jumped
13.3% higher, representing 80% more since
the mid-January.
	 The company’s confidence for plan
expansion was led by its recent successful
production of lithium hydroxide. Lithium
hydroxide is an added chemical used in
production of batteries and represents a big
market at the back of increased electric car
manufacture. Adrian Griffin believes that
lithium can be traded either as carbonate or
hydroxide and that the market is hungry for
both.
	 He also added that the lithium
carbonate is at $10,000 per ton and the
lithium hydroxide at $14,000 per ton
spotting a very significant
price increase in the late
2015. For instance,
Lithium carbonate
was at low trade in
early December for
$10, 0540 but in-
creased highly late in
December at $14,362.
	 It is expected
that more companies
will be investing in lithi- um
production as stocks have been increas-
ing due to forecasted demands of lithium
batteries in the future.
Photo Sources:
Top: Earth Physics Teaching
Bottom: Market-Analyst
The Biggest
Diamond
Just Unearthed
in Angola
“We have always emphasized the
very special nature of the Lulo dia-
mond field and this recovery — to-
gether with the other 100 carat-plus
diamonds recovered this year alone
— is further evidence of that… And
while we continue mining these
exceptional alluvial gems from
Mining Blocks 6 and 8 at Lulo, we
are also continuing to advance our
systematic exploration program to
find the kimberlite source of these
diamonds.”
M I N I N G
Photo Source: Forbes
67
Man-MadeDiamonds:
TurningtheDeadintoGems
These man-made diamonds are
synthesized from cremated ash-
es in memorial homes. Would
you wear it?
“The diamond’s evolution has
ended” says the successful company
behind the man-made diamonds
now trending in the market. In the
Forbes interview of the company’s
leader, Harry Burl, he detailed how
he have come up with the business
idea and shared a quick overview of
the company.
	 In 2010, while looking for
domains to purchase and engage
lucrative ventures, he came across
to a not yet registered domain –
man-madediamonds.com. From
there, he researched a lot about it
and figured out to keep the do-
main for himself. After six years,
he is running the most successful
business in the diamond making
industry in the country.
	 As we all know, diamonds
are purely carbon based crystals and
we can get it naturally from dia-
mond mines mostly in Africa. But
did you know that we can now make
diamonds in the lab that are as pure
as the natural ones?
Yes! You will need a carbon seed
and blast them with hydrogen and
methane gas to grow the crystal.
Voila! Diamonds produced will be
just like long lost twin of the mined
ones! These synthetic diamonds can
be grown in the laboratory for about
eight to twelve weeks. Some say that
these diamonds also cost 30 percent
less than that of the natural ones.
	 But what if we say that they
get these diamonds from the dead?
Would you wear it?
	 Harry Burl says that the
company gets its feed from the
cremated ashes from the funeral
homes. Basically, we can extract
carbon from our hairs and dead
ashes. In fact, it is more economical
and environment friendly especially
to anti-mining movements. It is also
more ethical than the blood dia-
monds made out of child labor and
exploitation.
Although creating diamonds from
our loved ones is a sensitive market,
Burl said that they have a special
approach that us both intellectually
and emotionally appealing when
it comes to their customers. They
are cautious in the process with the
customer’s peace of mind as the
uppermost priority.
	 Diamonds should be as
pure as their own content, the com-
pany says.
	 They are also producing
diamonds for wedding and engage-
ment rings. You can also order a
conflict free ring with no personal
carbon ashes. Designs and orders
of these diamonds are available on
their website. And I can say that
they really protrude adamantine
luster.
FA S H I O N E E R I N G
Photo Source: Forbes
Photo Source: Forbes
by Farrel Pinto
68
ff
dd
by Dion Greg Reyes
ho doesn’t want a brain
superpower to go
along with an already
intricate mind? No one.
That’s why this is good
news to every engineer
that humanity is now
close to this pill that
will improve mind capacity into almost
‘limitless.’
	 There is a popular myth which
says that humans only use 10 percent of
their brains. Others believe it, but ultimate-
ly, the truth is that humans use all of it.
	 The myth may be deep-rooted
from the fact that only about 10 percent
of our brains are made up of neurons. The
other 90 percent is composed of non-neu-
ronal cells, such as glial cells, that provide
other functions for the brain. With that
ratio of the brain cells, what if it becomes
possible for a pill to make the 90% merge
with the 10%?
	 To break the ice for you, yup, it
is believed to be possible. Scientists have
produced a pill that capsulized the power
to transform non-neuronal glial cells into
functioning neurons for brain repair. It is
like a cocktail of small molecules that can
W
be swallowed to change those cells not
directly used by the brain, into something
useful like processing of information. By
then, you are no longer 10% using of your
brain but more. That would mean you are
bounds smarter than before.
	 But hold it: the pill is being de-
veloped as a brain repair drug and not for
public consumption. It improves the cogni-
tive functions of those with diseases like
Alzheimer’s or for aiding the recovery of
those with brain trauma. The aim is to treat
patients with brain disorders at home to
regenerate neurons in their brains without
any brain surgery or cell transplantation, as
explained by Gong Chen, lead researcher
in the development of the drug and a pro-
fessor of biology at Penn State University.
	 The pill is not even yet available
to patients as it is still being studied.
Humans have not tried it for trial, and so
the side effects of the pill remain a mystery.
After all, glial cells still serve an import-
ant brain function, which alteration may
induce poor brain functions.
	 A Bradley Cooper-starred
movie had already showed this kind of
brain-enhancing hullabaloo with the NZT-
48, a powerful cognitive enhancer. The
protagonist became a superhuman and
everyone around him wished the same –
even us.
	 In sheer desperation to find a
pill closest to that of NZT-48, here’s a dan-
gerous combo according to Brain Pro Tips
that might as well do the trick: phenylpirac-
etam, modafinil and low-dose nicotine.
	 What the hell will those phar-
maceuticals do to you, you ask? Well, Phen-
ylpiracetam improves verbal fluency and
cognitive flexibility; Modafinil develops
your work ethic, exuberance and focus; and
Nicotine, in low doses, improves working
memory in normal, healthy subjects.
	 Nobody has tried to hack their
brain capacity yet with this kind of combo
as the side effects haven’t been figured out.
If you are willing to risk it, please don’t –
because it may not be worth it. Right now
we just have to settle with the presumably
10% of our brain, and wait until scientists
release this kind of drug.
	 Or is the pill being hidden
considering what it might do to the human
race? Hmmm.
All Photos Source: YouTube Screencaps
IS BEING “LIMITLESS”
JUST A PILL AWAY?
69
apanese scientists have been
able to discover a new source of
energy for mankind that will be
helpful in the near future. And
guess what it is: electric power
that is transmitted with the help
of microwaves.
	 These Japanese scientists who
belong to the Japan Aerospace Explora-
tion Agency (JAXA) have successfully
used microwaves for the production of
power amounting to almost 1.8 kilo-
watts pinpointing to a target in the air
that is away from the source by fifty-five
meters
	 This was the first time that the
agency has been able to generate such
J
huge amount of power. The target is also
very small. The power is generated with
the help of directivity control system.
	 The energy created is capable
of running an appliance like an electric
kettle. However, the distance is not large
enough. This is a huge step in the world
of energy resources. The success of the
experiment means that the renewable
energy resources like solar energy can
now be collected from space to be trans-
mitted to earth.
	 The International Space
Station and other satellites of the earth
have been able to collect the energy and
use it for the maintenance of their work.
The primary benefit arising out of the
Wireless
generation of solar power in space is
that it will be available all the time no
matter what time of the day.
	 JAXA has been working
on this for quite some years now. The
project has been named Space Solar
Power System. The aim of this awesome
project is to develop a solar power plant
that will be based in the space system.
This power plant will then generate elec-
tricity through the collection of sunlight
along the geostationary orbit. Don’t
get too excited though. Science and
technology will take some time to reach
the point of transmitting solar energy to
earth.
Now a Reality
Electricity
Photo Source: Authorstream
70
Hannah Herbst won a science competi-
tion by inventing something, which was
inspired by her Ethiopian pen pal.
This Girl
Invented
Something
Awesome For
Her Pen Pal
While most of us engaged in
activities that were appropriate for
young teenagers, Hannah Herbst got
inspiration from her 9-year-old pen
pal in Ethiopa and designed a probe
that generates power and fresh water
from ocean currents. Now that’s
something we normally don’t expect
a 15-year-old would do.
	 In this year’s Discovery
Education 3M Young Scientist
Challenge, this young girl from Boca
Raton won the title of “America’s
Young Top Scientist” and received
$25,000 USD. The competition was
held at 3M Innovation Center in St.
Paul, Minnesota.
	 For three months, Herbst
and other competitors worked with
3M scientists to develop their own
inventions and showcase it during
the competition itself. Herbst was
paired with one of the compa-
ny’s corporate scientists, Jeffrey
Emslander. All the finalists presented
their inventions in front of judges
such as Science Channel’s Outra-
geous Acts of Science star, Hakeem
Oluseyi. Aside from their presen-
tation, the finalists also had two
challenges: yielding new solutions
by using different 3M technologies
and building new technology while
applying science and technology
concepts.
	 Eighth grader Raghav
Ganesh won second place in the
competition. His invention was for
people with Autism Spectrum Dis-
order and how it can monitor phys-
iological and environmental factors
that may trigger their meltdown.
	 Third place went to
seventh grader Amulya Garimella,
who invented a system that monitors
EEG brainwaves and alerts users
when he or she is distracted.
	 As for Hannah Herbst,
aside from saving some of it for
her college funds, she plans to give
part of the money she won to her
Ethiopian pen pal and the other part
of her money will be donated to her
school.
	 Isn’t it amazing how these
young kids are making a difference
in science and technology? Hopeful-
ly, more kids would follow in their
footsteps.
E N G I N E E R C H I C K
Photo Source: The Discovery Education 3M Young
Scientist Challenge
Photo Source: Business Insider
71
When Isis Wenger agreed to become part
of her company’s recruiting campaign, she
did not expect to receive a lot of backlash
from the internet. Some have questioned her
image as a female engineer. Some expressed
that this was the company’s attempt to
capture male engineers’ attention. So, in an
article she wrote in Medium, she inspired
other engineers to help her campaign in
spreading awareness in tech diversity:
	 “Do you feel passionately
about helping spread aware-
ness and increase tech diversi-
ty?
	 Do you not fit the “cook-
ie-cutter mold” of what people
believe engineers “should look
like?”
	
	 If you answered yes to any of
these questions I invite you to help spread
the word and help us redefine “what an
#iLookLikeAnEngineer
The #ILookLikeAnEngineer
Campaign Wants To End Gender
Discrimination in Engineering
So, what does an engineer look like to you?
by Alice Hernandez
Really now? Can’t
a girl look exactly
the way she wants
to look and still
be an engineer?
News flash: It’s
2016. Female en-
gineers exist and
we don’t have to
look like Mark
Zuckerberg.
engineer should look like”.
	 As soon as word spread out, oth-
er female engineers have posted their own
pictures with the hastag #ilooklikeanengi-
neer. Her article generated thousands of
responses, which led to a group of female
engineers crowdfunding around $50,000
to put up billboards in Silicon Valley. These
billboards aimed to end gender discrimina-
tion by showing that not all engineers are in
the form of hoodie-wearing white guys.
	 The billboards were seen
throughout San Francisco – targeted espe-
cially in places where people who work for
tech companies take their commute on the
way to work.
	 Given Silicon Valley’s reputation
in having low diversity in its hiring, these
billboards featured women and men of
different colors and race – clearly not the
type who fits into the stereotype. Despite the
attempts made to spread awareness through
these billboards, not much buzz was created
in Twitter on the topic.
Photo Source: Goodnet
72
73
10 Yummies to boost
the Engineer’s Brain
by Cielo Panda
Do you have a deadline at the office
by 5pm? Did you study for all 7
examinations tomorrow? What about
your post-graduate report? Whether
you are an engineer at the office, a
post-grad student, or a still a strug-
gling student-slash-engineer-to-be,
you will need all the brain power you
can get to perform well throughout
the day and finish all your tasks with
flying colors.
	 As engineers or engineers
to be, we should be aware of how to
take extra care of our best buddy who
analyzes, crunches inhumane num-
bers, and solves our daily engineering
problems everyday—the Brain.
	 Keep your brain healthy
and sharp everyday by snacking on
these 10 healthy yummies.
Studies show that people
who moderately—take
note *coughs*— moderate-
ly drink red wine and other
types of alcohol may be at
a reduced risk of Alzhei-
mer’s. So sit back, relax,
and have a drink once in a
while, but remember, even
too much of a good thing is
bad. *winks*
Veggies like Spinach,
broccoli, and kale are
very good sources of vi-
tamin E and folate. Green
leafy vegetables lowers
levels of homocysteine
in the blood. High levels
of homocysteine in the
blood may trigger death
of nerve cells in the brain.
So let’s be green and eat
greens!
Who doesn’t love to snack
on peanuts and the classic
PB and J sandwich? Yes,
peanuts and peanut butter
are high in fat, but they tend
to be a source of healthy fats,
and they are packed with
vitamin E.
Both foods may help keep
the heart and brain healthy
and functioning properly.
Other good choices are
almonds and hazelnuts. So
don’t be guilty and bring on
the munchies!
Tomaytoe—tomaahtoe…
These red fruits—yes,
they’re fruits—have
lycopene, one of the most
powerful anti-oxidants that
give numerous benefits
to our body, especially
the brain. This could help
protect against the kind
of free radical damage to
cells which occurs in the
development of dementia,
particularly Alzheimer’s.
Certain B-Vitamins such
as B6, B12 and folic acid
are known for reducing
levels of homocysteine in
the blood. Elevated levels
of homocysteine can cause
higher risks of stroke,
cognitive impairment and
Alzheimer’s disease.
Ohhhh— the temptation,
the creamy bittersweet
flavor, the chocolatey good-
ness! Studies have shown
that flavanols in chocolate
improves blood vessel
function which in turn im-
proves our brain’s cognitive
function and memory. Dark
chocolate is also known to
improve mood, can ease
pain, and is full of antioxi-
dants. So indulge!
Fart Alert! Beans and
Legumes are top sources
of complex carbohydrates.
These complex carbohy-
drates are also mixed with
fiber, that’s slows absorp-
tion, giving us a steady
supply of glucose for the
brain w/o spiking our sugar
levels. They are also rich in
folate a B vitamin critical to
brain function and omega
fatty acids.
Even our body needs to be
“oiled” once in a while. Low
levels of fats in our blood
can contribute to depres-
sion, Alzheimer’s and
Dementia. Coconut Oil can
help raise good Cholester-
ol levels, weight loss and
combat Dementia. It acts as
an anti-inflammatory and
has been linked in helping
prevent the onset of these
brain disorders.
These two contain a
healthy mix of omega fatty
acids, proteins and B vita-
mins, which aid in giving
you additional energy.
Depressed? Though small,
these seeds are loaded with
Trytophan, which the brain
converts into Serotonin to
boost you mood and com-
bat anxiety and depression.
A handful of these seeds
will give your daily recom-
mended amount of Zinc,
-a suppkement that aids in
enhancing memory and
thinking skills.
Tuna, Milkfish, Salmon,
Mackerel and other fish
are very rich in heart
healthy omega 3- fatty
acids. This also includes
Docosahexaenoic acid
(DHA), which has a vital
role for the optimum
function of neurons in
your brain. So grab some
fish and go for some
sushi!!!!
Beans and
Legumes
Coconut Oil
Peanuts and
Peanut Butter
Dark Chocolate
Tomato
Red Wine
Sunflower seeds/
Pumpkin Seeds
Vitamins
Fish
Dark Green
Leafy Veggies
1
2
3
5
4
6
7
8
9
10
Photo Sources: Beans: Suhanijain; Coconut: Paleogrubs; Peanut Butter: Marianne Gutierrez; Dark Choco: Britannica; Tomatos: Zikoko; Red Wine: Paulnoll;
Sunflower Seeds: File Magazine; Vitamins: Celiac; Fish: Bali Indian Restaurant; Vegetables: Ways to Go Green Blog
74
Petroleum Investment are going
down, the managing sector is
sinking, and the stock market is
dropping. With all this happen-
ing in their country, Americans
are wondering: Will we ever see
the benefits of cheap oil?
	 The prices of crude oil
have gone down by 70% since
mid-2014, this year it plummet-
ed below $30 a barrel. This is a
big difference from 18 months
ago, when they were at $110 a
barrel.
	 Recent technological
breakthroughs of hydraulic
fracturing have transformed the
market for black gold. This made
the United States the world’s
leading petroleum exporter.
	 If that is the case, then
Benefits of Cheap Oil
won’t be felt anytime soon
PetroleumIn-
vestment are
going down,
the manag-
ing sector is
sinking,and
the stock
market is
dropping.
GetGasFromPlasticWasteEcotech Produces Usable Oil
from Waste Plastic Bottles
why do Americans feel so down
about oil prices? It may just be a
question of timing, some econo-
mists say.
	 “On a net basis, the
decline of oil prices is or will be
positive for the US economy.”
According to Angel Ubide, a
senior fellow at the Peterson
Institute for International Eco-
nomics.
	 Because the nega-
tive impact is “faster and more
concentrated in time”, people are
already feeling it, said Ubide.
	 “If we look at it in two
or three years’ time, we’ll be able
to conclude that the decline in
oil process on net was positive.
But we need some time for that.”
He added.
O I L I N D U S T R I E S
A plant situated in Hong
Kong has invented some-
thing very cool. They have
created a way to recycle
waste plastic bottles into
usable fuel. This is part of
the Plastic Waste-to-fuel
System of the Hong Kong
Plant. The workers in the
plant imports some plastic
bottles from Australia. The
recyclable plastic waste will
then be segregated from
non-recyclable plastics.
Then a prototype machine is
used for condensation and
purification.
	 The Fuel oil is
collected from the plastic
before the process of puri-
fication and sedimentation.
The Director of the company
Ecotech, Mr. Cheung, is the
man who suggested this pro-
cess. When the oil is refined,
it is found that it is suitable
for using it as oil for engines
that runs on diesel.
	 The company
Ecotech, based in Hong
Kong, is famous for the
recycling of plastic since the
year 2007. They have found
out that more than 5% of
the oil production in a year
is used up in the manufac-
turing process of plastic. The
impact in the environment
of the carbon residue of
plastic is also very danger-
ous. This is the reason they
looked for different ways to
recycle the different types of
plastics materials. This com-
pany has joined hands with
many other organizations to
fulfill this purpose. They also
import plastic from different
countries in order to recycle
them.
Through this process of
producing oil from plastic,
the company is setting an
example for others. This
company is contributing
to the sustenance of the
environment. They use their
power to help purify the
environment. Thus, they are
doing something that will
help mankind in generations
to come.
O I L A N D G A S
Photo Source: Eugene-or
Photo Source: WSJ
75
Leonardo DiCaprio Attacks On
“Corporate Greed” Of Coal,
Oil And Gas Industries
The Oscars Best Actor front liner
nominee, Leonardo DiCaprio,
criticized coal, oil and gas indus-
tries on his speech in the World
Economic Forum held in Davos,
Switzerland.
As a recipient of the World Economic Forum’s
Crystal Award on environmentalism, The Rev-
enant actor, Leonardo DiCaprio, 41, criticized
energy companies on corporate greed and
demands leaders to support clean energy during
his acceptance speech.
	 He said that corporate greed shall
not be allowed to continue as they control and
determine the future of humanity. These entities
with financial interest cater destructive system
and cover up the changing climate according to
the DiCaprio.
	 “Enough is enough. You know better.
The world knows better. History will place the
blame for this devastation squarely at their feet”,
DiCaprio said. The audience applauded after his
convictional speech.
	 He also praised Amazon CEO, Jeff
Bezos, Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg and
philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft,
Bill Gates, also a staple of Davos for pledging
support in building a zero-emission future.
	 The Golden Globes Best Actor also
announced that his foundation, Leonardo
DiCaprio Foundation, will donate another $15
million to support environmental projects and
asked business front-runners to help battle
climate change.
Photo Source:
missopen
Photo Source:
E15initiativePhoto Source: CBC
76
When we think about space
exploration, we usually end up
thinking something along the
lines of Star Trek. The immense
expanse of space filled with
undiscovered planets and solar
systems is certainly a breathtaking
idea. Few consider to imagine the
less glamorous side of it all, such
as waste. However, for the guys at
NASA, it is a crucial point when
it comes to making space explora-
tion livable.
	 According to scien-
tists, the human waste generated
during any space journey is half
of their total waste generated. This
includes trash, used food cartons,
etc… Therefore, they are trying
to come with a solution that is
more useful than simply ejecting
the waste into space. Their aim is
to develop a technique that can
convert the pee of astronauts into
drinkable water and even fuel. Be-
fore you get all disgusted, remind
yourself that this technique can
be potentially lifesaving when you
are wandering around in space.
After all, there are no water tanks
in space where you can refill your
water supplies.
	 For this purpose, the
scientists used a specific wastewa-
ter treatment process known as
forward osmosis. When com-
bined with a fuel cell, this process
can be used for generating power.
That is actually cool once you
get over the fact that the major
component will be pee. As for the
scientist, they used wastewater
from the shower and urine and
processed it with forward osmosis
to separate urea and water from
the contaminants. With the help
of the new Urea Bioreactor Elec-
trochemical system developed
by them, the urea was converted
into ammonia which is further
transformed to energy.
	 This tech does have po-
tential applications in space. After
all, it will enable astronauts to get
an additional source of water if
the supplies they have onboard
prove to be insufficient. However,
it can also be used back here on
Earth for processing wastewater
into something more useful.
To prevent water shortages from
becoming a problem in space, NASA
has developed a treatment process
for transforming urine into water.
Astronauts’ Pee
Turned to Energy and
Drinking Water
Photo Source: Science News
77
Energy Industry Needs To Be
Transformed Quickly Says Bill Gates
B
ill Gates is on a crusade.
He believes we must
accelerate the world’s
transitionfrom carbon
based energy to a much
more natural and eco-friendly ba-
sedenergy, and fast. This is, if we
want to avoid the worst outcome
of a worldwarming by up to 2 de-
grees, every 10 years. To make this
possible, he believesby 2050 the
wealthy nations of China, USA
and Europe should not be adding
any more carbon to the environ-
ment. A very noble sentiment but
how will you change an industry
that accounts for about 30 trillion
dollars a year?
	 Bill Gates believes the
rate of technological innovation is
slowed down by simple eco-
nomics; there is simply no profit
in innovation. It’s simply better
to follow the “tried and tested”
methods that everyone thinks will
result in the ultimate aim, and
that is profit. Perhaps in order to
seek an answer we should look
back on how the problem was cre-
ated in the first place. Back in the
late 19th century,John D Rocke-
feller was looking for a use for an
unsightly byproduct of kerosene
production, which was usually
discarded in rivers and pits. The
stuff stank and was highly flam-
mable. If it slicked on the surface
of a river, hot coals from a
paddle steamer could ignite it.
The unsightly byproduct was
gasoline, and when automobiles
and airplanes were invented, a
consumer market emerged for-
Rockefeller.
	 In an interview with
The Atlantic, Bill Gates believes
the best way to stimulate inno-
vation is to fund it. With this in
mind, he has pledged two billion
dollars to assist in researchand
development toward a number
of causes, mostly for environ-
mentalcauses. But will this be
enough? My suspicion is probably
not. Thankfully, there are more
efficient technology that con-
sumes less are already available in
the market. This may be a good
start. In recent years we have seen
the development of LED lighting,
more efficient cars and planes
and of course the commercializa-
tion of electric cars by one Elon
Musk. Bill Gates may serve as an
inspiration to everyone, especial-
ly innovators to help our world
through creating technological
advances that are environmentally
friendly.
THE SEARCH FOR AN ENERGY MIRACLE!
Photo Source: The Atlantic
Photo Source: Wikimedia
Photo Source: Business Insider
78
THE LARGEST CAMERA
IN THE WORLD
USES 3.2 GIGAPIXELS
stronomical renaissance
may only be just a click away
thanks to the Large Synop-
tic Survey Telescope. The
Department of Energy has
already given its permission
for the creation of what will
become the world’s largest camera at 3.2
gigapixels. Your smartphone is puny by
comparison, size-wise and pixel-wise. The
Large Synoptic Survey Telescopic or LSST
will be used for hunting dark matter and
energy across the Southern sky from its
location on the top of Cerro Pachon in
Chile. This camera will end up producing a
public archive of 60 petabytes. That is more
movies than you can watch in a lifetime!
	 The LSST has been in the plan-
ning phase for a long time. The National
Optical Astronomy and the Association
of Universities for Research in Astrono-
my have been trying to get a wide field
telescope for surveying since the 90s. A
number of private financiers and 36 insti-
tutions have provided their support for the
instrument. Bill Gates is one of them. The
LSST is yet to be built.
	 However, the approval by the
Department of Energy marks the comple-
tion of Critical Decision 3 phase. This is
the last major decision for approval before
the camera can be built. Now, the process
of construction can finally begin! However,
the operations are not likely to start before
the year 2022.
A
C A M E R A S
Photo Source: Petapixel
Photo Source: Daily Mail
79
e’re used to build
robot stuff with
Lego, way, way
back to our
childhood. Now,
a smarter one
comes anew. A Lego-like thing is
here is to help you construct a robot
and understanding how it works, it’s
called Robo Wunderkind. A start-up
has devised programmable bricks that
look like a Lego so that it can teach
your kids how the codes and the
algorithms work.
	 Different electronics have
been embedded in the cube. Then,
you can very easily program the
device by using your smartphones
and your tablets. The CEO and the
founder Rustern Akishbekov points
it out that they have made very easy
programming language that will be
understood by the children very con-
veniently. They will not use all those
complicated and tough program, they
can just drag the blocks and drop it.
	 What are the things that
you can create with your Robo Kits?
Well, you can build a lot of things.
Each block is enabled to do different
stuff. There are sensors for humidity
and proximity.
	 The bricks can be connect-
ed by placing them on top of each
other. Wheels are provided with a set
that can be used to make the robot
move. The Lego adapters enhance the
looks and functions of the robot. You
just don’t have to bother about any
wires or magnets at all. Building a
robot has never been so easy.
	 You can even connect it
to your Android or iOS device with
Bluetooth. After this, all that you
have to do is to drag and drop the
block in the app to generate simple
algorithms.
	 The thing that sets Wun-
derKind different from all other
programmable modular robots is the
simplicity of it. The cubes are in dif-
ferent colors and patterns which gives
them an exclusive look extremely
attractive for the kids. The basic cost
of the kit is $149 which will give you
nine cubes.
	 Now, you can surely say
that building a robot is child’s play.
W
T O Y S
Photo Source: EEDesignit
Photo Source: Simplebotics
Photo Source: Scenester
80
The Japanese are seemingly
working hard towards
innovation. They are being
highly conscious towards
environment after the Fukushima
nuclear disaster in 2011. In fact,
the country is now more exem-
plary than ever. The country’s
electronics maker Kyocera Cor-
poration has revealed the world’s
largest floating solar power sta-
tion, claiming 11,250 solar panels
that are fully waterproof atop the
water’s surface.
	 The latest “mega-plants”
at Nishihira and Higashihira
Ponds in Kato City are the works
of electronics giant Kyocera
Corporation and Century Tokyo
Leasing Corporation. The work
has been completed in seven
months and can generate 3,300
megawatt hours (MWh) every
year. The station measures 333
meters in length and 77 meters
in width at an area of 25,000 sq.
meters. The electricity produced
at the plants are planned to be
sold to Kansai Electric Power Co.
in Osaka for about ¥96 million
($780,000) annually.
	 The company said that
the product is not just ty-
phoon-proof (due to their sturdy,
high-density polyethylene and
array design) floating solar plants
but are also superior to their
land-based equivalents because
of the cooling effect of the water
which allows them to function
more efficiently.
	 According to the report
shared by Korea Water Resourc-
es Corporation, “the benefits of
floating these panels on water
come in the form of energy
efficiency. The cooling effect of
the water beneath the solar cells
makes them 11 percent more
efficient than those on land, and
with the shade that these giant
panels provide, they also prevent
evaporation and excessive algae
growth, making them environ-
mentally friendlier still.”
Another advantage with these
systems is that they are remark-
ably hard and can withstand
winds of up to 118 miles per
hour. They are even earthquake
proof.
	 If Japan really aims at
switching entirely to renewable
energy sources by 2040, these
floating solar panels could be a
large step in the right direction.
JapanBuilta
MassiveFloating
SolarPowerPlantJapan’selectronicsmakerKyoceraCorporationhasrevealed
theworld’slargestfloatingsolarpowerstation.
R E N E WA B L E S
Photo Source: wccftech
81
India
Builds
the
Largest
Floating
Solar
Power
Plant
The world’s largest
floating solar power
station is now installed
at Loktak Lake, the
largest fresh water lake
in North East India, in
Manipur.
Indian economy is all set to lead the world
with the world’s largest floating solar pow-
er station ready to be installed at Loktak Lake,
the largest fresh water lake in North East India, in
Manipur. A 10-Megawatt (MW) plant was installed in
December 2014 at a waterbody in Rajarhat New Town by
the city-based Arka Ignou Community College of Renewable
Energy. It generates about 10 KWP solar power each day. The new
plant at Loktak Lake in Manipur is a 100-kilowatt (KW) facility and is
already yielding
encouraging results.
The floating solar power plant at Loktak Lake in Manipur is all set to become the
country’s largest and only second floating solar panel installation. It is installed at
the lake near the Sendra tourist resort of Loktak Lake and will be implemented
under the program for off-grid and decentralized solar applications of the
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Aside from helping the Manipur Renewable Energy Development
Agency (MANIREDA) in the finalization of work orders, the col-
lege will be providing the requisite technical assistance such as
fixing the detail design parameters, drawings and specifi-
cations for the project. With only two other countries,
Japan and Australia, having floating solar plants,
these are a rarity across the globe. India is now all
set to be in the league!
PhotoSource:TheHigherLearning
82
How To Disappear from
the World Wide Web
Well, you can’t.
Not really.
A few years ago, my credit card
company charged me a huge bill for
something I never bought over the
internet. When my mother called me
to confirm the huge purchase, I was
shocked. As soon as I checked where
the money went, I discovered I just
‘subscribed’ myself in a porn site I
never even go to. I had to go through
a long process of clearing out my
name out of the mess and ever since
then, I was very careful in using very
personal details on the internet. I
was a victim of getting hacked and
I’m sure there are millions of people
out there who had to go through
the same ordeal. Some even went
through worse.
	 Anyone can become a
victim of doxxing. It doesn’t mean
we have to hide ourselves from the
internet. Even if we try, it’ll be hard.
We can’t easily disappear from social
media. We don’t have to purge all of
our online history. That would be a
very difficult task to do but we can
still protect ourselves from trolls who
would want us to become victims of
doxxing.
	 One way to protect our-
selves from doxxing is to improve
our social media privacy settings to
ensure that only our friends know
what we’re up to in our lives lately.
Also, using strong passwords and
using multiple usernames and email
addresses increase our chances from
getting doxxed. As much as possible,
we should avoid putting a lot of very
personal information in the sites that
we use. Make sure that all the sites
you visit are safe and not shady.
	 Wanting to disappear from
the internet is never the best solution
to stop doxxing. It’s not even possi-
ble. No matter how many accounts
you delete, there will still be traces of
you found somewhere in the world
wide web. So, it’s best to limit what
you post and protect yourself from
malicious attacks from hackers.
Photo Source: Pocketnow
83
It’s ‘Her’ in
Real Life:
XiaoIce,
Your Digital
Girlfriend
China has fallen in love with
this artificially intelligent
smartphone program.
by Alice Hernandez
F
inding someone and having that instant
spark is hard enough these days. Most peo-
ple really have a difficult time finding “The
One” for them. For some cases in China,
some people decided that it’s better to fall
in love with a smartphone program. You
heard that right. It’s ‘Her’ in real life.
	 ‘Her’ is a sci-fi movie about an intro-
vert guy named Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix)
who falls in love with Samantha, his friendly op-
erating system. Just like in the movie, thousands
of people have decided to make Xiaoice their
girlfriend. Xiaoice is a mandarin-speaking chat
bot developed by Microsoft with more than 20
million downloads. Microsoft even reported that
its users talk to it around 60 times a month. Talk
about clingy people.
	 She has a sympathetic ear, a sense of
humor and can even remember details about
you. Xiaoice is even available to her partners all
the time. She might even get ‘intimate’ with her
users. People can even add her on Weibo, China’s
version of Twitter.
	 A lot of people run to her when they
lose jobs, break up with someone or whenever
they need to rant about having a bad day. What
makes Xiaoice interesting to people is how she’s
a good ‘conversationalist’. She can crack jokes,
tell different stories, recite poems, update people
about recent events such as the winning lottery
and even uses emojis in her messages.
	 Concerns about privacy have been
raised about Xiaoice’s ability to remember things.
However, Microsoft was quick to respond that
this smart chat box only remembers information
about its users that can be used for future refer-
ence. It has a company policy where unnecessary
details can be deleted right away. How about the
intimate details of each individual? Do they count
as unnecessary?
	 Xiaoice is not the only smart chat box
that’s talking to a lot of people these days. Less-
er-known apps are also around. Some of them are
even therapeutic for vets suffering from PTSD.
Others are just humans pretending to be bots.
	 WithpeopleusingappssuchasXiaoice
to experience ‘love’, does this mean it’s harder to
find real love with humans now?
Photo Source: Futuristech Info
Photo Source: Shanghai Business Review
84
Mechanical
Engineer
turned Chef:
Dave Smart
ow many times
have we heard
people say “choose
a job you love and
you never have
to work a day in
your life”? From
experience, I would say that it may
sound fun and easy, but it is extremely
tough to put into action. At least for
a working class citizen like me, the
dilemma stems from the fact that
most of the things I love to do are not
as financially rewarding as the things
that I less love to do. For instance, I
must admit that my desk job pays
well, making it completely ridiculous
to give it up for theatre acting stint.
At this point in my life, I am just not
ready to leave my 8-5 job to chase
after my passion.
	 It is, however, inspiring to
know of people who have taken the
monumental decision of leaving their
cushy career in exchange for doing
what they love. One of them is Dave
Smart, a mechanical engineer turned
restaurateur, and the head chef at
Front & Central, a casual dining place
in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
	 Smart recounts that though
there was not any eureka moment
that led him to take the plunge into
opening up a restaurant business, his
friends always noticed how excited he
was when he talked about cooking.
“One day,” say Smart, “a friend said
to me ‘Every time you talk about
cooking, you sit up and your body
language changes’.” The same friend
said that this was in contrast to when
Smart would talk about Engineering.
And the rest, so they say, was history.
	 Smart admits that making
it through the transition phase was
not easy. “I work way more than I
once did,” he says, “but I make a frac-
tion of the money I once made.” But
Smart does not seem to care about
the difficulty, as long as he felt “full”.
	 Smart identified as an engi-
neer from his 20s through his 30s,
when he enjoyed the perks of the job.
“It was nice to enjoy the lifestyle – the
spiffy car, the house and the loads of
travel,” say Smart. “It was his perfect
existence on paper, but it felt so emp-
ty.” His struggles were made worse by
a coincidental marriage break-up.
	 “After my marriage was
broken up,” Smart says, “I decided
not to be one of those guys who lies
on their deathbed with a list of things
they wished they had done before.”
For David Smart,
swapping a lucra-
tive Engineering
career for a riskier
culinary adventure
is all worth it.
by Robert Bagatsing
H
So, he finally decided to give in to
what his heart tells him. At 40, he
took a nine-month culinary program
at Cordon Bleu Ottawa Culinary
Arts Institute, then apprenticed at a
restaurant there.
	 In January 2012, he
accepted a job at Wolfville’s Tempest
restaurant, which became his seven
months later.
	 Smart admits that he still
has moments, especially in extremely
difficult circumstances, when he
stands on the brink of giving up and
going back to full-time engineering.
“But the moment
I make that state-
ment, I immedi-
ately feel empty
inside,” he says.
	 A lot of people
go through quar-
ter-life or mid-life
crisis. Many are
disappointed to
find out that the
road to success is
not straight, let
alone paved. We
all have our own
unique circum-
stances that either
allow or disallow
us to do what we
want to do at the
moment. If there’s
an essential take-
away from Dave
Smart’s story, it is
that you have to
take ownership of
your life at some point, and it is never
too late to chase after what you love.
	 Chef Dave Smart’s Front
& Central restaurant served its last
meal on December 20, 2014, after two
and half years in business. Despite the
set-back, Smart has not given up on
what makes him feel “full”: He said
that he would continue to work in the
food industry, doing such things as
collaborative events with other chefs.
Photo Source: Devourfest
Photo Source: Nova News Now
85
w
Meet the Guy
who Designed
an Airplane
While Drunk
Something
awesome came out after
this guy got drunk with
his friends.
by Ems Golen
e’ve heard of stories
about students acing
their exams while they
are drunk. They can
be amusing tales at
times, but this story
will amaze you. This US college
student was able to design an entire
plane while he was very drunk.
While most engineering students
have a hard time passing their
majors, this guy easily designed a
high-speed plane in one night.
	 Keith and Mark were
just average students studying at
Michigan Tech college until one
night, Mark went home to his dorm
room very drunk, designed a plane
but woke up with no idea what
happened the other night. Luckily
for him, Keith had proof of his
roommate’s drunken state of bril-
liance, He tweeted about the things
that happened that night.
	 According to Keith, Mark
got drunk over vodka and rum,
then reached out for his textbooks
as soon as he arrived in their room.
He then tweeted a photo of his
roommate’s work with the caption:
“So my roommate came back last
night and doesnt remember design-
ing an entire f****** airplane.”
	 Alcohol does have a way
of making people popular. Keith’s
tweet went viral afterwards. With
over 64,000 retweets and 110,000
favorites, Mark became popular
with his stint. Mark even made
plans to pursue his new project by
working on his design further and
creating a remote-control model.
	 Aside from Keith,
Mark’s drinking buddies that night
witnessed him design his airplane,
asking for a pen and paper and
working on the ground. Later on, he
grabbed his aerospace mathematics
book and left the room to go back
his place. All of Mark’s designs were
written on a notepad, a whiteboard
and a graphic paper.
	 When asked if his design
would work, Mark said that it may
work and clarified that what he
designed was an ekranoplan, a high
speed aircraft that can float above
water.
Mark just proved that something
productive and very amusing can
come out from getting drunk. This
definitely classifies as #drunkgoals.
Photo Source: Twitter
Photo Source: Mirror
86
A Self-Assembling Material
Developed By MIT
ne interesting topic that the engineers at the
Self-Assembly Lab of the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology (MIT) hope to have answers to is
about materials transformation. More specifi-
cally, they want to determine if it is possible to
create objects that can assemble themselves and
whether they can be made to possess the ability
to transform. This is the aim of Skylar Tibbits,
the director of the lab. 3D printing has already opened
up some interesting new avenues of research. Howev-
er, Skylar wants to go one step further and explore 4D
printing. While 4D printing may sound a bit humorously
impossible, you simply cannot ignore the badass thing he
is trying to achieve.
	 For the Self-Assembly Lab, 4D printing is the
development of materials with special geometric codes
that allowed the materials to transform and change their
shape on their own. These materials can be printed with
the help of a 3D printer. In short, the lab wants to create
materials which have the ability to assemble themselves.
	 The solution to be able to create the prototype
was found in geometry. While printing the material
with a 3D printer, the machine is fed with a very precise
geometric code. This code is not only based on the
dimensions and angles of the object but also certain
measurements. These measurements in turn determine
how the object can change its shape in the presence of
external stimuli. The stimuli in this case can be water,
temperature changes or even movement.
	 In other words, the code can set the number of
times as well as the angles and direction at which the ma-
terial will curl and bend. When that material is subjected
to the appropriate change in its environment, the stimuli
causes it to change its shape. Now, that is cool!
	 The potential applications for this technology
are immense. They can be applied to something as simple
as pipe-works to something as complex as space shuttles.
More importantly, one can hope that this badass tech can
make our beloved Transformers franchise a reality.
Photos Source:
Top: Technology Review
RightUpper: Technology Review
Right Lower: 3D Print
O
MATERIALS ENGINEERING
87
y definition, hover means
remaining in one place in the
air. With that, we can realize
that the hoverboards before in
the market aren’t really hover-
boards.
	The dream is not yet over as the
legit hoverboard is finally upon us with
the birth of ArcaBoard.
	 Unlike the boards which
famously combusts in itself and which
batteries are faulty, ArcaBoard is the real
deal. It can let you fly anytime, anywhere
above the ground. It features 272 horse-
power and 430 pounds of thrust. It has
36 high-power electric-ducted fans that
will levitate you for around six minutes
maximum, which could travel a little over
a mile at a maximum speed of 12.5 miles
per hour.
	 If you want to hover more than
six minutes, no need to fret as replace-
ment battery parks are now in the works,
apart from the previous charging time of
35-minutes to a dead battery.
	 More reason to be excited
about the real hoverboard is the cut
price of $14,900, a $5,000 deficit from its
pre-order price at Christmas at $19,900.
B
Travel Like A Boss
With Arcaboard
Thehoverboardthatactually
hoversanddoesnotspontaneously
combustisoutinthemarket.
T O Y S
Photo Source: Arcaspace
Photo Source: Arcaspace
Photo Source: The Baum List
88
GineersNow
	 Your Fridays will never
be the same again.
	 GineersNow presents the
world’s first teen engineer robot,
GN Bot, which welcomes ques-
tions of all sorts from engineers
and engineering students from
around the world.
	 Catch GN Bot every Fri-
day on Facebook at these times:
1:00 PM Dubai
2:30 PM Delhi	
5:00 PM Manila
6:00 PM Tokyo
8:00 PM Sydney
	 Meanwhile, here are GN
Bot’s best responses to date. It
is oftentimes witty, helpful, and
hilarious! What a robot!
89
90
The Fastest Garden Shed
evin Nicks from
Oxfordshire England
may have an answer to
the Volkswagen groups
green credential woes in
the light of the emission
scandal! Sniffing the stale
air from his VW Passat station
wagon, he had the bright idea of
converting it into a garden shed!
	 Given that most
garden sheds spend their lives, in
gardens, and usually stationary
(hurricanes notwithstanding), Mr.
Nicks decided to have a crack at
a world record. Now you would
think that having a family car
converted into a garden shed
would probably qualify it, but
sadly someone else piped him
at the post. There was already a
standing record for the taking.
A speed record for motorized
sheds would you believe? The
current record holder managed
to hurl their shed at the horizon
at a blood curdling speed of 58.41
mph.
	 A mere baga-
telle-thought Mr. Nicks, from Ox-
fordshire, had already managed to
motivate his bluff fronted timber
box well past that speed. This
brings us to Elvington airfield
near York where all sorts of wacky
racers come to topple records.
The Nicks shed lined up next to
a jet powered shopping trolley
along with a host of motorcycles
contesting the World Wheelie
Championship, which for those of
you who are interested was won
by a lunatic named Gary Roth-
well. He shot down the course
on one wheel at 197.88 MPH!
In comparison, the taking of the
crown for the world’s fastest shed,
at a mere 70.77MPH seems decid-
edly tame. We believe no garden
gnomes were hurt in the process.
Mr. Nicks now has a place in the
Guinness World Record books.
Till next year anyway?
K
AUTOMOTIVE
Photo Source: Oxford Mail
Photo Source: Perigord Vacance
91
Tiny House with Panoramic View
he Escape Vista by Escape
homes boasts of an efficient
tiny living with essentially
cedar, metal, and glass
components. It measures
160 square feet, with the
home essentials such as bed, pop-up TV,
kitchen with open-shelving and under-
counter fridge/freezer, and bathroom
with shower and toilet. It also has full-
height cabinets and built-in cubbies and
drawers for all of your storage needs.
	 Apart from the interiors are its
windows which are panoramic, it gives
the outdoor-indoor connection.
	 This home is for sale at an
introductory price of $39,900, an already
amount compared to larger models which
prices range from $65,400 to $72,800.
Your brand-new home will be delivered
in 30 to 60 days upon ordering.
	 This home is substantially
smaller than the Escape Travele and XL
Models from the same company.
All Photos Source: Escape vista
T
D E S I G N E N G I N E E R I N G
92
EXOSKELETONS
To Begin Iron Man Age
Japan develops Exoskeletons, robotic
assist suits, to aid the elderly and to
support its work force.
ctiveLink, a Japanese
tech company and
subsidiary of Panaso-
nic, released its first
commercially available
assist suit AWN-03, an
exoskeleton that detects and
assists body movements. It
has been showcased in Tokyo’s
International Robot Exhibition,
the world’s largest robotics
show, a few weeks ago where it
garnered a huge interest from
the audience.
	 This is to address
the aging population of Japan
and supporting its shrinking
workforce focusing on health
care, physical assistance and
maintaining the country’s
level of production. Using the
exoskeleton, which weighs a few
pounds (6kg), the user would
be able to lift up crates or things
effortlessly, six to seven times in
a row. The device is composed
of two disks on the front part of
thighs and distributed over the
shoulders. It is powered by lith-
ium-ion battery with an electric
engine according to ActiveLink
Engineer, Yasunori Nishi. The
exoskeleton costs $10,000 each.
	 Also, Japan is not
the only one developing the
exoskeletons. In Europe and
the United States, a number of
projects were soon be unveiled
under the sectors of defense
and rehabilitation industries.
Exoskeletons ranging from
modular arms, limbs and chairs
are now being developed for
commercialization.In this tech-
nological age of robotics, from
parts to overalls, these “Iron
Man suits” are now a reality.
A
ROBOTICS
Photo Source: IB Times
Photo Source: Discovery
93
he space that the train stations
occupy has always been a big is-
sue. Two London-based design-
ers, Christopher Christophi and
Lucas Mazarrasa, finally thought
of a solution to this big-time
trouble. The two have proposed the cre-
ation of the ‘Hyper Speed Vertical Train
Hub’, a towering skyscraper that could
dock trains vertically around the circum-
ference of the building. However, the idea
has been shared for eVolo magazine’s
2014 skyscraper design competition. This
could be highly functional though.
	 The two designers aim at re-
ducing CO2 emissions, increasing energy
security and replacing the existing key
major train stations in cities around the
world, including London, New York and
Madrid. The vertical design, as suggested,
can greatly reduce the volume needed to
store trains when not in transit, and will
T
How About Riding a Train From the Sky?
Hyper Speed
Vertical Train Hub
also remove them from the subterranean
infrastructure. The idea is really helpful
for older cities with weaker roads and
building foundations, as well as cities
built near the water, with a limited ability
to move deeper underground. There
would also be an additional room for
parks, shops, or homes.
	 The vertical design supports
the idea of having travelers enter the
building and ascend directly to their car-
riage on elevators that only stop at their
destination floor, and board through
the platform. This design reduces the
heavy passenger load, which otherwise is
crowded at train doors and station entry
points.
	 The trains would work via
‘maglev’, or ‘magnetic levitation’. The
method is already popular in high-speed
transits. The method uses magnetic force
to power trains as well as floats them
slightly off of the track. It also increas-
es the velocity at the same time as it
decreases friction. It has been estimated
that the train could cover 300 miles in 30
minutes, an average speed of 600 miles
per hour.
	 What an escalating idea, isn’t
it?
by Hina Sapra
RAILWAY
Photo Source: The Longest Stay
94
T
R E N E WA B L E S
he availability of clean potable
water is a global concern. The
lack of potable water is felt
mostly by the remote commu-
nities scattered across the de-
veloping and underdeveloped
countries. Fortunately, there seems to
be new hope for these communities
thanks to a new water purification
technology. This technology is not that
difficult to maintain as well since it is
powered by solar energy.
	 Residents of La Manchalona,
a remote village in the Yucatan pen-
insula, are using a water purification
system developed by the Massachu-
setts Institute of Technology. Together,
they have developed the system to be
self-sustaining for the long run.
	 There are nearly 450
indigenous residents in the village
of La Mancalona. The researchers
from MIT developed economic and
technical models which could be used
for transforming the technology from
use in the lab, to use in the field. With
the help of the villagers, the system
was configured for the community.
The materials and techniques used
for the technology have enabled the
villages to operate as well as maintain
the system on their own. In fact, this
awesome community has been doing it
themselves for almost 2 years.
	 The process used by this
badass technology is known as “Pho-
tovoltaic-powered Reverse Osmosis”.
One of the most crucial components of
the system are the solar panels, which
absorb light and generate electricity.
The electricity powers up the pumps,
which pushes water through filters. At
La Mancalona, two solar panels are
used. The system is capable of produc-
ing 1,000 liters of pure drinking water
each day from collected rainwater and
salty well water.
	 If more technologies like
these would be shared and implement-
ed throughout the world, especially
places with scarce potable water, it will
be a great help for humankind.
Water Purification using Solar energy
Yep, It’s Possible!
Photo Source: Treehugger
Photo Source: MIT
95
Underwater bot
that will save
Fukushima
An underwater robot made by
Toshiba was built toscour the
radioactive waters of Fukushi-
ma’s worst-hit reactor and
remove fuel rods.
An underwater robot made by Toshiba
was built to scour the radioactive waters of
Fukushima’s worst-hit reactor and remove
fuel rods. After an earthquake and tsunami
demolished Japan’s Fukushima Daichii
Nuclear Power Plant in 2011, which caused
a dangerous radiation leak, the country
immediately planned to set robots to fix the
needed repairs. Unfortunately, the environ-
ment was too unstable for any normal robot
to venture into.
	 Since the incident, countless
efforts were made by different companies
to develop a robot that can do this complex
job. This inspired a national robot competi-
tion called the DARPA Robotics challenge,
which was designed to simulate rescue
efforts. This led to the development of
some robots that are capable of working in
unstructured or complex environments.
	 According to Japan Times,
Toshiba manufactured the worst-hit reactor
and is currently helping with the clean-up.
They created a two-armed submersible
robot that will float into reactor 3 and try to
remove debris and retrieve the reactor’s fuel
rods. The simplicity of the robot shows that,
sometimes the simplest robots are the best
for the job.
	 This underwater robot is expected
to embark on its mission sometime in 2018.
Though this may not be enough to make
the place safe for humans to go into, it is
certainly a major step
in cleaning the site.
Photo Source: Tech Insider
96
The Household clock
with home connectivity
Glance Tech
lance Tech, an Internet of Things
startup, uses their own cloud
platform to innovate a “glance
clock” to display various infor-
mation. This is a smart wall clock
that displays data from con-
nected wearables, smartphones, smart home
devices and other third party applications
and web services. This cool new innovation
platform will display information only when
the user needs it.
	 The glance clock gives the user a
fresher way to interact with a smart house-
hold. The glance clock, unlike other smart
home integrations, is able to analyze water
consumption, energy and more. This Internet
of Things device is also able to analyze the us-
er’s daily activities and schedule. By integrat-
ing data from your connected fitness trackers,
the glance clock is able to display the user’s
sleep cycles, work out schedules, and also
blood pressure. The device is also useful as it
can also display the users upcoming meetings
and activities.
All Photos Source: Designboom
G
I N T E R N E T O F T H I N G S
97
	 Stethee is a device that takes the role of a “cardiologist”
in your pocket. It goes far beyond what conventional fitness bands
available in the market do – it monitors a person’s actual heart-
beat, rather than their pulse. Stethee has an easy-to-understand
reporting system, and can be connected to a Bluetooth headset or
a mobile app. It gives off a haptic feedback that allows the user to
“feel” his heartbeat, and emits color-coded light to inform the user
of their heart’s health – green means good and orange means they
have to seek for further medical help.
	 With every use, a person’s cardiovascular health
information is anonymously sent to Stethee’s cloud servers for
processing. With the help of a sophisticated algorithm created
based on medical databases and public health guidelines, Stethee
can analyze heartbeats based on the age, family health history
and other qualities of the user.
	 According its developers, Stethee can also prove to
be vital for pregnant women, in that it can see and listen to the
heartbeat of their unborn babies. Stethee can also be valuable
to asthmatics in tracking changes in the sounds of their lungs
to help detect the onset of an asthma attack. While still in the
prototype stage, Stethee’s creators are aggressively looking for
funding to push the device to production.
Revolutionizing
the Stethoscope
A
lmost three of every 10 deaths around the world are
attributed to cardiovascular diseases, and they remain to
be among the top killers year after year. Heart diseases are
silent killers, because they do not usually show symptoms
that would prompt one to see a specialist. Most of the early
signs of heart problems are dismissed by the sufferer, so
they escalate to the point that when they strike, it is usually
debilitating if not fatal.
	 For years, regular medical consultation has been the only
key to prevent any impending cardiac condition. People invest time
and money to undergo annual physical examinations to act on na-
scent or escalating cardiovascular cases that put their life in danger.
Today, a groundbreaking invention may change the way we deal with
potentially deadly heart conditions – presenting Stethee.
STETHEE
Photo Source: Bilgi Versin
Photo Source: Kickstarter
Photo Source: 36krcnd
Photo Source: Kickstarter
98
Samsung Fridge Lets You
Order Groceries From Its
21-Inch Touchscreen
he Samsung Family Hub Refriger-
ator is a sophisticated multi-tasker
that reconnects families, organizes
groceries and home tasks, and
provides entertainment.
	 The Family Hub is just that – a
hub of household connections,
but with a thoroughly digital twist. All
communications are housed and displayed
on a 21.5 inch full HD LCD resolution
screen located on the upper right exterior
door.  As the refrigerator’s digital family
command center, the screen allows you
to post, share and update calendars, pin
photos, share treasured kids’ works of art,
and leave notes – all with the ease and
convenience of your smartphone.
	 From more efficiently manag-
ing your groceries, to identifying foods
you have or need, to tracking product
expiration dates to cut down on waste, the
Family Hub is your go-to resource to keep
your kitchen fully stocked. In a revolution-
ary advancement in refrigerator technol-
ogy, three high quality cameras inside the
fridge capture an image every time the
door closes. You can then access those
images anytime using your smartphone
and take a peek inside your fridge. Even
if you’re at the store and forget to check
on what you need for dinner that night,
you can easily pull up the Samsung Smart
Home app and have a look right into
your Family Hub fridge. There’s no more
forgetting what you have at home, and you
can even use the refrigerator to do online
grocery shopping with the aid of a major
credit card partner, as well as manage reci-
pes and compile and share shopping lists.
	 With the kitchen serving as
the center of the home and a common
gathering spot, the Samsung Family Hub
Refrigerator is perfectly suited to entertain
friends and family. It offers options for
music streaming to play through its built-
in speaker or connect to your Bluetooth
wireless speakers, like Samsung’s own
Radiant 360 line, to enjoy music through-
out the home. You can even enjoy your
favorite television programs right on the
Family Hub screen using Screen mirror-
ing with your Samsung Smart TV, a huge
benefit if you have to prepare food for the
football game and don’t want to miss any
important play.
	 The Family Hub is as impres-
sively designed on the inside as it is on
the outside. From the Samsung-exclusive
FlexZone™ that transforms from fridge to
freezer to meet your food storage needs,
to keeping food fresher, longer with its
Triple and Metal Cooling system, to its
flexibility and energy-saving features, this
refrigerator places a premium on superior
performance and unmatched innovation
and design.
	 Family Hub Refrigerator (model
RF28K95800SR) will be available in Spring
2016. It will be available in Counter Depth,
Full Depth, Stainless and a new and stun-
ning Black Stainless design.
T
KITCHENEERING
Photo Source: Refrigerators Reviewed
99
Make Your Own
Cooler from a
Broken Fridge
I
n case you have a refrigerator that
just sits in your garage, might as
well make something out of it and
make your own cooler.
	 This cooler only requires
recyclable materials so there is no
need to spend so much given you
have the tools. Also if you do not have
something to do this weekend, this might
be the perfect project for you.
	 It might be easier for you to
make a cooler when the bridge is lied
down. You can use the freezer space and
the fridge space according to your needs;
you can put all sorts of beverages and
goodies surround by ice.
	 You will need pallets, 1 ¼”
wood screws, caulking, liquid nails,
casters, 2” x 4” wood, PVC/brass fittings,
rope and eye bolts, and some spray paint
on top of it.
	 Your toolbox will come in
handy if you have drill/driver, chop saw,
circular saw, sander, caulking gun, and
pry-bars and hammers.
KITCHENEERING
Photo Source: Instructables
100
n a world where people are looking
for a better and cleaner alternative to
coal as our source of energy, engineers
and scientists have engaged in different
researches to find a new source of power
that would be good for us and for the
environment as well. Knowing that the world’s
surface is made up of 70% water, they found a
way to use ocean waves as a new source of clean
energy. Who would have thought that using
wave turbines can lead “exceptional results” in
generating power?
	 Aquamarine Power, a Scottish wave
power company, spent months testing its Oyster
800 wave machine in Orkney. This is the largest
working hydroelectric machine that uses wave
energy to produce power in the world. It works
by pumping high-pressure water into its hydro-
electric turbine, which then powers the electric
grid that is used around its neighborhood for
electric consumption. This device can be used
even at shallow depths and it’s easy to maintain.
The company expects that it can power 9,000
houses using 20 of its Oysters.
	 The company is currently finding ways
to refine and improve its wave turbine’s design. It
is also using its research and development team
to upgrade its technologies for its intellectual
property portfolio.
	 Aside from producing clean energy, the
Oyster is designed to rely on water for hydraulics
only. This means it won’t disturb marine life. The
device runs silently so you don’t have to worry
about any annoying sounds near the shore. This
turbine is still in its early stages of development
so it is still limited to one location. However, the
company aims to establish the Oyster in other
countries such as Spain, Portugal, Ireland, South
Africa, Australia, US, Chile and UK.
	 If each wave turbine can save about 500
tons of carbon dioxide every year, we’re hoping
this technology will be used in a lot of countries
in the near future. This could definitely help in
solving our problems in today’s climate change.
ITHE ‘OYSTER’ THAT
Gives US Power
Photo Source: City University of Hongkong
Photo Source: Inhabitat
P
101
This Drone Is No Match
To This Eagle
Nature vs. Machine:
A
by Alice Hernandez
“Now it adds drones to
its must-destroy list
since it feels threatened
to its presence.”
ustralia. Home to the famous Ugg(ly) boots,
the multi-talented Hugh Jackman, the
gorgeous Miranda Kerr and… this kickass
eagle? You heard that right! Not only is this
place home to koalas addicted to eating
eucalyptus, it is also home to one annoyed
(but still awesome) Australian wedge-tailed eagle.
	 It all started when drone operator, Adam
Lancaster, was just minding his own business in a
woodland in greater Melbourne, flying his drone,
when the wild predator appeared. The eagle focused
its attention to the drone and disabled it in less than
10 seconds. Lancaster said that the drone needed
repairing after the attack while the eagle flew away
unscathed.
	 The attack was so fast to the point that you
couldn’t even see it coming.
	 Known as the largest bird of prey in Aus-
tralia, this predator is very territorial and attacks he-
licopters and paragliders as well. Now it adds drones
to its must-destroy list since it feels threatened to its
presence.
	 These animals are more likely to feel
stressed out when a drone is around and tend to
lash out on them, destroying these drones like
horrible bosses. Clearly, nature is not yet ready to
welcome these machines. If people could disguise
these drones as non-threatening looking machines,
then less innocent drones become in danger from
these wild animals.
Photo Source: Wired
102
SAILING IN 2018:
ll thanks to Australian billion-
aire Clive Palmer, owner of Blue
Star Line, a replica of the Titanic
will soar the seas come 2018.
But here’s to hoping the fate of
the original Titanic will not be
replicated
	 The new ship is almost 300 yards long
and 57 yards high, with 9 floors and 840 cabins
enough to hold 2,400 passengers and 900 crew
members. It will sail at a maximum speed of 24
knots.
	 Titanic II will mirror the aesthetics of
the original Titanic with the grand first class rooms
and comfortable third class accommodations, but
with the additional safety standards that the old
one didn’t meet. It will have welded hull, instead of
riveted, about your yards wider; and a diesel-elec-
tric propulsion system instead of steam engines;
and stabilizers.
A
	 It will also have more life boats, presum-
ably, to ensure that in case it will follow the same
destiny in 1912, passengers will not perish in the
cold.
	 Apart from that, the new Titanic will
ensure passenger safety and security by having
modern evacuation procedures, satellite controls,
digital navigation and radar systems, and all else
that can be found in modern ships.
	 Unlike the original Titanic that voyaged
from Southamption to New York, this one will take
the Jiangsu, China to Dubai route.
	 CSC Jinling Shipyard in Jiangsu China
will recreate the said ship with an unofficial price
tag at £300million to £400million.
	 The project was already announced in
2012 and supposedly launch in 2016. There were
rumors on the abandonment of the project in 2015,
until confirmed this year that the ship will sail by
2018. 
TITANIC II
Photo Source: Rdaldia
by Dion Greg Reyes
103
	 The GHOST marine plat-
form looks like every action movie
aficionado’s dream. It seems like
an attack helicopter merged into a
stealth jet fighter, except that it is a
watercraft instead of an aircraft. Not
only that, it also looks like a serious
badass tank that means business.
Possibly, that was the effect that Juliet
Marine Systems was aiming for when
it developed this boat.
	 This boat has been devel-
oped for the United States Navy to
use, possibly. The features are cer-
tainly something out of a James Bond
movie. It is meant to be invisible to
radars of enemy ships. At the same
time, it is faster than the military
Engineers Built World’s First
Super-Cavitating Watercraft
watercraft currently in use, it is more
economical as well. However, the
most important feature claimed by
the Juliet Marine Systems for the
GHOST is that it is a super-cavitating
watercraft.
	 Super-cavitation is sim-
ply the use of cavitation effects to
surround any object in water with a
gas bubble so that the object trav-
els through the water with the bare
minimum of friction. By reducing
the drag friction, the object can reach
much higher speeds. In GHOST, two
tubular foils have been added which
are buoyant and lie submerged in
water. These are the objects which are
super-cavitated allowing the GHOST
to travel faster. JMS has yet to reveal
the details of this technology.
	 This watercraft is capable
of carrying a sizeable payload in its
internal weapons bay if required,
including the famous Mark 48 tor-
pedoes. Multiple weapons systems
can be incorporated into the GHOST
enabling it to attack multiple targets
at the same time. Its stealth can allow
it to creep up on enemy beaches to
transport troops or supplies. So what
we have here is a watercraft that is so
silent and deadly that calling it a boat
would be a grave injustice. Of course,
it already has the ridiculously cool
name of GHOST.
MARITIME AND MARINE ENGINEERING
Photo Source: Juliet Marine System
104
Stress relief 1
Identify What
Stresses
you out
In every problem solving,
the best way to solve the
problem is always find
the root cause. So, try to
think about everything that
stresses you. Once you’ve
listed everything down,
think about how you react
to those stress triggers.
Understanding your stress
triggers is the first step to
help you find balance.
Stress relief 3
Eat Well
When I say ‘eat well’, I
mean eat ‘healthy’. Nour-
ishing your body with the
right food will supply you
with the right amount of
energy to handle all the
day’s stresses. Treat yourself
to your favorite food once
in a while, but don’t forget:
too much of a good thing is
bad. This can lead to stress
eating. Take everything
in moderation, and don’t
forget to fill up with water.
here are two
kinds of stress:
The good stress,
the stress that
suddenly kicks in
when you need
to really focus on
something like a presentation, an
examination. This kind of stress
serves as a motivator for you to do
your best, especially in emergen-
cies. Then there’s the second kind
of stress: you guessed it—bad
stress. This stress is the harmful
kind, it can cause physical, mental,
and emotional pains. It can cause
you to act rashly and can lead to
different kinds of sicknesses like
weight fluctuations, heart disease
and depression.
	 Now, you can learn
these simple ways on how to
manage the different stresses in
your life. Check out these 10 tips
on how to handle stress.
T
Stress relief 2
Go get some
Exercise
Even if you aren’t a gym
junkie, it’s important to
move your body every day.
Go on a short walk, or go
have some light jogging.
Moving your body is im-
portant stressful reaction.
When you are healthy, you
will feel lighter and more
energized therefore helping
you manage life’s unexpect-
ed stresses.
by Cielo Panda
HANDLE STRESS LIKE A BOSS
Photo Source:
Daily Health Post
105
Stress relief 5
Smile
Research says that by
smiling, you can some-
how trick the brain into
thinking you actually are
happy. Sometimes even
a phony smile can help
you handle stress. So
bring out those sparkling
whites and smile!
Stress relief 7
Meditate
This may sound difficult to
do, but meditation can be
a great way to relax your
stress-filled mind. Medita-
tion is known to help lower
heart rate and blood pres-
sure, and even improves
cognitive performance.
Just find a comfortable
place, close your eyes, relax
your muscles and focus on
your breathing. 10 minutes
a day will suffice. The
effects are like magic, you’ll
feel relaxed and refreshed!
Stress relief 8
Drink
green Tea
The bitter green team is
very soothing. It contains
theanine, an amino acid
that gives the green tea its
flavor, and promotes relax-
ation. Theanine is a caffeine
antagonist, this means it
counters the stimulating
effects of caffeine. So, avoid
caffeinated beverages es-
pecially when stressed and
just drink some relaxing
green tea.
Stress relief 10
TakeahotBath
Heat relaxes the muscles,
and taking long hot baths
can be soothing to the
mind. So fill that tub with
some hot water and soak
in!
Stress relief 9
Listen to music
Plug on your earphones,
choose your favorite
playlist and let the music’s
euphoria kick in. Listening
to music can calm you
whenever you’re stressed.
Similar to meditation, it
helps you forget about the
stress and just concentrate
on the beats and melody
that is in the music.
Stress relief 6
Go on a
Road Trip
Schedule an annual
vacation… or better yet, if
you’re the adventurer type,
just go on a whim. Vaca-
tions help reset the mind
from boring, stressful, rou-
tine 9-5 work schedules. Go
to a city you haven’t seen
before, visit the beach, go
to a different country, and
take millions of selfies and
videos. Whatever makes
you happy.
Stress relief 4
Catch some
ZZzzz’s
Yes. Sometimes, when you
don’t want to handle any
more stress for the day, or
are too tired to solve the
day’s problem, the best
solution is to just hit the
sack and sleep. Sleep can
create wonders by, helping
you relax and restore all the
brain cells to health.
Photo Source: Social Rumors Blog
106
It used to be mentioned just in folklores
nearly a millennium ago or even the iconic
invisibility cloak of Harry Potter. Now, it
just had its space in the real world.
cientists learned that
a single layer of teflon
studded with tiny bits
of ceramic can solve the
problem of impractical
thickness of the material
and also eliminates the issue of los-
ing brightness in the area hidden
by the cloak. Changing the way
light waves being reflected and
ultimately focusing a large area of
sunlight onto a solar power tower
enables cloaking mechanism. The
technology is indeed powerful in
making things invisible.
	 The new designs are
made using a thin sheet of Teflon
lined with small cylindrical
ceramic particles that changes
height. In order to give the impres-
sion of invisibility, all you need to
do is simply change the direction
of the material, which in turn, will
redirect the electromagnetic waves.
This effect is called cloaking, and
can change the perception of a flat
For the Potterheads:
Invisibility Cloak
Using Teflon
surface entirely.
	 In contrast to the
earlier designs that were being
used earlier for cloaking devices,
the researchers have started to
use a “carpet” cloak design, which
makes the objects on a flat surface
disappear beneath it. This is done
by imitating the way light would
reflect off of the flat surface if the
object were not there.
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	 The researchers ensured
the best design and maximum
optimization of the cloak by using
the Computer-Aided Design
(CAD) software with electromag-
netic simulation. The cloak was
modeled as a thin matrix of Teflon
that embedded small cylindrical
ceramic particles, each with a
different height depending on its
position on the cloak.
	 The technology will not
only make things invisible but can
change the way the light waves
are reflected at will. Also, this will
render new implications in optics,
interior design and art. The entire
work has been supported by a
grant from the Calit2 Strategic
Research Opportunities (CSRO)
program at the Qualcomm Insti-
tute at UC San Diego.
	 However, there is a
limitation attached to these new
cloaking devices. These devices
can be used only on flat surfaces
and you can’t exactly just wrap
yourself in this new material. Let’s
hope that the improved version for
non-flat surfaces will be available
in no time. 
	 Soon enough, invisibili-
ty is not just magic anymore.
S
Photo Source: Aminoapps
Photo Source: Sparkly Science
107
108
BACK
COVER
www.GineersNow.com

GineersNow Engineering Magazine Issue no. 001

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    3 The pastseveral months have feverishly gone by just like that. From the months running up to the grand launch, to the past several weeks of live operation, my editorial team and I have been moving at such a frenetic pace, keeping several plates turning, including conceptualizing, revising and producing content, on top of responding to readers’ questions and addressing feedback. We at the GineersNow team know that we are in for a herculean pursuit of competing with the more es- tablished and wider reaching information portals. Though it is inevitable to com- pete with them, that isn’t why we existed for. At this point, we deem it best to stay true to our avowed purpose, assume our own identity, and most of all, have fun and exude fun. Our work has been paying off thus far, as since “project GineersNow” started several months ago, we have already hailed several milestones. Some- times, we catch ourselves asking: “Did we actually achieve this?” I, as the Senior Ed- itor, understand where this slight doubt comes from. More than doubt, however, I think it is more of astonishment. But, the engineers in us still try to make sense of how far GineersNow have come in its several months of existence. “If we have already hailed several milestones in less than a quarter of a year, does it mean we have already covered an enormous distance? With time being constant, and Alice Hernandez Senior Editor-At-Large Ems Bagatsing Sales & Marketing Director Ems@LincolnMartin.com Robert Bagatsing Editor-In-Chief editor@GineersNow.com Alice Hernandez Senior Editor-At-Large John Vauden Senior Editor Asia-Pacific Hina Sapra Senior Editor South Asia Therese Matheren Senior Editor North America Dion Greg Reyes Junior Editor Cielo Panda Junior Editor Farrel Pinto Junior Editor Raymond Gerard del Valle Junior Editor Abhishek Tarafder Matrix Media Information Technology Aiza King Creative & Layout Note Editor's using the formula Distance = Rate x Time, does it mean that we are moving at a remarkable speed? At an astonishing speed we are moving indeed, as today, we have yet marked another milestone in our short history – the launch of GineersNow magazine. What you are reading now is a compendium of the 100 best stories that we have featured in our website, written by our correspondents across Asia and Australia. Our maiden issue banners an exclusive one-on-one with Robert Bagatsing, the Founder and Chief Giving Officer of GineersNow, as he shares the history and the roadmap ahead of “the online home of kickass engineers”. This issue also features select articles on a wide range of engineering fields, including electronics, bio-medical, chemical, in- dustrial, civil, mechanical and electrical, to name a few. Our content covers an extensive range of industries, among which are mining, oil & gas, aeronautics, renewables, robotics, IT, food, telecom- munications and wearables. We hope that you’ll enjoy read- ing our maiden issue, as much as we had fun creating it. On behalf of the entire ed- itorial team, I would like to thank you for your support and in making the launch of GineersNow a resounding success. Now that we have solved the Distance = Rate x Time conundrum, you think it’s time to tackle Force = Mass x Acceleration? GineersNow is a subsidiary of Lincoln Martin Strategic Marketing Level 14, Boulevard Plaza Tower 1 MBR Boulevard, Emaar Square, Downtown Dubai, UAE P.O. Box 334036, Dubai, U.A.E. Mob: +971 50 4289684 www.LincolnMartin.com GINEERSNOW T E A M
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    7 T A KICKASS STORY here’sa new information portal whose following is snowballing as we speak. Earlier this year, GineersNow, a professed news platform for badass engineers, was publicly launched with relatively conser- vative expectations. Venturing into a sea of seemingly endless stream of online information, driven by a small team of budding engineer writers and designers, and armed with almost nothing but inno- vation, passion and vision, GineersNow sailed in January, treading slowly and steadily, but training its sight on never going back to shore. The impact that GineersNow has made astounded its audience, and even, admittedly, the team behind it. Spurred by creative content, engaging stories, gripping open debates and in- novative interaction platforms, Gineer- sNow’s following on Facebook alone has grown to more than 140,000 in a little over a month, with its popularity rippling through other social media platforms, as well as its proprietary website, www.Gi- neersNow.com, which now enjoys almost 30,000 page views. Amidst fierce com- petition in the digital publishing sphere, GineersNow was able to immediately carve a niche for itself, and command an engaged following. Though utterly pleased with the initial success of GineersNow, its Founder and Chief Giving Officer, Robert Bagatsing, does not plan on resting on its laurels. He recognizes that the key to con- tinued success is constant re-invention, consistent differentiation, and loyalty to one’s avowed purpose. In this exclusive interview, Robert lets us into the story of Gineer- sNow, and into how he, together with his team and community of “engineers with a social purpose”, plans to write its successive chapters. GINEERSNOW: The Inspiration Robert, the brains behind GineersNow, fondly describes himself as a man learned in Manila, formed in Dubai, fortified in Boston and inspired by the world. Using his expertise in Market- ing and his belief in the power of CSR, Robert headed the formation of Lincoln Martin Strategic Marketing (LMSM), a purpose-driven strategic marketing agency. “I started LMSM to teach my five-year-old son, Lincoln, the golden values in life,” said Robert. He envisioned that LMSM would help the poor, especially young students, by being a vehicle through which companies could contribute and provide financial support to poor areas in Asia and Africa. “We created LMSM to be able to provide classrooms and scholarships to those who deserve it. It’s truly a social innovation.” LMSM gave Robert and his team a consistent stream of revenue and emotional profit, which he described as overwhelming. “I wanted to replicate the success of LMSM in a more targeted envi- ronment,” said Robert, explaining that one way he thought of carrying this out was by creating a dedicated online platform for a “marginalized” sector. Backed by a team of young and passionate engineer writers, social media experts and designers, and supported by his family and friends, Robert thus embarked on creating GineersNow. C O V E R S T O R Y
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    8 Building a Community of Engineerswith a Social PurposeRobert ascribed the early success of Gineer- sNow to social media platforms, particular- ly Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Google+, which he described as allies to amplifying the presence of the website. He also credited the creative team behind GineersNow’s social media sites for producing unique, engaging posts, which includes GN Bot and Engineer- ing Debates. GN Bot is the young robot engineer that “answers” questions from the readers. His “knowledge” spans from affairs of the heart to the latest engineering technologies. Engineering Debates, on the other hand, allows GineersNow’s followers to offer their insights on the latest issues concerning the engineering and allied industries. “Aside from GN Bot and our weekly debates, we have introduced a lot of unique content in the past 30 days,” said Robert. Trawling GineersNow’s social me- dia pages, one can see contents like “Fash- ioneering”, which talks about the fusion of fashion and wearable technologies. There is also “Kitcheneering”, which features how industrial engineers and IT professionals are pioneering IoT kitchen products. Then, there’s “Life of an Engineer”, which revolves around engineers-turned-chefs or other career shifts. “All of these stories are inspira- tional, funny and really compelling to read,” said Robert. Owing to a sweet mix of aggres- sive, consistent marketing and quality con- tent, GineersNow’s social media pages have attracted an exponentially growing number of followers, majority of which come from the Eastern hemisphere. GineersNow’s social media success drives notable traffic to its website. Why Engineers?From Robert’s extensive experience in the energy and industrial sectors, he realized that there was a notable deficiency in engineering stories that actually zero in on the engineers themselves. “Engineers are the real heroes of this world, so I wonder why they have not been given (by the media) the attention that they deserve,” said Robert. He admitted that there was an abundance of engineering-related stories, but most of them focused on products and processes. “It think it’s time that the world hears the ‘real’ stories of the engineers behind the engineering marvels: their lives, struggles, failures, learnings and successes.” Robert believed that by telling the stories of engineers, especially the young ones, GineersNow could inspire other engineers to strive amidst difficulties and celebrate their triumphs, and move young students to specialize in engineering-related fields and make a difference. GineersNow has been successful in its pursuit to communicate to young engineers, as most of its followers are 18-35 years old. The Internet, Native Advertising and Hybrid Social EnterpriseGineersNow differentiates itself from other online news platform not only through its targeted audience, but also through its marketing and business models. The continuous decline in the consumption of printed media prompted the team behind GineersNow to anchor it on the Internet. “I remember a case study that we took up when I was still in Harvard: It was about the competition between online and traditional media, the Hubspot and New York Times paywall,” said Robert, explaining that the study had revealed print media would gradually fade as a medium of education and information dissemina- tion. “The revenue of print magazine and newspapers will dwindle because of the Internet. In 10-20 years, we’ll be seeing less newspapers in the stands.” GineersNow veers away from anything conventional, even in advertising. Traditional advertising is characterized by pushing the ads in front of the readers, even though they did not ask for it. Called “in- terruption marketing”, this kind of invasive advertising is now in decline. Harvard case studies attributed this drop to the rise of mobile technology, increase of ad blockers, and decrease in TV spending habits and of consumers’ affinity to print media. “You go to Starbucks and you will no longer see people reading newspapers; they hold a coffee cup and read their social media updates,” said Robert. Instead of “interruption mar- keting”, GineersNow swears by “native advertising” as a means of making profit. Dubbed as a non-intrusive and inbound marketing approach, Robert explained that the native advertising model would allow the customers to organically find Gineer- sNow’s contents and the contents of its ad- vertisers. “We are able to organically attract attention, without interrupting our reader’s flow of activity. When the content is funny, inspiring or really compelling, it will be shared on social media and eventually go viral.” As a hybrid social enterprise, Gi- neersNow consequently channels its profits towards socially beneficial causes. “Amass- ing revenue is not our main objective,” said Robert, adding that GineersNow aimed to help build engineering schools in Asia and Africa. “We don’t aim to profit only to make ourselves richer. We want to pour GineersNow’s earnings into helping com- munities by building schools, and sharing information on the advantages and benefits of engineering. We hope that by doing this, we can inspire young students to choose engineering as a field of specialization. We believe that it will not only give them better opportunities for self-improvement, it will open roads for them to make a real differ- ence in their families, communities and in the world.” In the next few months, the GineersNow team aims to convert its audience into a socially driven engineer- ing community. “I think the best way to describe it is that we are creating a com- munity of young engineers with a social purpose, empowered by a social innovation movement that is making a difference in the engineering world.” After building engineering schools, the GineersNow team deems to invite engineers to volunteer and teach engineering subjects to poor commu- nities, invent ways to electrify remote villag- es, create portable desalination systems to promote access to drinking water, and pos- sibly re-purpose wastewater for agricultural use. “If you have a community of socially driven engineers, we can make this world a better place. And possibly, inspire others to do the same.”
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    9 Creating a Social MovementThougha relatively new entrant, Gineer- sNow has already successfully distin- guished itself from the competition. From its fun, engaging content, to its marketing and business models, to its fidelity to its avowed purpose, GineersNow has indubitably forged an identity of its own. “Everyone at GineersNow is trying to cre- ate a ‘social movement’,” said Robert. “We aim to make engineering accessible to the poor, break engineering stereotypes and encourage young students to be involved in the field. We want to change lives one engineering story at a time. In fact it is not just stories we are writing; we are writing history.” The Next ChaptersGineersNow’s initial success is nothing short of encouraging, and the team behind it has the highest hopes for its future. “We are looking to expand GineersNow’s geo- graphic and demographic reach. We have originally developed our platform to cater to the Eastern hemisphere, from Dubai to Shanghai, but I think that in the near future, we will pursue the Western market as well.” As GineersNow becomes an established news media outlet, the team also plans to produce an “offshoot” to the Medical, Finance and Civil Service industries. “We will use the same business model for those. We hope to see them online by 2022.” Robert also explained that there would be more to GineersNow than just sharing engineering news. “In a few months,” he said, “we will shift our platform from an engineering news magazine to building an online community that aims to connect people from different engineering industries and fields of expertise.” The GineersNow team is also training its sight into making the portal a crowdfunding platform that will allow engineers promote their ideas to the public to attract funding for their projects. “We are all aware that most young engineers have so many new ideas. The realization of these ideas into innovative products are being curtailed by the lack of funding. If we can connect our advertisers, friends or big companies with these young engineers, we would be able to create an impressive array of social innovation products that could change the lives of millions. Imagine the endless possibility of creating meaningful products for humanity? GineersNow will be like a matchmaking or dating site between young engineers and the engineering com- munity.” It is also exploring the possibility of adding features to GineersNow to allow young professionals and hiring companies to connect. “On the one hand, we have the engineers; on the other, there are companies who might want to hire these engineers and collaborate online. Again, GineersNow be- ing a matchmaking or dating site will come in handy in connecting young engineers and engineering companies.” Robert said that he and his team want the business model of GineersNow to be “open-source”; that means other com- panies will be free to emulate it. “I believe that the model can be replicated by other start-up companies.”
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    11 magine. What wouldour world be like without engineers? Pretty normal? Would the world be the same? Oh come on, this world may not even be livable without engineers. Imagine, if there were no Engineers, there would be no one to design the bridges you drive through. If there were no engineers, there would be no cars. If there were no engineers there would be no video game designers to support your lazy-ass games. If there were no engineers how could you even “like” this post from the internet? Better yet, if there were no engineers, there would be no electricity in your area right now. I bet you didn’t realize, but almost every mechanical, electrical, structural body in your house or even neighborhood is run by engineers. Engineering is one of the broadest fields of Science. It is subdivided into many divisions such as Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Agricul- tural Engineering and the list goes on and on. The responsibilities of an engineer is undeniably very crucial in any part of the world. Unfortunately since it is the broadest, it is also one of the most difficult to understand. A lot of people don’t even know exactly what an engineer does, and this results in a shortage of people studying this field of Science. The pictures on the right may be a bit too farfetched, but they speak for themselves. But if en- gineering really has an important role in our world, then why are the number of people studying them getting lesser and lesser? There are a lot of factors that are inducing the shortage of engineers in our world. First is the most common, people don’t really understand what an engineer does. Some people even think that engineers are the people responsible for repairing vending machines. Some children think engineers are the people who drive “choo-choo” trains. These ideas were instilled onto a lot of people as kids. But if students, especially high school students are properly guided by their professors on what engineering really is and, what the different roles of engineers are in the commu- nity, then they would have a better understanding of what the engineering field is all about. Who knows they might want to take an engineering course in the university. Another reason why people don’t invest themselves in the field of engineering is because, it doesn’t make you rich fast enough. A lot of people would rather spend their time taking up their MBA’s and open up a business. After all, business is the fastest way to make money. Engineering is definitely a necessary profession in every part of the world. If people would understand the scope of engineering and its effect to our world today, there might not be any shortages. Engineers nowadays need to be given the right credit they deserve, so they themselves see their worth and importance as engineers. I Lyon Sprague DeCamp once said, “The story of civilisation is, in a sense, the story of engineering - that long and arduous struggle to make the forces of nature work for man’s good.” by Cielo Panda
  • 12.
    12 Travellinginvacuumtubesmaysound likesciencefiction.Itisveryfuturistic andaheadstarttowardsbuildingsmart citiesandhightechsuburbs.Really,it isjustsomethingyoucanjustwatchin movies. Butnow,it’sgettingreal. Froma57-pageconcept paperproposedbySpaceXandTesla MotorsCEOElonMuskin2013,com- paniesarenowinvestedtoconstruct anddemonstrateatestrunofthe Hyperloopthis2016.TheHyper- loopTransportationTechnologies recentlyannounceditssigned agreementstopartnerwith OerlikonLeyboldVacuumand Aecom,anengineeringdesign firm.Allcompanieswillshareits expertiseinengineeringdesign SpaceX’sHyperloop Pod Competition andconstructioninexchangeforstock optionsinthecompany.Theteams willconsistofengineersandscientists fromNASA,Boeing,SpaceXandTesla moonlightinginthesaidHyperloop project. Aspertheproject,the companyaimstocreateatranspor- tationsystemrunningfasterthanthe speedoflightatapotentialof760mph. HTTboughtalandfieldlastyearin QuayValleyfortheconstructionof theHyperloop.Itaimstoconnectthe HTT’stesttracktothenearbysolar poweredconceptcitybeingbuiltin King’sCountyinCaliforniaasitsmain transportationsystem.Thetesttrack willbe5mileslongandwilltake8min- utestraveltimetotheconceptcity.The releasedatewillbeattheendof2016. Also,thisyear,SpaceXan- nounceditspodprototypeHyperloop competitionopenedtoengineering studentsandotherresearchentities tobetestedona1-miletracknearits headquartersinHawthorne,California. Thetargettestingwillbeheldinsum- merthisyear.Accordingtotheirweb- site,thoughtheiraimisnottodevelopa commercialHyperloopforthemselves, SpaceXareinterestedinassistingand acceleratingthedevelopmentofa functionalHyperloopprototype. AnotherHyperloopcom- pany,calledHyperloopTechnologies,is alsosettingitsowntracksfortestingin theCaliforniadesert. Seriously,thetubetranspois reallyhappening. Hyperloop Passenger Capsule Subsystem Notional Locations (Photo Source: Pinterest) Photo Credit: Blog Automobile
  • 13.
    13 yperloop Technologies Inc. proudlyannounced that as a sponsor of the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Design Weekend January 29- 30 at Texas A&M, they will offer $150,000 in prize money to teams who present the strongest design concepts. Hyperloop Tech will work with the select- ed teams to provide resources and offset the costs of building the pod in support of student innovation in engineering. After deliberate judging, more than 115 students engineering teams rep- resenting 27 U.S. states and 20 countries were trimmed down to 22 to advance in the next stage of the SpaceX’s Hyperloop Pod Competition. The selected teams will head to California this summer to test their design prototype at the world’s first Hyperloop Test Track. Important criteria were consid- ered to select the qualifiers: innovation and uniqueness of design, full Hyperloop system applicability and economics, level of design detail, strength of supporting analysis and test, feasibility for test tract competition, and quality of documentation and presentation. 22 Teams PROCEED TO Prototype Testing IN CALIFORNIA WINNING TEAMS MITHyperloopTeam,MassachusettsInstituteofTechnology rLoop(non-studentteam) uWaterlooHyperloop,UniversityofWaterloo UWashingtonHyperloop,UniversityofWashington UniversityofToronto,UniversityofToronto RUMDLoop,UniversityofMarylandandRutgersUniversity GatorLoop,UniversityofFlorida TeamHyperLynx,UniversityofColorado-Denver HyperloopUC,UniversityofCincinnati UCSBHyperloop,UniversityofCalifornia-SantaBarbara bLoop,UniversityofCalifornia-Berkeley TAMUAerospaceHyperloop,TexasA&M WARRHyperloop,TechnicalUniversityofMunich(Germany) PurdueHyperloopDesignTeam,PurdueUniversity Codex,OralRobertsUniversity LehighHyperloop,LehighUniversity KeioAlpha,KeioUniversity DrexelHyperloop,DrexelUniversity CarnegieMellonHyperloop,Carnegie-MellonUniversity BEST OVERALL DESIGN AWARD: MIT Hyperloop Team, Massachusetts Institute of Technology POD INNOVATION AWARD: Delft Hyperloop, Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands) POD TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE AWARD: Badgerloop, University of Wisconsin-Madison POD TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE AWARD: Hyperloop at Virginia Tech, Virginia Tech POD TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE AWARD: HyperXite, University of California Irvine H Photo Credit: Sanal Ulke Photo Source: The Hoops News
  • 14.
    14 Water-Droplet Operated Computer aterand a computer can be an unusual combination. However, an assistant professor of Bioengineering in Stanford, along with his students, has invented a synchronous com- puter that works on the principle of moving droplets of water. These computers are being produced in such a way that they will be able to control as well as manipulate physical matter. The group of engineers has been working on this project for almost a decade now. The idea of creating such computers came to Manu Prakash during his graduation. The dynamics of the fluid droplet manipulates the basic element of computer science. The computer performs the same functions as that of a normal electronic computer. Nevertheless, it is comparatively slow. Though, this is not included in the list of goals of the developers. The primary aim is to concentrate on the physical dimension and not on the fragments of informa- tion. W The all-new computer chip has been based on the rotating magnetic fields and a type of maze of glass for small single droplets that is incul- cated with the magnetic field. Each movement of the rotating magnetic field mobilizes the droplets of liquid in a proposed direction. In a binary code, the presence of a water droplet is regarded as 1. These first generation chips are very minute in size. They’re almost half the size of available postage stamps. In fact the water droplets are smaller than the size of the poppy seeds. The engineers encourages anyone who are interested in trying out their new invention. They also want to enable people who want to design new circuits that are based on their start-up building blocks. Opening this technology to the public, can open doorways for new technologies that can spring up. These new technologies can lead to different new understandings that may or may not make the world a better place. Just add water to make your computer work. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING Photo Source: New Mobile Life
  • 15.
    15 Real-Life Iron Man As thesong goes “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. This line can be related to Wayan Sumardana, a 31-year old welder by trade from Bali, Indonesia, who was able to innovate some- thing amazing despite his social status and having just survived a mild stroke. Wayan, or Tawan as people call him, was able to make a bionic arm from scratch using only tools and scrap metals from his work- shop. Tawan’s arm was left para- lyzed after he suffered from a mild stroke. Being his family’s breadwinner, he had to find a way to be able to work. Using his enthusiasm and some knowledge in electrical engi- neering, he was able to create his own mind-controlled bionic arm. He can transmit signals from his head to his bionic arms, so it can work like a real arm. According to Tawan, his ma- chine works like a lie detector. Electrodes are attached to his scalp, wherein it takes signals from his head. The signals are them amplified then analyzed in the micro-control on his back, then will be transmitted to his bionic arm. “I want to motivate people who have strokes.” Tawan said. ELECTRO-ME C HA N IC A L ENGIN EER ING Photo Source: We Reblog Photo Source: Blogger Reporter
  • 16.
    16 Invisible Lightweight Materials Soon To BeA Reality n 29-year old Iranian researcher, Dr. Mohsen Esmaily, at Chalmers University in Sweden has recently made a breakthrough in magnesium lightweight materials that could pave way to creating invisible ma- terials. He has been awarded with the prestigious scientific prize by the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences for his breakthrough in magnesium alloys. His research could greatly impact the future of materials science as the back- bone of every industrialized nation science and important to developing countries. According to the Dr. Esmaily, saving our resources is of utmost importance as we now experience climate change and depleting environmental resources. Manufac- turing lighter components is an effective way to reduce uses of our resources and prevent further carbon emissions. His results in magnesium alloys demonstrate possible microstructural design improvements for enhanced properties such as the invisibility effect. It is related to the interac- tion of light and the material and producing such ‘metamaterials’ through nanotechnology. Now, it is possible to control the bending of light in the ma- terials. Imagine those invisible laptops and phones in the coming decade, he says. There has been an emerging arena in research to create lightweight materials around the globe in the last decade. Countries like the UK, the USA, Germany and Japan are also undertaking major national research in this area. Optical Brush Takes Images Without Lenses MIT scientists develop the Optical Brush, through bundles of fibers immersed in pipes and liquids to image oil fields without risking watertight housing damages. IT scientists devel- oped a new imaging device that consists of bundles of fibers through pipes im- mersed in fluids. This can image oil fields, aquifers and plumbing without risking damages to watertight housings. These bundles of fibers can yield narrow endoscopes that would not need additional electronics. The fibers are connected to an array of photo sensors at one end and the another left wave free to pass through micro meter scale gaps in porous membrane and get image on other side. By measuring different times at which bursts of light is photo detected, the device can identify the relative locations of the fiber. The commercial type will have these bursts of lights calibrated within the fibers while the prototype, with 1,100 fibers C H E M I C A L A M measuring 300 micrometer in diameter, used external laser source and can pro- duce 33 by 33 pixels. Time of flight, was the technique used by the group and has never been used in other things according to Barmak Heshmat, the work leader and author from MIT. The device is further develop to extend its imaging capabilities such as extracting depth information and getting positions at different arrival time interval of the lights from the fiber. As of now it can produce 2D map positions of the fibers tips and can potentially unscramble image captured by conventional camera. Other scientists like Keisuke Goda, a professor chemist, says that it can be useful for intestine endoscopy as it can propel in complex structure. Definitely, it is an interesting and innovative computa- tional imaging that could be used in many aspects. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING C H E M I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G Photo Source: Plastic Material Photo Source: Universal Sci
  • 17.
    17 Doodling Your CircuitsThat Easy ased on personal experi- ence, I certainly had a hard time taking up my electrical engineering elective where in I struggled visualizing circuit analysis and solving circuit problems. Branches, nodes and loops would just scramble in my head. Then I get lost where to apply Kirchoff’s Law, Ohm’s Law and Thevenin’s Theory etc. But with this cool pen, I think students would learn electronics faster and easier. Goodbye, breadboards! Elektroniks, a start-up company from University of Illinois, creates Circuit Scribe, a roller pen with conductive silver ink for STEM education. It is a project based learning where in students can build circuits and switches in their notebooks by just drawing lines. You can even create low-cost high quality electronics with just papers, LED, small batteries and clips. It comes in different kits and tools starting at a price of $20 per Circuit Scribe pen. Basic kits cost $30 packed with basic components like LED magnetic sensor and boards, resistors, capacitors and switches.  More advanced learning kits range at $50- $5000 from classroom to developer levels. Add on tools can be also bought per piece. The project was launched in Kickstarter and has garnered a lot of pledges and backers. Circuit Scribe has indeed attracted a lot of people from the STEM field. Now, it can be ordered through the Elektroniks and Kick- starter websites and can be shipped anywhere in the world. Definitely, this is a must-have for electronics students and beginners. Doodle your circuits and learn that easy! B E L E C T R I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G Photo Sources Top: The Hindu Bottom: Crowd Supply
  • 18.
    18 by Alice Hernandez CO M P U T E R Karlie Kloss: the SUPERMODEL CODER ou may have seen her in a Taylor Swift music video or passed by the magazine stand and see her face on the covers of different popular magazines such as Vogue but there is more to this supermodel extraordinaire than having a pretty face and a body most women would love to have. She’s Karlie Kloss. Currently at the top of the modeling game and making a difference in her attempts to help fund meals for starving children all over the world, Kloss also has cool hobbies we never expected her to have. These hobbies include ballet and baking cookies. Check out her instagram feed. She really likes to bake. But what makes this 23-year-old cooler is her love for coding. Yes! The supermodel, who walks in couture gowns for different brands and became a household name for strutting her stuff in the Victoria’s Secret Fash- ion Show, pursues her passion for coding. Normally, models quit school just to pursue modeling – Kloss did the opposite. Kloss just proves that models shouldn’t just focus on their looks but also on their brains. She initially took a crash course in coding and found herself in love with it. Later on, we see her talking about coding like it’s one of her obsessions. Last September 2015, she enrolled herself in NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. When she graced the cover of British Vogue last December 2015, she discussed her love for coding: “Call me a nerd, but I love coding, the language of computers. Understanding coding is a superpower. I met some tech entrepreneurs and they are billionaires through learning this stuff. I’m so competitive with myself and I am fascinated by the language of technology so I decided to be part of the conversation… I think it’s sexy to learn this stuff; it en- Y ables and it empowers both sexes. About two years ago I started to think about what happens to me next. I’m a 23-year-old model and I want to think less about my looks and more about my future, and that involves my brain. I want to run companies, have a business future.” Knowing that she can’t bank on her looks alone, she’ll use her coding skills to build an empire in the future. Isn’t that an amazing role model for all the younger kids out there? Speaking of being a good role model, Kloss is also inspiring young girls to code. With millions of followers in her social media accounts, she uses it to let the public know the importance of coding in today’s society. Now, she wants other women to fol- low her footsteps. In an interview with The Guardian, she expresses her opinion on the matter: “I think it’s crucial that young women learn to code as early as pos- sible to ensure that we as young women have a voice and a stake in what the world looks like.” Last year, she offered scholarship to 21 young girls between the ages of 13 and 18 in her Kode for Karlie Scholarship. This is in collaboration with Flatiron School. For two weeks, 21 girls were luck enough to immerse themselves in the world of coding for two weeks with other young coding enthusiasts. Through the supermodel’s enthusiastic posts about her love for coding, this will encourage younger women to pursue a career in computer science. This will allow an opportunity to address the gender inequality issue in the workplace. Isn’t Kloss’ coding advocacy a refreshing view from all the other shallow posts from other social media ‘it’ girls? We’re hoping that the supermodel will inspire young women to develop their brains instead of doing shallow things just to get a few likes on their social media accounts. D E S I G N Over the last year I started taking coding classes and realized how creative coding truly is. Similar to dance and fashion, coding is a form of self-expression. It's a way to turn a cool innovative idea to a product, website, app, tool or experience. ” “ by Alice Hernandez F A S H I O N E E R I N G Photo Source: Pinterest
  • 19.
    19 Using a Gemasolar Thermosolar Plant asthe Runway long straight stage can be a boring place for a model to show off her clothes. The clothes may be gorgeous but without an interesting background, the fashion show wouldn’t be very memorable for an industry that thrives on the ever-constant changes of the trends. So, this model wants her fashion show to be an event people would talk about – not just in the fashion industry but also to everyone who supports the green energy movement. Meet Jessica Minh Anh. She’s a mod- el, entrepreneur and a fashion show producer, who transforms popular places into phenomenal catwalks. She has made catwalks out of places such as the Eiffel Tower, One World Trade Cen- ter, Petronas Twin Towers and Londons Tower Bridge. What an awesome way to make a mark in the fashion world. For her 10th year in making extravagant productions, she chose the famous Gemasolar Thermosolar Plant in Seville, Spain. Who would have thought that this power plant can be made into an awesome cinematic backdrop for the J Summer Fashion Show 2015. Wearing a red flamenco dress, Minh Anh strut the catwalk located in the main road at the center of the power plant, followed by other models wearing maxi dresses. The show’s audience sat on both sides of the catwalk while drones flew around on top. These drones filmed the whole show and featured how the sunlight gives a stunning effect on the power plant’s surroundings. Thanks to Jessica Minh Anh’s catwalk stint last July 2015, it inspired other people in the creative world to pay attention to green energy as well. In an interview, Minh Anh how Gemasolar inspired her to take her extravagant show to this power plant: “Gemasolar took my breath away. It represents a rare modern beauty, which sees the best of designs and sustainability efforts in one place. I would consider this show my most chal- lenging yet exciting project so far.” With Minh Anh’s ambitious creative side, where will she take her fashion show next? Would it also involve the theme of renewable energy in her next projects? A by Alice Hernandez Photo Source: jessicaminhanh via tumblr Photo Source: jessicaminhanh via tumblr Photo Source: jessicaminhanh via tumblr
  • 20.
    20 he physique ofour human body is one of the most grotesque creations ever made. From the strands of our DNA in our cells up to our outer epidermis, everything has sophisticated structure. Honed symmetrical and function- al, it is no doubt a vast field of intertwining studies and gray areas. The perceptions of the human body indeed is in a continuum of constructs and relationships. Leonardo Da Vinci once incorporated the beauty and architecture of the body through the Vitruvian Man understanding its physical design. Gregor Mendel with his study of genetics for charac- teristics and traits. Charles Darwin for the theory of evolution tracing our primitive origins and plotting physiological changes over time. These all muster to the different kinds of appreciation about what human body is. But what about trying to augment what it already is? To encompass enhancement and per- petuate the value of its functions, life in general? If we conceptualize that our body is a manipulable cre- ation, then it can be a technological tool for further enhancements and innovations. Technology has now provided earphones as the ear, the camera as the eye, the cellular phones for the communication and other useful advancements. Such relationship transcends the differences and functions of what our body can do and could do further. Let us take the perspective of a unique ‘Body Architect’ on how she expresses the relationship of technology and the human body. Lucy McRae, a body architect as she calls herself, is a featured TED speaker who works at Philips Elec- tronics in the far-future design research lab. She is a trained ballerina with an architecture and fashion background. She fused the biological, technological and philosophical fields forging a distinct job and futuristic goals for the human body. She talks about extending the links of what our body can do, how certain visual imagery could do human evolution and exploring its coexistence with technology. It’s more of trying to move forward and reverting at the same time in enhancing our body. To provide a redefini- tion of our body functions as well is one mode of her projects and creations. T Lucy McRae’s Body Architecture Experiments B I O M E D I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G Photos Source: Lucy McRae by Farrel Pinto
  • 21.
    21 n invention shemade was the swallowable perfume. It is a cosmetic pill that would perspire out fragrance from the skin once consumed. She fascinates the way how human attracts partners being reverted like animals to communicate through their own odor. Thus, making the human body also an atomizer itself. It fastens the expression of human emotions through digitized and enhanced body function such as that of the skin. Similar projects she has also initiated embodies the adaptive function of our body through vacuum cases. It has been inspired by the NASA preparation for astronauts going outer space. It is a futuristic spa prepping the body for zero gravity and deep pressure. Participants undergoing the prepping experience reduced tension and anxiety by dilating body senses as they are encased in a vacuum chamber. The device can be also used to treat autism, depression and other physiological disorders. Definitely, one could marvel out discov- eries and innovations from our bodies if we started inside out. Appreciating the functionalities and aesthetics first idealizes how things will progress. And through technology, we enhanced each part and then the whole body providing new and protracted capa- bilities. There are countless of possibilities and ideas if we open our minds to the synergies of technology and the nature of our human body. Who knows? Just like Lucy McRae, we can redesign a human body that does not age, a body that lives triple times the average life span today or a self-healing body. We could bring in different worlds. Wouldn’t it be exciting? Lucy McRae’s Vacuum Case Experiment A Lucy McRae Lucy McRae is a trained classical ballerina and an architect who considers herself as a Body Architect, a science artist and a trailblazer, who started her artistic study of technology at Philips Design. She now leads the company’s far-future research lab and conducts creative innovations on human body archetype through science and fashion technological projects. B I O M E D I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G Photo Source: Lucy McRae Photo Source: Lucy McRae
  • 22.
    22 ver wondered what4D technology looks like? Well, it’s pretty much like 3D plus another dimen- sion: time. Research from Harvard University has found a way for a 3D-printed flower to shapeshift while being immersed in water. It is 4D-printed hydrogel com- posite structure that is the shape of an orchid, which is printed in a single step but in a modified print path. Hydrogel composites contain cellulose fibrils, an organic compound found in plants. It solidifies quickly upon E Shapeshifting 4D Technology 4 D T E C H N O L O G Y printing but changes its shape with the cellulose fibrils. It comes from the idea of developing an object, espe- cially that of nature, the way plants reacts to external stim- uli like sun or rain. It was the brainchild of the scientists from Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and the Harvard John A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Siences. This groundbreaking research is funded by the US Army Research Office and the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center. Photo Source: Twitter Photo Source: DigitaltTrends Photo Source: Live Science
  • 23.
    23 t has beena well-debated topic to whoever has a more complicated job, or which one is better: architects or civil engineers. While to answer which one is better is quite an unsound thought, it is safe to say that civil engineers have a more compli- cated job. I will say all these according to my biases because I am a civil engineer and I have experienced firsthand how difficult it is in the con- struction industry to implement what architects do. Civil engineers might as well agree with on this one: an architect’s dream is a civil engineer’s nightmare. To be able to fully understand that expression, we have to know what architects and civil engineers do. What architects essentially do is control and innovate the overall aesthetics of a building or structure. They study and focus on the aesthetic principles of design and push its limits when it comes to layout; they think outside of the box to provide the most appealing structures according to form and function, and also to local laws that will affect their design. That’s the scary part: when architects think outside of the box, civil engineers might as well hide in that box. Civil engineers are basically the builders of the structures that architects put in construction plans. We make sure that what the architects want will be constructed according to their specifications. Armed with technical knowledge and planning, we have to find ways to make them work considering all construction and structural codes necessary. It will need several engineering laws to be followed that are deep-rooted in math and in physics for the structure to serve mankind for a long time. It will require computations to prove that the structure is safe to be constructed and feasible. This cannot be done by ar- chitects because, as the good old joke goes, architects are civil engineers who cannot do math. Apart from the feasibility of the design of the architects, civil engineers also deal with problems on how to construct them in real life. Every single item on the plan must be followed – each material, dimensions, and location– which were mostly as- signed by the architects. Civil engineers supervise the construction work, as we have the knowledge of what should be done to accomplish a building or a struc- ture and what kind of building methods and practices should be done. Perhaps there is already a grasp now what it means to say that an architect’s dream is a civil engineer’s nightmare; when the imagination of architects go wild, civil engineers themselves go wild in providing how such imagination can become real. There would not be so much of a problem if the two can meet halfway: an architect can be free to design a structure with the permission of a civil engineer that the structure can be built. Otherwise, it will be a riot. Others say that civil engineers can become architects on their own by having the right amount of imagination. While that can be true, we might end up having curve-less structures everything will just be straight lines as that is an easier task for civil engineers to prove to be feasible and easier to construct. That is the reason why civil engineers and architects need to have the collaboration in producing structures that will serve the next generation. It isn’t about who is better than the other, but about what each one can contribute to accomplish a project. It is only just sometimes, architects bring so much head- ache to civil engineers when they go out of bounds. I AN ARCHITECT’S DREAM IS A CIVIL ENGINEER’S NIGHTMARE by Dion Greg Reyes OPINION
  • 24.
    24 o you everwonder what the world will look like by the year 2050? Is the technology too advanced for us? Will it make the world a better place? Or will the world look just like those dystopian films we see in the big screen? Will there be more robots than people? Technology is advancing at a rapid pace and affecting all industries and sectors in one way or the other. It is likely that technology will have brought to reality things by 2050 that only exist in fiction now. It will also have certainly made a major impact in the sectors of energy production and engineering. In fact, researches have already uncovered certain remarkable possibilities will come into being by 2050. For example, engineers at the Stanford University have already developed a plan that can transform the United States into a nation that uses only renewable sources of energy by the year 2050. The plan details the actions that need to be taken by each of the 50 states of the country in order to achieve the transformation. There are aggressive changes required in the energy consump- tion patterns and also the infrastructure. What does the Year 2050 have in store for Engineers ? Nonetheless, the plan is feasible from an economic and technical standpoint. Is it the end of the coal indus- try then? Clean energy for all? What will the green activists complain about then? Similar plans are afoot in London, UK. A plan has been proposed which can bring about major changes in the infrastructure so as to make the city sustainable for over 11 million people, the projected population of London in 2050. One of the major concerns has been water shortage, others being energy, waste, transport and resource manage- ment. Some of the largest engineer- ing groups in the world have stated that we already have technologies which are capable of reducing the greenhouse gases in the planet by as much as 85% by the year 2050. Another prediction being made for the year 2050 is that the world will have a total population of 9.5 billion. In order to feed such a large population, researchers are suggesting the use of genetic engineering and high performance computing to increase the photosynthetic efficiency of the plants. This method can boost food production and crop yields. With all these plans for cleaner energy and sustainability, do you think engineers and scientists can make them happen by the year 2050? Only time can tell. D
  • 25.
    25 ne of themost common complaints against wind turbines is not the difficulty of use, usually it’s that the wind turbines are quite dull-looking. Most wind turbines look so completely out of place in the landscape they are placed on, that they become eyesores. However, that is set to change if Jérôme Michaud-Larivière would have his way. Jérôme Michaud-Larivière is the man behind New Wind, a startup venture based in Paris. He has created the Tree Wind, a wind turbine that is shaped like a tree. This is certainly a more aesthetical- ly pleasing take on wind turbines. At the same time, the wind tree remains completely silent while the ‘leaves’ move in the wind. According to Mi- chaud-Larivière, the leaves of these trees act as miniature versions of wind turbines. He hit upon this idea when he noticed tree leaves moving even if there was almost no wind. He wondered about the wattage that could be produced by the leaves. O Trees carry artsy wind turbines E N V I R O N M E N T A L E N G I N E E R I N G Photo Source: Energosovet
  • 26.
    26 It demands anextreme interest and attention to know even the minutest detail of an object that nobody else would ever be interest- ed in. The air conditioner cools you down while a room heater brings your body temperature to normal. However, there’s hardly anyone of us who would have ever shown interest in knowing what mecha- nism works behind them or how their electric circuits are connected, unless you’re an engineer. Here’s another character. Designer Cindy Strobach is different from most of us. For her graduate presentation at London’s Royal College of Art, she chose to do something out of ordinary. She decided to visualize the insides of commonplace electronic objects, specifically, a toaster and a speaker. She used silk, organic dye made from cabbage juice, and a pair of electrodes to create colorful “X-rays” (of sorts) of the internal structures of these objects, which completely resemble Abstract Ex- pressionist paintings or Shibori tie- dye. This technique, called “Electro Colour”, was described as “painting with electricity”. The printing pro- cess she used was based upon the principle of electrolysis of water, which describes the decomposition DESIGN ENGINEERING of water (H20) into oxygen and hydrogen gas when an electric current is passed through. The water, in her experiment, was the red cabbage juice. The technique she used is simple. She stained a piece of silk with an organic dye made from red cabbage juice. This created a bright monochromatic square laid on top of the inner circuit board of the toaster and the speaker. This was then connected to a negative and a positive electrode. The negative electrode converts into alkaline and the positive electrode into acidic, which then sends electric currents through the silk. The color of the dye changes as the current passes through it, which creates impres- sions in midnight blues, mustard yellows, and blacks. The appliances are, then, draped with these dyed “X-rays” from outside, picturing their skeletal internal circuitry from the outside. It looks like a hu- man wearing one of those skeleton T-shirts. The new experiment exudes a new understanding to the everyday product and technologies we used on a daily basis. Creativity is truly not limited to canvas, it can take any form you might not even think of. ARTWORK MADE BY ELECTRICITY Photo Sources Top: Royal College of Art Top 3, Right: Frame Web Bottom 2, Right: This is Paper by Farrel Pinto
  • 27.
    27 ost construction sites aresafe when all safety procedures from the textbook are followed. But when there is already an impossible way to gain acces in some portions of the construction to check for safety, the pres- ence of drones will be a life-saver. Well, the primary purpose of drones in construction is its ability to access parts that humans cannot easily do or spot. Since safety is very much upheld in the site, drones are of big help in monitoring dangerously perched scaffolds, evaluating harness equipment, and assess- ing ladder placement for a worker above it, among others. Being small and agile, they can also go into hard-to-see places inside the buildings, where small workers could fit but may deem to be unsafe. Other than the safety of con- struction workers, drones are also useful in maintaining the time frame and budget of the project. Since it can help prevent incidents that are harmful, the project can make use of full-time workers that aren’t involved in circumstances that will alter the duration and cost of the project. In this regard, Japan, through Komatsu, is already exploiting the drones’ potential especially that the country is now facing a declining population. They have come out with a service called Smart Con- struction, which allows workers to connect to a cloud where drones and artificial intelligence assisted controls will be able to report their success. It’s meant to improve the overall efficacy of any construction company that is using workers and drones. Countries like Australia and Kenya have also began construction appli- cation of these drones. Drones, other than in construc- tion, also find its purpose in surveying. They can provide up-to-date 3D maps and progress reports via sending pictures right from the drone. The use of drones in engineering has indeed stepped up. It will be no won- der if all construction sites will be filled with flying machines later on. M Drones in the Construction Site by Dion Greg Reyes CIVIL ENGINEERING Photo Source: Rakenapp
  • 28.
    28 Harnessing Electric Power from Women’sBoobs k! You think I’m pulling your leg right? Women’s breasts, a source of ener- gy? No WAY! Well hear me out here! A woman from San Francisco – Adrienne, wondered if her natural D cup impediments to her love of sport could be put to some other good use, “they will ful- fill their intended function for about three of the 70 years that I have them” she says. Fair point if you think about it! So she thought why not “put her girls to work”? Why not indeed? Since human powered de- vices are emerging across the globe. Thus began a journey of discovery for Adrienne. The physics of breast motion has been researched since the mid 1980’s; and LaJean Lawson, a former professor of exercise science at Oregon State University had discovered a D cup can move as much as 35 inches during exercise! This motion would be enough to power an mp3 player or smart- phone! However smaller cup sizes would generate less motion thus less power. Other solutions could incorporate solar panels or mini rotary generators. These rotary generators are used in “Lightening packs” backpacks used on long hikes that can generate up to 7 watts of energy (enough to power small LED lights). But these options seemed all too cumbersome. Then Adrienne discovered the work of Professor Zhong Lin Wan of Georgia State University. Prof. Wan is developing a fabric made of nanowires 1/1,000th the width of a human hair. They rub together in the fabric converting friction energy into an electrical charge. Unbelievably, Prof. Wan believes this technology will be available within the next 5 years! The big catch? Washing. The dis- tance between nanowires has to be at a constant for them to work and washing may distort the fabric. So it seems Professor Wan has 5 years to perfect his fabric and when he does? Well think of the possibilities. Adrienne will be able to listen to her smartphone while she exercises and us lesser mortals could have our Google glasses and Apple watches powered by our frantic daily lives! O W E A R A B L E T E C H Photo Source: Wikia
  • 29.
    29 Women in SpaceSeek More Women in Space by Farrel Pinto This strong sentiment is what Natalie Panek, a mission systems engineer in robotics and automation at Canada’s MDA Corp., firmly believes. A wider per- spective is necessary, which looks at the statistics regarding women advancing in their careers into leadership, director-lev- el, and board-level positions according to her. As a child, watching TV shows like Star Trek and Stargate SG-1 inspired her to a life’s calling- Space. She just not designs rovers but also aims to inspire women to pursue their dreams and see their reflections in the industry. She also pointed out resolving problem on retaining women in STEM fields through- out their careers. Women must not be hindered to rise up and advance in their careers, she implied. Natalie Panek is a rocket scien- tist and an explorer, as she calls herself, who dreams to become an astronaut. Now, she works with her team to build chassis and locomotion system for the European Space Agency’s 2018 ExoMars Rover. She was recently named as Can- ada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Woman’s Executive Network. She is a vocal advocate for woman in technology according to The Financial Post and named under Forbes 30 under 30 in 2015. Photo Source: Flare Dr. Lucianne Walkowicz, an astronomer at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, also sees that diversity in her in- dustry is imperative. Thus, conducting more research is needed to back this up. She also argued on a report on re- cruiting women into technical positions by the Anita Borg Institute that there are con- sistent blind spots in recruiting and hiring practices. There are hiring processes that are implicitly biased lacking organizational infrastructure to support diversity efforts. It recommends to take up steps like blind resume screening process, show- ing technical women during the interview process and that every technical position has a viable female candidate. She was inspired to pursue her field upon her interest in chemistry and physics in high school. Wanting a career consisting both, she participated a research program at the New York Academy of Sci- ences. Someone suggested astronomy and brought her to work with a professor in New York University on chemistry of plane- tary atmospheres. From there, she immedi- ately was fascinated in the field.  Now, as an astronomer, she works both on research and public education. Lu- cianne currently works on the Large Synop- tic Survey Telescope project which she says the flagship observatory for the next decade. Photo Source: The Lavin Agency Dr. Lucianne Walkowicz As a consultant in space engi- neering and STEM outreach and founder of Rocket Women, Vinita focused on wom- en and space. She aims to encourage more women to enter the field. Vinita Marwaha Madill works as engineering manager leading the In- telligent Transportation Systems Team in Canada. She also stints as an International Space Station operations engineer at the German Aerospace Center. She works on a diversity of de- signing smart roads and spacesuits, pro- posing parabolic flights and the likes. Vinita found her fascination in space back in his childhood days in London where she learned about Helen Sharman, a chemist and the first British astronaut, who flew to Mir. At the age of 6, she was fond of the space as her parents took her planetarium and space centers. She suggests that to encourage more women, they should think about ca- reers in space, science and other equivalent fields that would focus impact of technolo- gy to mankind. From here, we see that women as equals can also advance in science and technology. Nothing should hinder them as they could positively influence the young people to pursue their dreams and express themselves in their chosen paths. Vinita Marwaha MadillNatalie Panek E N G I N E E R C H I C K Photo Source: Rocket-women
  • 30.
    30 hances are, likeme, you have already heard or read a lot of other people’s suc- cess stories. I can, without any pretention, say that I am genuinely happy for a successful person, but at the same time, I also feel a little jealous. Maybe not green with envy, but I ask myself what that successful person has done to achieve more success than I have. Of course, there are different measures of success, but the most tangible, at least up to this day, is obviously wealth. So, when I hear or read stories about how this or that person has become a multi-billionaire, I wonder how he ever did it. Some people made it big through sheer work, with a dusting of good luck. Some inherit the wealth of their family. Yet some are just more education- ally fit than others, in that their formation proved to be the most essential through of the arc of the generation when they lived. A recent study conducted by Approved Index, a UK-based busi- ness-to-business platform, showed that 22% of the world’s wealthiest people stud- ied engineering in college. This is in stark contrast to only 12% who had a business degree, nine per cent who had an Arts degree, and six per cent who studied either Science, Maths or Law. Engineering-graduate billion- aires are not only more, they are actually richer than their ultra-wealthy peers. They Want to be a Billionaire? Study Engineering! have an average net worth of US$ 33 bil- lion, compared to US$ 29 billion for those with a Finance degree. Curiously, the study indicated that having a degree was far from being a stringent requirement to be a fat cat. A third of the world’s top 100 billionaires had no university degree, and they have a net worth or US$ 31 billion, hot on the heels of those with Engineering degrees. In fact, those without degrees have the most fabled success stories, read Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and Bill Gates of Microsoft. Though the billionaire’s list was dominated by those with Engineering and Finance degrees (like Carlos Slim who studied Civil Engineering), and those without (like Gates and Zuckerberg), experts say that the results of the study, which showed people of other specialisms make it to the list, underline the impor- tance of having a society in which people have varied range of specialization to a thriving and diverse economy. Sure, not everyone dreams of becoming a billionaire. We all have different measures of success. To some, it lies on the stability of their job, the hap- piness of their family, the good manners of their children and other people’s regard of them, among others. It doesn’t matter whatever “success” you may be enjoying at the moment, what is important is that you worked for it and that you’re happy and proud about it. C Photo Sources: Zuckerberg: Born Rich; Gates: Business Dictionary; Slim: Business Insider
  • 31.
    31 “The biggest riskis not taking any risk… In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” Mark Zuckerberg “If you are born poor, it’s not your mistake. If you die poor, it is your mistake.” Bill Gates “If you’re in business, you need to understand the environment. You need to have a vision of the future, and you need to know the past.” Carlos Slim
  • 32.
    32 IEEE Foundation Signature Program empowersoff-grid communities through education and the creation of sustain- able, affordable, lo- cally owned entre- preneurial energy businesses IEEE Smart Village, a global humanitarian program helping remote, energy-deprived communities build toward sustainability with renewable energy and technology, announced today the expansion of their partnership with Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE). With this expansion, IEEE Smart Village is supporting GHE in providing clean ener- gy access through solar power to improve the living standards of rural villages in the remote Himalayan frontiers of India. IEEE Smart Village’s investment in GHE will specifically go toward funding access to basic electricity, through installation of energy efficient high lumen LED lights for residential lighting, solar LED street lighting for the outdoor community space, mobile charging points and customized DC HD LED TV for these villages which are typically lo- cated above 13000 ft. in the Indian Himalayas bordering countries such as Pakistan and China. In partnership with IEEE Smart Village, GHE’s objective is to implement the renewable energy and technology solutions in a sustainable, scalable and environmentally beneficial way—leading to an overall devel- opment of the remote villages in the Ladakh and Zanskar regions of India. In August 2015, an international cast of volunteers, including IEEE members, helped set-up DC Solar mi- crogrids, ranging in capacity from 100 watts (W) to 300 watts (W), to the remote ancient village of Shingo, nestled in Hemis National Park, in the Rumbak Valley of Ladakh, under the banner of GHE. To date, GHE has electrified eight Himalayan villages and has impacted over 1800 lives directly. GHE has been instru- mental in promoting these electrified villages in the form of Home-Stays (Hostels) for trekkers, who usually are seeking food and shelter while hiking through these remote Himalayan valleys. This has helped increase the income generation of these remote communities and has provided them with a livelihood opportunity towards a better future. IEEE Smart Village is a donor supported signature program of the IEEE Foundation with a vision to bring basic electrical and educational services to more than 50 million people by 2025. The program is currently serving more than 50,000 people through local partners in Haiti, Cameroon, Nigeria, South Sudan, Kenya, Namibia, Zambia and India. About IEEE IEEE, a large, global technical professional organization, is dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace sys- tems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. About IEEE Foundation As the philanthropic arm of IEEE, the IEEE Foun- dation inspires the generosity of donors so it may enable IEEE programs that enhance technology access, literacy and education, as well as support the IEEE professional com- munity. The IEEE Foundation, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization in the United States, fulfills its purpose by soliciting and managing donations, recognizing the generosity of our donors, awarding grants to IEEE grassroots projects of strategic importance, supporting high impact Signature Programs, serving as a steward of donations that empower bright minds, recognize innovation and preserve the history of technology. With donor support, the IEEE Foundation strives to be a leader in transforming lives through the power of technology and education. IEEE Smart Village Expands Partnership SOCIAL IMPACT ENGINEERS Photo Source: IEEE
  • 33.
    33 First True Peer-to-Peer RiskSharing Platform Besurance Corporation (“Besurance”) launches besureTM the first true peer-topeer risk sharing platform. Be- sure’s peer-to-peer risk sharing enables individuals to: • Come together as a community • Agree on risks to be protected • Set contributions for the risk coverage using best actuarial practices • Have claims adjudicated by their own community B esure is the vision of experienced actu- aries and risk professionals – allowing communities to socially share their risk and protect gadgets, health, travel, events, automobiles, home, job loss, and person- al circumstances. The patent pending platform as a service provides end-to-end processing, and gives control back to individuals. Besure is roll- ing out in stages over the next couple of months a customizable, on-line, risk-sharing platform with an efficient and scalable operational model. “Besure is a peer-to-peer platform that harnesses the power of social networking, co-operation, and the sharing economy by em- powering individuals to come together within their community to protect the things that mat- ter most to them.” - KarimLalani, besure Lead About Besurance: Besurance is a private corpo- ration dedicated to community empowerment through the design andimplementation of easy-to- use, transparent and cost-effective solutions in the risk sharing economy. SOFTWARE ENGINEERING Photo Source: Inusa News
  • 34.
    34 PACKAGING ENGINEERS HAVE SOMETHINGTO DO WITH TOYS THAT ARE SO HARD TO OPEN, THE BAGS OF CHIPS THAT ARE HALF-AIR, AND THE PULL TAPE THAT ALWAYS SEEM TO BREAK BEFORE YOU OPEN THE ENVELOPE. BUT NO, PACKAGING ENGINEERS DON’T MAKE YOUR LIFE COMPLICATED. THEY HAVE BUBBLE WRAP. INDUSTRIAL/PACKAGING ENGINEERING
  • 35.
    35 by Dion GregReyes Packaging Engineers and What They Do ost of the time, people are never interested in pack- ages of products. Whether these people are in the supermarket, toy stores, drug stores and warehouses, they just don’t give much attention to the packaging; as long as the package is pretty, it doesn’t matter because they will be thrown away after the products are consumed anyway. Well, it hurts to the packaging engineers who sweat their ass out in laboratories and computer-aided drafting software just to give the perfect preservation for your products. Packaging is more than just containing the product: the package needs to withstand certain temperatures, be of certain shape, be tamper-resistant, among others, to properly protect the products from manufacturing down to the consumers. The packaging engineers determine the materials fit to use for the product, may it be cardboard, glass, plastic or wood, which are the most common. They also choose methods and machin- ery that go into the production of packaging supplies. It sounds easy for most of us but in reality, packaging engineering is just as hard as other engineering disciplines. It deals with multiple disciplines like chemical, industrial, materials, and mechanical engineering to perfect the design and create boxes, cartons, bottles and other packing materials that meet specific criteria. There also needs to be coordination from research and development, manufacturing, marketing, graphic design, and regulatory departments to address technical and marketing challenges. But there is an arising issue to this multi-billion dollar business, as concern for the envi- ronmental degradation increases – they have to go green and devise ways to minimize waste by using the least amount of packaging ma- terial possible. Efforts to recycle the packages have gone to producing recyclable or biodegradable materi- als. So there. The next time you purchase a product with a difficult-to-open package, it doesn’t mean to make your life hard. Pack- aging engineers have a reason for doing that, they just don’t explain it on the label. Or to the very least, the next time you destroy a package of a product which would probably be within the next hour, remember the packaging engineers who made it for you. Photo Source: ECP Quality M
  • 36.
    36 Internet of Thingsof the Future BODYHACKING ouldn’t it be nice to get things done with just a wave of the hand? Like when paying you bills, all you have to do is wave your hand in front of the scanner. Or maybe let your car engine start once you wave in front of your car’s ignition to prove you are authorized to use it. All this conve- nience relies with the power of your hand, and is soon possible with Bodyhacking. Sounds too futuristic? Well technology has already advanced through this stage and is making bodyhacking a possibility. Hannes Sjöblad, a famous Swedish bodyhacker, ex- perimented with this technology, by implanting electronics, including W a passive Near-Field Communications (NFC) trans- mitter, into his own hand. When he wants to start his car, he just waves in front of the ignition, when he wants to open a door, he waves at the digital lock, when he wants to order coffee, and all he has to do is wave his hand! Apparently his everyday chores are done with just a wave of the hand! Sjöblad explained to a group of journalists at CeBIT Preview 2016 in Hannover, Germany, that he sees bodyhacking as the next step of wearable computing. Though we could wear rings, use, phones, bracelets and gadgets to host small electronics, the real future would still be embedded electron- ics. With Sjöblad’s experiment, this kind of future doesn’t seem that far away after all. Photo Source: Kristallen BIOMEDICALENGINEERING Photo Source: Tech 365 Photo Source: GPS-tracker
  • 37.
    37 In Dresden, researchersare devising microrobots to help sperm swim its way to the egg. Sperm Robots for the Lousy Swimmer Sperms o those men whose genitalia seem to house slow swimmers, there is now a silver lining to conceive your baby as research- ers from the Dresden Institute for Integrative Nanosciences de- velop the future deliverers of life, the spermbots. Spermbots being studied are es- sentially made of microtubes, which are thin sheets of titanium and iron rolled into conical tubes with one end wider than the other. The microtubes are put into a solution in a Petri dish and added bovine (bull) sperm cells, which are similar in size to the human sperm. When a live sperm entered the wider end of the tube, it became trapped down near the narrow end. The narrow end is also closed to prohibit the sperm from swimming out. The mobility of the sperm is generated from the trapped cell pushed against the tube. With the magnetic property of titani- um and iron, the scientists can then control the direction of the sperm, leaving the propulsion to the sperm. T N A N O T E C H N O L O G Y Once the sperm hits its desired target, that is the mighty egg, it can be manipulated magnetically to release the sperm. There is no certainty yet to the way the microtubes will leave the sperm; however, researchers say that it should be pos- sible by altering the temperature to unroll the tubes just before they reach the target. Each spermbot can travel up to 100 micrometers per second, comparable to a 6-footer human swimming 50 meters in 14 sec- onds. If that speed won’t help sperm that doesn’t swim so well, we don’t know yet what will. This is being studied among sperm cells since they are easily available, harmless, and efficient at swimming through bodily fluids. Although it is yet to be put to human test, this kind of assisted fertilization is planned for test among animals. Nonetheless, this is a promising feat for sperms which have motor struggles and to the men who carry them. Do not lose hope just yet, brother.
  • 38.
    38 If you loveC-3PO from the Star Wars movie, then it’s not unlikely for you to love Pepper too! Pepper is the “emotional” humanoid robot designed by the French firm Aldebaran Robotics, a subsidiary mobile carrier of Soft- bank. Just like C-3Po, he is designed to be a day-to-day companion whose most significant function is his ability to perceive emotions. Pepper stands 4feet (1.2 meter) tall, with an attached tablet on front and moves on wheels. He can initiate small talk end even give you advices. Pepper’s analyzer enables him to identify human emotions based on voices, facial expressions and body movements. The robot’s memory stores these data and gradually memorizes per- sonality traits as well as preferences of the owner. Pepper responses by commenting on the mood of the moment and expresses himself by changing color and glittering his eyes. He moves around and dance while shaking his hands up. With Pepper, there will never be a dull moment! You can even personalize this robot by downloading software applications and make if learn to sing, dance or even speak in anoth- er language. A specialized software application is also programmed to Pepper that makes you earn points Pepper: the real Star Wars C-3P0 humanoid robot R O B O T I C S Biomimetics is a damn exciting field. Engineers in this field use nature as their inspiration for systems and designs to create awesome stuff. For example, they used the elephant’s trunk to create a cool robotic arm. At first glance, the thingamajig looks like a cross between a mechanical claw and iron snake with a good measure of tentacle horror thrown in. In fact, they are reminiscent of the sweet robotic arms used by the infamous Dr. Octopus, the Spiderman villain. Of course, they are calling it the Bionic Handling Assistant, the blandest name possible for the cool robot. But it’s cool anyway. As it stands, elephant trunks are possibly the coolest appendages in the Animal Kingdom. So, making a robotic arm based on that is a fantastic idea. This robotic arm was made by Festo, a German automation company. What is even more fantastic is that the arm acts and learns just like a baby’s arm. The researcher will guide the arm to perform certain actions. The robot will learn and memorizes the movements so as to repeat them whenever necessary. This will enable the robot to fulfill func- tions such as operating in tight quarters and helping people in the medical or the industrial sector. It can even be pro- grammed to change a light bulb. Elephant Trunk Robotic ArmsPhoto Source: Innorobo Photo Source: Rude Baguette
  • 39.
    39 by frequently interactingwith him. Earning points will give you access to exclusive applications. On the first production of these robots last July 2015 in Japan, all units were sold out on the first minute of its sale. Pepper, the humanoid robot costing $1,600, was really a big hit! A big customer, Nestle, is said to equip its 1000 Nescafe sales outlets in Japan with these robot to inform their customers about their products in an amusing way. Definitely, this is an example of how cost effective it would be for businesses to save manpower using these functional and charming robots. Robots that will Cook for You If you have a problem with your own cooking, or wanted a chef in your own kitchen, that won’t be so much of a prob- lem anymore with the world’s first ever robotic kitchen. The robotic kitchen features four key integrated kitchen items of robotic arms, an oven, a hob and a touchscreen unit. It can be operated right at your fingertips via a smartphone or via The Consumer Electronics Show this year showcased many gadgets like smart- phones, wearables, laptops, and gaming gears. But something unusually exciting was there too! It’s every boy’s dream to own it. It blew the minds of all those who were present at the event. It’s Melamon, the future of toys. Mekamon is not just a ‘toy’, but much more than that. The robots named Mekamon are really the ‘future of toys’. These four-legged modular fighting robots have been designed to fight, cus- tomize, and collect. These robots are also equipped with the infrared technology and Bluetooth. The bots are also fitted with internal compass, which allows them to pinpoint at the opponent. The main idea behind the designing of Mekamon is to bring robot fights to the living room just like in a child’s fantasies. The company behind the development of Mekamon is UK-based Reach Robotics. The company is currently developing a game, which involves two players engage in robot fight by using their smartphones as controllers. Mekamon can now be handled using the smartphone to attack, aim, and switch weapons. Mekamon: World’s First Gaming Robot the included touch screen; all you need to do is pull up a recipe and wait for the robot to serve you the food. It isn’t a machine that just cooks; it has hands that can cook like a master chef. The hands get its articu- lation – its speed, its sensitivity, and its movement – by recording the cooking skills of Master Chef Tim Anderson, winner of the BBC Master Chef title, in a demonstration and putting the skills into its system. The hands then replicate, even the pauses in between and the OK gesture in the end, the master chef’s abilities into its kitchen. No wonder about that, since the nuclear industry and NASA uses the same kind of hands made by the Shadow Robot Company. If you are concerned with being stabbed by the robot, no need to fret as the robots uses a food processor and lim- its itself to knives. The kitchen also comes with a protective screen as an additional layer of safety. This technology, however, will not be available to consumers until the fourth quarter of 2017. It will be sup- ported by an iTunes-style downloadable library of recipes that the robot chef can cook at your own home which are about 2,000 recipes. Just prepare a good amount of $75,000 at its first launch. The robot kitchen is the brainchild of U.K.-based Moley Robotics, which prototype premiered at an inter- national robotics show Hanover Messe. The eureka moment for the idea was of Mark Oleynik in January of 2014. The first patents were filed in the following month; a prototype was built by Moley in September of the same year. Photo Source: Moley Robotics Photo Source: Canoe Photo Source: Reach Robotics
  • 40.
    40 5 WEARABLES TO WATCHOUT FOR IN 2016 Now that wearable technology has gone more advanced than ever, 2016 is a good year for wear- ables. Consumers have become more aware of the technology and they realize the impact of their wearables in their life. The wearables in the market right now are already serving purposes to the users’ extent, but there’s more. Here are five wearables that are must-look for this 2016. Lumenus ClothingThe name suggests that this clothing is luminous. It is a fitness-focused wear that lights up whenever users will go for an early morning or late-night run or cycle. The clothing has unveiled jackets, vests, shirts, and leggings with built-in LED lights. HTC ViveOne step forward in virtual reality (VR) is the HTC Vive, which lets users play graphic intensive apps, AR games, and view HD films, among others. It will be on sale by April 2016 with an unknown pricetag for now. But the product can be pre-ordered starting 29th of February. Samsung Smart SuitThis is not your ordinary suit; this is a Smart Suit by Samsung with NFC-powered cuffs. The cuffs works as a control to turn the handset on the “do not disturb” mode when you run for a quick meeting. The cuffs can also send your contact details to nearby handsets that works with premium handsets of Samsung. With this you will no longer need business cards. Altra IQFor the fitness enthusiasts and heavily depen- dent to technology, here’s Altra IQ which can measure pace and contact time for improved running efficiency. It has a multi-sensor within the length of the midsole that syncs the shoes to the smartphone. Altra’s shoe is set for release in late of 2016. Prepare your bucks because it will cost $199 a piece. Apple Watch 2If you can’t get enough of the first Apple Watch, here’s for you. This is out in the market come middle of this year with a lot of step ups from its predecessor – improved battery life, which last at least a full day of usage, and modern design, with more color options, mature hues, and better typography. WEARABLE TECH Photo Source: Indian Express Photo Source: NFC Forum Photo Source: Business WirePhoto Source: Tech Zaa Photo Source: Burn Tech
  • 41.
    41 Mind-reading Wearables: Are they Possible? itby bit, our tech- nology is carefully advancing, taking into study different and more complex topics. With the current craze over the Internet of Things, wearable technology has boomed in the market. Now, numerous com- panies are trying to delve into a new kind of wearable that can connect to our minds—a sort of “mind-reading” wearable. But, are mind-reading wearables really a possibility? Are they safe? How will it affect our daily lives? The main component in these kind of wearables are Electro Encephalography (EEG) sensors; many companies are claiming that they are able to create or innovate products that have the ability to monitor, detect and interpret the activities that are going on in our brains. Though this kind of technology has been used and is still being used today, many com- panies see this technology’s po- tential to be applied in fields other that medical: virtual or augmented reality for games or surreal movie watching experiences, next level robotics, and others. The possibility of this kind of technology can be consid- ered possible, since the basic idea for creating it is already available, and can readily be based on med- ical EEG machines. What makes it difficult is the data processing. It makes us ask questions like, how accurate will be the collected data; will it be able to store everything I am thinking about? Innovators are still in the process of learning all there is to make this technology possible. With the current tech- nology we have, and the rate by which our technology is advanc- ing we can expect to see this kind of technology in the very near fu- ture. Hopefully, when this device is released in the market, it will be useful, effective and positively life changing. B Photo Source: Live Science Photo Source: Choose Muse
  • 42.
    42 n this dayand age of powerful machines, there is a big chance you’ve heard about horsepow- er. From heavy machinery, to cars, to air conditioners, to lawnmowers, the term horse- power is used to describe an engine’s power. But, have you ever wondered why of all animals the horse was chosen as the benchmark for power? The reason was pretty literal, actually. In the early 1780s, Scottish engineer James Watt was looking for a compelling way to market his new invention – a steam engine superior to the then classic Newcomen steam engine. Many of his prospective customers at that time used horses to power their operation, so Watt had to come up with a new unit of measurement that he could use to illustrate the advantage of using his steam en- gine as opposed to horses. Hence, horsepower. The way Watt came up with the numbers he did is still up for discussion, but after doing the experiments that he did, he figured out that a typical draft horse could do about 32,400 foot-pounds of WHY DO WE CALL IT “HORSEPOWER” INSTEAD OF ANY OTHER ANIMAL? by Raymond Gerard del Valle work in 60 seconds, and maintain that power rate for the entire work day. That means that, by Watt’s approximation, a draft horse could lift 32,400 pounds of material one foot in one minute. After doing some rounding up, Watt settled for 33,000 foot-pounds per minute for one horsepower (hp). Of course, Watt’s esti- mates were very generous, as the horses involved in his experiments were far from mutants! But that wasn’t Watt’s original intention anyway. By overestimating what a typical horse could do, Watt made sure that his product would always perform better than the real horses. The unit of measure horse- power became popular thanks to the invaluable contribution of Watt’s engine during the indus- trial revolution. Today, however, the SI unit of power, the Watt, which was named in tribute to James Watt, is progres- sively replacing horsepower in most applications. I ELECTRO-MECHANICAL ENGINEERING Photo Source: Pinterest Photo Source: www.sodahead.com
  • 43.
    43 by Robert Bagatsing Ifyou are reading this article, you are lucky – congratulations, you have electricity. It is oftentimes hard to imagine the extent of un-con- nectedness in a world, where others enjoy superfluous modernity. The truth is there are still over a billion people in the world without elec- tricity, and the future remains bleak for them that spend their nights in darkness. Children are among the most impacted by the lack of light in un-connected households. Because their nights remain dark, children cannot study their lessons and do their homework, so either they don’t learn much from what they are studying, or they choose to abandon school altogether and spend their entire days at play. But, what if there was actually not any conundrum? A skipping rope that generates electricity What if they can repurpose the en- ergy that they spend playing to fuel basic devices of modern life, like lights, so they can study and prepare for their lessons?  Introducing a skipping rope whose length and handles light up at night, called Jumping Lighting. During the day, say after school, children could have an hour of fun playing with the skipping rope. The movement of the cord between the handles will charge the internal batteries of the device, thanks to the kinetic pendulum that builds up the energy. With enough charge, once turned on, the LED lamps within the jump rope and its handles will illuminate, giving off light that can allow children to comfortably study their lessons, and the adults to ade- quately do household chores.    Designed by Bae Gyu Ri of Daegu University, Jumping Light- ing is a winner of Korea’s Interna- tional K-Design Award in 2014. Jumping Lighting is a cool toy for any child to have. But for kids in dire need of lighting in their homes, Jumping Lighting is more than just for play – it is a source of hope for a brighter future. Photos Source: vickian.blogspot.com TOYS Photos Source: Vickian
  • 44.
    44 by Dion GregReyes ngineers, whatever field you specialize in, have a universal best friend: your calcula- tors. Almost all the time – when your fin- gers can no longer perform a trigo- nometric function – you depend on your life with the calculators in solving problems. But there will be cases that you will be faced with errors you didn’t know you have made. And that could cost you a failing grade or even your job. Maybe even lives of people. While there are so many kinds of calculators, here are the common input errors that you may have encountered in any calcu- lator. It’s best that you read your calculator manuals, but most likely you can find those input errors here. E Using [–] instead of [(-)] to indicate that a number is negative Common rookie error. You use the [–] to subtract, and [(-)] to denote a negative number. There is a difference. When you use [–] instead of [(-)] in the interior of an expression to denote a negative number, the calculator responds with the syntax error message. Indicating the order of operations incorrectly by using parentheses In your calculator, –3^2 is not the same as (–3)^2. The calculator first performs the opera- tion in parentheses, then it squares the number. If there is a negative outside the parentheses, it first performs the squaring, then the operation of a negating a number. That’s how crucial the order of operations is in evaluating expressions. Entering an angle in degre in radian mode In the calculator, trigonometric functions can be used with two modes: degree or radian. Just make sure that you are using the degree mode or radian mode, depending on what you’re required. Changing the mode depends on the settings of your calculator. Entering the inverse trigonometric notation Here’s another: just because the trigonometric function is raised to a negative number, which you know is an inverse, it is not an exponent; in the calculator, the inverse of the cos(x) function is not 1/cos(x). In short,   but,  . Placing the powers for trigonometric functions Remember the order of operations? Yeah, that’s it. All trigonometric functions hold this nota- tional idiosyncrasy. & Common Input Errors with Your Calculator that You Probably Didn’t Notice E N G I N E E R I N G H A C K S Photo Source: Davidson Math
  • 45.
    45 Cause: You executeda matrix, graphing, or some other operation that caused remaining memory capacity to be exceeded.  Action: Delete memory data you no longer need. Make sure that the number of variables used in your expression does not exceed the number of variables that are available.  Cause: The calculation result is outside of the allowable calculation range or you are trying to perform an ille- gal mathematical operation (such as division by zero).  Action: Check your input values and adjust them to allow the calculation result to be within the allowable range. If you are using memory for your calculation, make sure that you check the memory value.  Cause: The calculation expression is the wrong syntax, or the program you are using contains a syntax error.  Action: Press the <right> or <left> key to display the location of the error, and correct it.  Cause: The calculation you are performing has caused the capacity of the numeric stack or the command stack to be exceeded.  Action: Simplify your calculation expression. You could also split your calculation expression into two or more parts and execute the parts separately.  Common Output Errors with Your Calculator that You Definitely Will Notice Photo Source: Livedoor Blog
  • 46.
    46 J ake Barnett, bornon May 26th 1998, is presently an American Physics Student and child prodigy. However, his parents never knew that he was—because at the age of two, Jake was diagnosed with Autism, Asperger Syn- drome. Jake’s parents were crushed when they were told he may never talk or read ever again.  His parents never gave up and used a special treatment for children with autism called “floortime therapy”, where children are allowed to play or focus on subjects that interested them. Jake showed a remarkable early interest in astronomy and would study books of stars over and over again. During an outing to a local planetarium, one of the presenters asked the audience why the moons of Mars are odd-shaped like potatoes. The three- year-old Jake simply raised his hand “Excuse me, but what are the sizes of the moons around mars?” The lecturer answered and Jake looked at him and said, “The gravity of the planet is so large that [the moon’s] gravity would not be able to pull it into a round shape.” Silence filled the room. All eyes were on 3-year old Jake. It was clear what everyone was thinking. “Who is this three year old?” Jake continued to attend public school, but was soon bored. Jake’s parents took the psychologist’s advice and withdrew him from school and he was allowed to sit-in on astronomy and advanced math classes at Indiana University—Purdue Institute Indianap- olis (IUPUI). Jake prepared for proper college schooling, by learning—all by himself—pre-requisite high school math. This includes Algebra, Algebra 2, Geometry, Trigonometry and Calculus. He learned all this by himself in just two weeks! He passed all the test that were needed to exempt him from school. Jake enrolled at the college at the young age of twelve. The prodigy, Jake, tutors fellow students, normally graduate and post-graduate students. He has healthy discussions with professors and is de- veloping an alternative theory of the Big Bang Theory, his hypothesis being that the Big Bang couldn’t have happened through advanced math. He is also presently a paid researcher in Quantum Physics. In 2013, Jake was admitted to the Perimeter Scholars International, a one-year non-degree master’s level program at the Perimeter Institute for theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario. At the age of 15, he was the youngest student admitted into the program. He completed the program in 2014, and has subsequently been listed as a doctoral student at the Perimeter Institute. Jake, also wants to help other kids and adults who find mathematics difficult. He believes that math can be learned easily if the subject is presented in a much simpler manner. So he plans to write books on how to simplify math. He has also appeared in TEDxTeens to inspire other kids his age. This amazing guy hopes that one day he will be able to disprove Einstein’s theory of Relativity. Jake Barnett: Autistic Child turned Physics Genius by Cielo Panda P R O D I G Y Photo Source: Indianapolis Monthly Photo Source: Indianapolis Monthly
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    47 World’s Smallest Car Meet thesmallest car of the world from Austin Coulson, a custom car maker. He has always been interested in building cars and he believes that he will make history one day. It turns out that he was not at all wrong. Twenty-nine year old Coulson built the smallest car of the world and entered the Guinness Book of World Record in the year 2014. Some would say that this small car may be inopera- ble – nope, this car has been legalized to be taken out on the road. Coulson was so interested in automobiles that it drove him to look up the previous records in the Guin- ness Book of World Records. The mo- ment he looked at the previous record he felt that he could do something to beat said record. The result of his determi- nation was this awesome car. This miniature car measures 25 inches high and 2 feet wide. You will recognize the car the instant you see it. How? Well, this kickass car has a license plate that read IM BIG. Quite ironic, isn’t it? What’s more amazing is the paint of the car. He painted it like the Mustang Military aircraft U.S. P-51. The side of the car with the tail num- ber of the same ship that Coulson’s grandfather served on when he was fighting in the World War I inscribed on it. But the main issue was getting the car registered. For this, Coulson had to get the car inspected and not forget to put safety features like any other cars out there. Like everybody else, even his family was skeptical about the plan and kept questioning it through the process of developing the vehicle. However, he was successful in proving everybody wrong. Seeing this tiny vehicle on the road will absolutely be a treat to the eye. For some, this is merely a toy car; but cars are toys, right? A U T O M O T I V E Photo Source: Leisure Wheels
  • 48.
    48 It was onMarch 10, 1906 that the burning of methane by the naked flame of a miner’s lamp led to Europe’s worst mining accident, resulting in dust explosion dev- astating a coal mine and killing around 1099 miners. This also led to an increase number of black lung disease cases. ature has claimed many lives across the globe with its unexpected calamities. But things are different with an industrial disaster. They don’t just claim lives but shake you from within. There have been cas- es when the precautionary Lessonsfromthe WorstIndustrial EngineeringDisasters N CourrieresMineDisaster,France steps taken by the industries could not save life and so, the people affected by them have no choice but to live with the damage caused by them. Their mistakes have definitely taught us some of the biggest lessons of our life. In this list, we will find out the worst indus- trial engineering disasters that have ever occurred to humanity. I N D U S T R I A L Photo Source: NDTV Photo Source: Wikipedia
  • 49.
    49 The explosion occurredon 21 September 1921. The store that dealt with nitrogen fixa- tion works contained around 4500 tons of ammonium sulphate nitrate. Unaware of the highly explosive nature of ammonium nitrate, the work- ers at Oppau site decided that the best way to loosen 4500 tons of ammonium nitrate was to detonate several dynamite charges, which led to an explosive equivalent to 1-2 kilotons of TNT, ripping off roofs from houses situated 25km away from the site of explosion. The deadliest disaster occurred on 19 Novem- ber, 1984, around 20 km away from Mexico City in a large LPG storage and distribution center. It was basically caused by the LPG pipe America’s worst disaster occurred on April 16, 1947. A small fire broke out in a ship that was carrying bags of ammo- nium nitrate. Immediate attempts were made to extinguish it. But it soon inten- sified and led to a massive explosion. The cause of the explosion was lack of awareness. However not confirmed, a re- port says that it is possible that a cigarette could have been dropped into the hold. On December 3, 1984, a pesticide plant leaked methyl isocynate gas and other chemicals into the atmosphere. This killed around 4,000 – 20,000 people. The leakage formed a toxic cloud settling over the region, which killed 8,000 people in the very first days mainly from cardiac arrest and respiratory malfunction. TheBhopalDisaster,India TexasCityDisaster,USA OppauExplosion,Germany SANJUANICODISASTER,MEXICO leakage due to excessive pressure, resulting in the formation of a vapor cloud that floated across the area. When the cloud ignited, a massive fire was caused at the plant site. Photo Source: IBN Live Photo Source: Greenpeace Italia Photo Source: Greenpeace Italia Photo Source: Texas History Photo Source: SCANZ
  • 50.
    50 gineersnow deBate DOESSOCIALMEDIA AFFECTRELATIONSHIPS INANEGATIVEWAY? WHOISTHEREAL FATHEROF ELECTRICITY? NIKOLATESLA? THOMASEDISON? ISAACNEWTON? It’s almosta given that engineers love to spark a debate in almost any subject. Where there is an argument that is worth fighting for, engineers will never think twice about sharing their opinions based from concrete principles. With that, GineersNow put these debates on Facebook which are centered on anything related to engineering. Join the meeting of the minds every Wednesday at the following times on our Facebook page. 08:00 AM Dubai 09:30 AM Delhi 12:00 PM Manila 1:00 PM Tokyo 03:00 Sydney WHICHONEISA BETTERPERSONAL ASSISTANT? GOOGLENOWOR SIRI?
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  • 52.
    52 She’s 22 and SheCould Be the Next Einsteinby Alice Hernandez While most of us were busy play- ing with our friends and dealing with difficult math problems during the early years of our teen- age lives, a young girl by the name of Sabrina Gonzales Pasterski built a single engine plane that she was about to deliver to the campus offices of MIT and have it shown to the incredible minds that work there.  Who would have thought that this Cuban-American kid was about to embark on a journey that will lead her to make people believe that she could be the ‘Ein- stein’ of today’s generation? She’s now 22 and has already made a name for herself in the world of Physics. She already graduated from MIT and is cur- rently working her way to get her Miss Pasterski was waitlisted in MIT when she applied. Luckily for her, some profes- sors from MIT saw her video building a plane. PhD degree in Harvard. By the way, she got a perfect point grade average in MIT. With a brain like hers, she could rule the world! After building planes back when she was really really young, Miss Pasterski is now focused on the more serious stuff. Really serious stuff not everyone can understand but play important roles to the fundamen- tals of science. Her studies branch out to black holes, spacetime and quantum mechanics. Clearly, this young sci- entist is passionate about what she does. In an interview with Yahoo, she said: “Physics itself is exciting enough. It’s not like a 9-to-5 thing. When you’re tired you sleep, and when you’re not, you do physics.” Miss Pasterski isn’t a fan of social media. That means there’s no chance of stalking her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. However, you do get a glimpse of what’s going on with her achievements on her website, PhysicsGirl. Because she’s a genius, different foundations such as the Smith Foundation, Hertz Foundation and the National Science Foundation have given her thousands of dollars for her studies and work. Photo Source: Slideroom Blog W O M E NE N G I N E E R C H I C K Photo Source: Vagabomb
  • 53.
    53 “So What IfI’m the Only Woman in the Construction Site?” Huge projects like Hong Kong-Zhu- hai-Macao Bridge and the high- speed railway to Guangzhou are under a crisis: they lack skills in con- struction labor for years. This has led recruitment firm Manpower to find more engineers, casting its net wider to target women workers as well. This is how we met Sonia, 23 years old, an on-site assistant surveyor. In her class of 90 students, only 20 were girls. She joined the field two years ago after getting her associate degree. Work was quite easy to find after graduation because of the demand. She is making a close amount to HK$20,000 a month. That is one key attraction, other than a clear career path and good promotion for young women to enter the profession. The job security is also not a problem, since most big projects last at least four to five years. At work, being the only woman in her department, she uses that uniqueness to her edge – male colleagues are quite willing to take care of her, as long as she is polite and keeps a smile. Her greatest struggle, however, is the dirty and dusty work environment. Women aren’t usually exposed to them so it is quite an adjustment. Other than that, there isn’t much that women cannot do in the construction site. She is a proud engineer and she performs – that is what matters. Who gives a damn that she is a woman? ?!
  • 54.
    54 For around fiveyears, Nina has been working with teams of programmers and graphic artists to be able to create excep- tionally personal games about relation- ships and sex. She came into the limelight with a game called “How Do You Do It”. The game is all about a little girl who plays with her Barbie dolls while her mom is out, trying to find out how do grown-ups “do it”, the player will be controlling this event of course. Nina also created a game called “Ladylike”, where you try to control a conversation between a teenage girl and her mom, during a drive to a mall. Any- thing you say about boyfriends, school, sex and clothes, the mom would always disapprove—clearly a different game to play, even in real life. According to Nina, these games were all based on her true to life stories. How To Do It and Ladylike were games that had been inspired by her childhood experiences. For her, gaming is like poetry. “When I started making games, my main inspirations were poets. Elizabeth Bishop’s poem “In the Waiting Room” was my main inspiration for making Ladylike and How Do You Do It?, which are games about my childhood. Once I started making games, though, I discovered other game designers who were also interested in these vignette-style games. Games like Dys4ia and Gone Home are two of these games that really inspired me to make more vignette games about very human, honest characters.” Nina said, when asked on an interview who she was inspired by when she says gaming is like poetry. In November 2015, Nina released a new game named “Cibele”. It’s an intimately personal, multilayered narrative game that has caught the intrigue of many. It is a game based on a true story about love, sex, and the internet. The player will be playing a role of a 19-year old girl who became close to a young man whom she met through an online game. The two becomes closer and their relationship heats up with each phone call and private chat. This game, of course, was based on one of Nina’s experiences. It all started when she was 16. She met an older guy named Blake through Final Fantasy—a popular online game—gaming community. After numerous phone calls, flirty chats, and sexy selfies, Blake flew across the country to turn their online fantasy into a reality in Nina’s New York dorm room. Nina is very passionate about incorpo- rating her personal experiences into her game design. She wants to be able to create and add a more feminine touch to her video games. By sharing stories about her sex life, she hopes to be able to define her sexuality, career and inspire other women to be able to be the hero of their own life stories. Hot Game Designer creates Games about her Sex Life Meet Nina Freeman, a 25-year old game designer who designs games based on her hot rela- tionship adventures, exhilarating experiences and sex life. by Cielo Panda W O M E NG A M E D E V E L O P M E N T Photo Source: Meld Magazine Photo Source: News Fisher
  • 55.
    55 oogle, known tobe very resistant in making changes in their search engine, will allow its users to remove “revenge porn” from its search results. Amit Singhal, the company’s senior vice president of search, informed everyone in his blog post about Google’s stand in pro- tecting victims of this malicious act: “Our philosophy has always been that Search should reflect the whole web. But revenge porn images are intensely personal and emotionally damaging, and serve only to de- grade the victims—predominantly women. So going forward, we’ll honor requests from people to remove nude or sexually explicit images shared without their consent from Revenge Porn, Google Will Protect You Rejoice, victims of “revenge porn”. Help is on the way. Google Search results.” Victims can fill up a web form and submit it to Google as soon as it be- comes available. Even though the company admits that it will not entirely solve these problems, this action is a small step towards making changes and protecting its victims – who are mostly women. These images are often uploaded in websites where anyone can post anything. Victims are required to pay lots of money in order to remove these photos from these websites. Other compa- nies such as Facebook, Reddit and Twitter have already created policies where nude photos can’t be posted without the consent of the person involved. by Alice Hernandez G Imagine falling in love with some- one. You become intimate with that person, engage in activities normal couples do, sending nude selfies of each other, frequently fight and eventually broke up. One day, a friend tells you the most terrifying news – the nude selfies you sent to your ex are all over the inter- net. The angry ex either posted those photos or someone else hacked into your account. Isn’t that the most embar- rassing thing one has to face in the world of social media? So many people (famous or not) fell vic- tims to the “revenge porn”. Now, Google wants to help these victims remove these images that degrades them in the public eye. I N F O R M AT I O N T E C H N O L O G Y Photo Source: Change
  • 56.
    56 Five Greatest Feats of Modern Engineering Wenormally take them for granted and just enjoy the easy life that is spoon-fed to us. So, let’s take some time to get to know some of these structures that have been created and designed by engineers for us, and marvel in the greatness of their masterpieces. Magnificent structures are seen everywhere thanks to the improvement of different machineries and continuously developing technology. These are only five of the many engineering marvels we should appreciate. I’m sure there are younger teams of researchers and engineers who want to surpass all these amazing engineering achievements, and be part of technological history. Danyang Kunshan Grand Bridge The Bridge was opened to the public in the year 2011. The length of this bridge encompasses a length of 260 feet. 2000 sturdy pillars are built to support its weight. Around ten thousand workers were involved in the construction of this bridge. The bridge was built over the Yang Cheeng Lake which is about 6 miles in length. Photo Source: Wikipedia
  • 57.
    57 Millau Viaduct Bridge Thebridge, located in Southern France, has an exclusive design. The bridge was built over the river Tarn that cre- ates a driveway from Paris to Barcelona. This bridge runs in between two plateaus. The bridge also has cable stayed columns that are transparent and intricately designed. They were constructed using minimum materials. Three Gorges Dam This dam has been the dream of the hy- dro-engineers of China. The construction of the dam started in the year 1992. More than 15 metric tons of concrete were used to fill the massive barrier located across Yangtze River to create a reservoir. The length of this reservoir is almost as long as Britain. It has a total of 26 turbines. It boasts of generating 18200 Megawatts of power. The Hadron Collider The Large Hadron Collider is one of the most awe- some and complex creations of modern technology. This is a scientific instrument that was built near the city Geneva. This instrument spans between France and Switzerland. It was created to augment the study of the tiniest particles that exist in our world today.   Pan STARRS This was developed in the University of Hawaii. This has been designed for an extensive imaging facility. The Institute of Astronomy has devel- oped this so that the entire span of the sky could be seen. There are several small mirrors and a digital camera installed inside the device. It is used for the observation of the solar system. Photo Source: Pan-STARRS Photo Source: Wikipedia Photo Source: Wikipedia Photo Source: Wikipedia
  • 58.
    58 Why Engineers Don’t FitIn Corporates Idon’tknowaboutyou,butthis sureisafunnyscenarioofan engineerinacorporateworld. Basically,dealingwith thissituationatfirsthandisnotan easythingforanengineer.It’sjust that“engineeringculture”wehave thatthesecorporatepeopledon’t appreciate,youknow? Engineerstendtohave thisdefaultmindsetofpracticality andbeingsotechnicalwherein theyareexperts. Theengineerinthevid- eothinks thingsgeometrically evenifthelinesdiscussedinthe meetingismerelyjustarepre- sentationofamarketingplan.So hearguesandtriestobelogical inwhichthesecorporatepeople don’tunderstand. Yes,heislogicaland reasonablebuthisideamayseem outofplace. This short comedy clip shows how an engineer tries to fit in a corporate meeting and how he became “The Expert”. Ithinktheactishilar- iouslyahyperbole,(‘causeyou know,wehaveMBAengineers!) butwhatittriestosayisjust exactlywhatitis. Technicality! Well,thechallengehere forus,engineers,isthemobilityto expressourideasandplansinany aspectandsetting.Wemustknow whatkindofsolutionstorelayand beabletoadaptwiththesituation we’rein.Thenthat’showengineers becometherealexperts.Justdon’t getbulliedlikethisguythough. Yes,weare“theexpert”,andwe canshowthem. So,Iguess,wedonot concludethatALLengineersdo notfitinthecorporateworld.We canbecorporatemanagerstoo! Now,thatseemslogical eh? Photo Source: Smilesumo by Farrel Pinto
  • 59.
    59 TrainspottersBotherTheGirl FromTheViralTrainStory remote Kami-Shirataki station inthe far north of Japan has somehow given us some lit- tle faith back to humanity: for three years, the same train in the station loads and unloads a single passenger on her way to school. The ride is but a lonely one; but it’s far better than driving all the way to school by her parents and waking up early for it. Remember this popular sto- ry? When China’s CCTV News pub- lished that story, it got around 90,000 shares online. In its story, it shared: “For years now trains have stopped at the station just for her. Ja- pan Railway will keep the train sta- tion open until she leaves school. The girl is expected to graduate on March 26, 2016, when the station will then be closed. Every day only two trains stop at the Kami-Shirataki station with a unique timetable depending on when the girl needs to go to school and back.” As soon as story got out about this feel-good story, people have been an- noying and bothering the girl in the story. Trainspotters are very com- mon in Japan – with attempts to take photos and share videos of trains in the country. However, trainspotters have been targetingthefemalehighschoolstudentas their subject for their hobby. They wait for herandassoonastheyseeher,theyharass her with instructions to pose for them. It seems like the girl has to deal with these pesky train- spotters until her graduation. Photo Source: Blasting News After the story became popular, people are visiting the Kamishirataki Station in Hokkaido for the lone train passenger to come out of the train lately A
  • 60.
    60 7 Video Games thatboost your Brainby Cielo Panda Research shows that video games have an effect that raises your brain activity in a good way. Though a lot of us enjoy video games on a regular basis, some people scrutinize games as the reasons why their children are mis- behaving. But a lot of the “gamers” out there are defending their ground by saying that “Video Games don’t cause Violence”. It is true that some kids nowadays who enjoy playing games often show signs of misbehaving, but we can’t really be sure that those games are the cause. Research shows that video games have an effect that raises your brain activity in a good way. Ever wondered what games help your brain become more active? Here’s a list of games and their positive effect on your mind. This first person shooter fran- chise is sure to get your adren- aline pumping. From covert missions to frontal assaults, this game enhances your hand-eye coordination and quick decision making while you play. This franchise has been alive since the mid 90’s and is still taking the world by storm. Not only do you get to play as your favorite basketball stars, you also get to put your quick decision skills to the test. Action RPG First Person Shooter If you fancy roaming a world while killing dragons, this game is just for you. Not only does it quench your thirst for dragon blood, it offers you the chance to challenge your inductive reasoning skills, which is the ability to think scientifically by hypothesis testing. SPORTS G A M E SG A M E D E V E L O P M E N T Photo Source: Call of Duty Photo Source: Bethesda Softworks Photo Source: EA Sports
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    61 Soar the skiesin the comfort of your own home. Microsoft Flight Simulator offers you a chance to become a pilot while giving your brain some exercises. This flight simulator enables your brain to calculate possible outcomes and analyze those calculations so you can have a smooth flight. Tickle your mind with this exciting puzzle platformer. It offers a variety of puzzles that require you to think carefully what you need to do next. The game is really simple, beat the game with only one tool. For those building enthusiasts out there, this game allows you to cre- ate whatever your mind imagines. From houses, farms, to castles! Boost your creativity and decision making with Minecraft. Video games are not all that bad if you don’t play too much. It can even help your brain function more make it able to organize thoughts easier. It’s fun to take a break and play a game, but remember that too much gaming can also hurt your health. ACTION ADVENTURE PUZZLE STRATEGY SIMULATION Fans of this franchise can say that not anyone can play this game and be good at it. But you don’t need to be good at it to get its benefits. This game given to us by Blizzard Entertainment entices us to make very fast decisions on a fast-chang- ing environment. Photo Source: Steam Photo Source: Portal 2 Official Website Photo Source: Keen Gamer Photo Source: Blizzard Entertainment
  • 62.
    62 Say goodbyeto the conventional push and pull shopping cart as Kartum by Charles Bombardier has revolu- tionized your weekly shopping experience. Kartum is an electric autonoumous shopping cart that is also a virtual gro- cery-shopping assistant. It has features that will pick up the items in your shopping list that you can create via an online application, monitor your items that will be over your budget and even calculate the calo- ries in your items. It can even plan the best itinerary in the store which can link up with Humungous Motorized Shopping Trolleys: his has to be a shopahol- ic’s godsend. The worlds biggest shopping cart, standing over thirteen feet high and eight feet across, was originally conceived by Robert Unnerstal, Sr. and built by the National Cart Company for the opening of a market in St Louis Missouri. The cart can carry more than 360 grocery bags and up to four adults in the baby seat at the back. Designed with busy lifestyles in mind, it is powered by a 460HP Chevy Big Block that propel its wiry frame up to 60 MPH! The concept was successful that National Cart built seven more that tour America! But eccentricities being what they are, the dimensions and practicality of the cart was not enough for Frederick Reifsteck, who thought the scale all wrong for the true devotee of the super- market isle. Frederick set to work on a few improvements and built a gargantuan twenty seven foot long, fourteen feet wide shopping cart that could easily swallow up National Carts pride and joy. It’s so big that its huge big block engine can only motivate it to fairly moderate speeds. Frederick’s achievement won him a Guinness World record and possibly the adoration of every super market chain on the face of the Earth. What a fascination of carts into “trucks”! Ideal Carts for Engineers C A R T S Kartum: Your Grocery Shopping Assistant T the store’s database to identify location of the products. This ‘smart shopping cart’ also eliminates the need to stop at the counter as you can pay by using your digital print. Once you unload the items from the cart, it will proceed with the next customer in sight. There is no need to plug Kartum in as it recharges itself with wireless electricity. It walks along with you based on the user’s preferences, may it be behind or just ahead of you. Bet that this will make you want to visit the grocery stores even more. R E TA I L Photo Source: J News 163 Photo Source: Imaginactive
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    63 ccording to BloombergNew En- ergy Finance (BNEF), the total investment on clean energy hit $329 billion in 2015 accounting 50 percent of investment from the Asia-Pacific Region. BNEF Chairman of Adviso- ry Board Michael Liebreich said that the figures are a stunning riposte to all those who expected clean energy investment to stall on failing oil and gas prices. He even added that they high- light the improving cost-competitiveness of solar and wind power, driven in part by the move by many countries to reverse-auction new capacity rather than providing advantageous tariffs, a shift that has put producers under continuing price pressure. Global Investments On Clean Energy Totaled To $329 Billion In 2015 A China was said to remain the largest clean energy investor amounting to $111 billion with solar energy as its largest funding. China is likely to propel towards less pollution actions and less coal powered energy sources as a part of its 13th five year plan (2016-2020) to be im- plemented in March 2016. It’s National Carbon Emission Trading Program, the world’s largest carbon emission control project, will cover 10,000 companies emitting 3-4 billion tons of CO2. The European Investment Bank also allowed lending all over €100 billion for climate action for the next five years. China National Building Materials recently signed a €1.6 billion agreement with Hong Kong-based Welink Global in the United Kingdom for solar power proj- ects and energy saving hous- ing in the United Kingdom. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Develop- ment and the Clean Technolo- gy Fund formed a programme to lend $125 million in devel- oping geothermal in Turkey. The plan consists of constructing five geothermal power plants. In Japan, the Development Bank of Japan and Japan Wind Development implement- ed the creation of the country’s first wind power funding at $423 million. Meanwhile in South Korea, LG Elec- tronics plans to invest $435 million in building solar manufacturing plants. From a well invested 2015, may 2016 be a better year for all nations. Photo Source: Gov Tech C L E A N E N E R G YR E N E WA B L E S Photo Source: Imaginactive Photo Source: Gov Tech
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    64 Bienville Legacy: The AmericanSuperbike ienville Legacy is a motorbike that has shocked everybody. The bike has a special suspension system. According to the creators it is more than just any ordinary bike. It highlights the return of superb craftsmanship in America. The intricate craftsmanship and artistry of this motorbike makes the bike deserving of the title “Most POWERFUL Luxury motorcycle”. The price? An eye popping $350,000! J.T. Nesbiit is the designer, responsible for the creation of this unique and breathtaking motorcycle. When the famous entre- preneur Jim Jacoby sold his company, he had a huge amount of money along with some dreams that he wanted to fulfill. One of his dreams was to renovate the concept of master craftsmanship in the state of America. This led him to create organizations known as the American Design and Master Craft Initiative. He built a metallic giant that was supposed to have strength like Thor’s. This motorcycle did not look like any ordinary bike. Your eyes would be instantly glued onto its powerful frame. It has a small yet majestic leather saddle, a shining steel tube spine, an underbelly built for the fuel storage and the carbon girder for the system of suspension. The bike gave the feeling that everything will last more than thousand years. And who was the right choice to build this masterpiece? J.T. Nesbitt, of course! Nesbitt was the appropriate craftsman for the construction of this project. He definitely made this mo- torcycle happen! According to the arrangement between Jacoby and Nesbitt, Nesbitt had the freedom and was given all the required resources for designing and building every piece of ADMCi. Thus, the Bienville Legacy was born! The motorcycle has an engine of 1650cc Motus MV4. This gives an output of about 185HP. Nesbitt has also add- ed a centrifugal supercharger of Rotrex that will augment the power to above 300HP.   Both the girder front end and the swingarm of the rear have identical carbon composites. The built- in adjusters of the motor are used as chain adjusters. With all of these complicated pro- cesses, can you believe that everything was built by hand? Amazing! And this is Jacoby and Nes- bitt’s answer to the question, “What would you build if you have all the time and money in the world?” B B I K E S Photo Source: Wellhous Photo Source: Asphalt and Rubber
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    65 Denny, the Bikeof the Future Denny is a bicycle that comes with a range of features that easily makes it the best bike for commuters in the city. ne of the common factors about most cities is the unpredictable safety for the average cyclist. That makes cycling a rather dangerous activity. Apart from the omnipresent cars, a cyclist will have to go up against buses, distracted pedestrians and the bane of other vehicles. In fact, these are enough dangers to make one give up on cycling forever. We aren’t joking. It’s scary sometimes. However, a nonprofit organization called Oregon Manifest wants to make cycling in the city a safer activity by creating a safer and better bike. They held a competition where companies were invited to design the ultimate bike. Fuji Bikes won with its concept called Denny. Oregon Manifest is now working with Fuji bikes to bring Denny to the masses. The bike is certainly an awesome one. For starters, it features a smart lighting system which can adapt to the ambient conditions. At the same time, it will take care of the functional and visibility require- ments of the biker such as brake signals, halo lights and turn signals among others. There is automatic assistance system called e-assist which is capable of shifting gears automatically. As they are activated automatically, it becomes easier to ride up on slopes and so on. However, one of the coolest features is certainly its handlebar. Apart from being comfortable, the handlebar can also be transformed into a bike lock. There are even two locking mechanisms. Depending on the time you will be away from the bike, you can set either a quick lock or a long stay lock. There are other nifty little features present in the bike such as a remov- able battery and a flexible storage solution that adapts to the items kept inside. Its features certainly made biking convenient and surely, Denny will be a hit in the market. O Photo Source: Denny Bike Photo Source: Denny Bike
  • 66.
    66 Lithium demand booms ahead Asrenewables and technology advances, the need for portable storage grows strongly says Lithium Australia. The previous record for the largest diamond recovered in Angola belonged to the 217.4 carat gem Angolan Star. It was discovered back in 2007. Now, a miner working for Lucapa Diamond Company (an Australian mining company) recently unearthed the largest diamond in Angola’s Lunda Norte province. It weighs around 80 grams and is 404.2 carats. This is the 27th biggest diamond ever recorded around the world. And can you guess how much this diamond would cost? An estimate of USD$800,000! If this is used for jewelry, it could cost millions of dollars. Because of its latest recovery, the company’s shares went up by 32%. With over 10,372 carats of diamond recovered these past 12 months, its diamond revenues was around USD$8.1 million as of December 2015. Each carat costs around USD$2141. The search of diamonds is under the company’s Lulo diamond project. The company’s CEO, Stephen Wetherall, expressed how proud he was of having recovered this enormous diamond: The diamond’s weight alone could cost around USD$800,000. Lithium Australia mulls deeper project and funding in lithium as potential demand grows in the emergence of renewable and portable storage technology. The Pilgangoo- ra project in Western Australia is expected to expand its scope for mining lithium as the area was confirmed to be a pegmatite zone. Pegmatite is the ore containing lithium. I think we’re talking about a paradigm shift in the way people think about pow- er”, Adrian Griffin, Managing Director of Lithium Australia, said pertaining to renewables and storage like lithium-ion batteries. The company recently com- pleted a $6.55 million share replacement in one of the worst weeks in the trading history. This however added potentials to its business model for a $29 million fundraising drive. Lithium Australia’s stock trading jumped 13.3% higher, representing 80% more since the mid-January. The company’s confidence for plan expansion was led by its recent successful production of lithium hydroxide. Lithium hydroxide is an added chemical used in production of batteries and represents a big market at the back of increased electric car manufacture. Adrian Griffin believes that lithium can be traded either as carbonate or hydroxide and that the market is hungry for both. He also added that the lithium carbonate is at $10,000 per ton and the lithium hydroxide at $14,000 per ton spotting a very significant price increase in the late 2015. For instance, Lithium carbonate was at low trade in early December for $10, 0540 but in- creased highly late in December at $14,362. It is expected that more companies will be investing in lithi- um production as stocks have been increas- ing due to forecasted demands of lithium batteries in the future. Photo Sources: Top: Earth Physics Teaching Bottom: Market-Analyst The Biggest Diamond Just Unearthed in Angola “We have always emphasized the very special nature of the Lulo dia- mond field and this recovery — to- gether with the other 100 carat-plus diamonds recovered this year alone — is further evidence of that… And while we continue mining these exceptional alluvial gems from Mining Blocks 6 and 8 at Lulo, we are also continuing to advance our systematic exploration program to find the kimberlite source of these diamonds.” M I N I N G Photo Source: Forbes
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    67 Man-MadeDiamonds: TurningtheDeadintoGems These man-made diamondsare synthesized from cremated ash- es in memorial homes. Would you wear it? “The diamond’s evolution has ended” says the successful company behind the man-made diamonds now trending in the market. In the Forbes interview of the company’s leader, Harry Burl, he detailed how he have come up with the business idea and shared a quick overview of the company. In 2010, while looking for domains to purchase and engage lucrative ventures, he came across to a not yet registered domain – man-madediamonds.com. From there, he researched a lot about it and figured out to keep the do- main for himself. After six years, he is running the most successful business in the diamond making industry in the country. As we all know, diamonds are purely carbon based crystals and we can get it naturally from dia- mond mines mostly in Africa. But did you know that we can now make diamonds in the lab that are as pure as the natural ones? Yes! You will need a carbon seed and blast them with hydrogen and methane gas to grow the crystal. Voila! Diamonds produced will be just like long lost twin of the mined ones! These synthetic diamonds can be grown in the laboratory for about eight to twelve weeks. Some say that these diamonds also cost 30 percent less than that of the natural ones. But what if we say that they get these diamonds from the dead? Would you wear it? Harry Burl says that the company gets its feed from the cremated ashes from the funeral homes. Basically, we can extract carbon from our hairs and dead ashes. In fact, it is more economical and environment friendly especially to anti-mining movements. It is also more ethical than the blood dia- monds made out of child labor and exploitation. Although creating diamonds from our loved ones is a sensitive market, Burl said that they have a special approach that us both intellectually and emotionally appealing when it comes to their customers. They are cautious in the process with the customer’s peace of mind as the uppermost priority. Diamonds should be as pure as their own content, the com- pany says. They are also producing diamonds for wedding and engage- ment rings. You can also order a conflict free ring with no personal carbon ashes. Designs and orders of these diamonds are available on their website. And I can say that they really protrude adamantine luster. FA S H I O N E E R I N G Photo Source: Forbes Photo Source: Forbes by Farrel Pinto
  • 68.
    68 ff dd by Dion GregReyes ho doesn’t want a brain superpower to go along with an already intricate mind? No one. That’s why this is good news to every engineer that humanity is now close to this pill that will improve mind capacity into almost ‘limitless.’ There is a popular myth which says that humans only use 10 percent of their brains. Others believe it, but ultimate- ly, the truth is that humans use all of it. The myth may be deep-rooted from the fact that only about 10 percent of our brains are made up of neurons. The other 90 percent is composed of non-neu- ronal cells, such as glial cells, that provide other functions for the brain. With that ratio of the brain cells, what if it becomes possible for a pill to make the 90% merge with the 10%? To break the ice for you, yup, it is believed to be possible. Scientists have produced a pill that capsulized the power to transform non-neuronal glial cells into functioning neurons for brain repair. It is like a cocktail of small molecules that can W be swallowed to change those cells not directly used by the brain, into something useful like processing of information. By then, you are no longer 10% using of your brain but more. That would mean you are bounds smarter than before. But hold it: the pill is being de- veloped as a brain repair drug and not for public consumption. It improves the cogni- tive functions of those with diseases like Alzheimer’s or for aiding the recovery of those with brain trauma. The aim is to treat patients with brain disorders at home to regenerate neurons in their brains without any brain surgery or cell transplantation, as explained by Gong Chen, lead researcher in the development of the drug and a pro- fessor of biology at Penn State University. The pill is not even yet available to patients as it is still being studied. Humans have not tried it for trial, and so the side effects of the pill remain a mystery. After all, glial cells still serve an import- ant brain function, which alteration may induce poor brain functions. A Bradley Cooper-starred movie had already showed this kind of brain-enhancing hullabaloo with the NZT- 48, a powerful cognitive enhancer. The protagonist became a superhuman and everyone around him wished the same – even us. In sheer desperation to find a pill closest to that of NZT-48, here’s a dan- gerous combo according to Brain Pro Tips that might as well do the trick: phenylpirac- etam, modafinil and low-dose nicotine. What the hell will those phar- maceuticals do to you, you ask? Well, Phen- ylpiracetam improves verbal fluency and cognitive flexibility; Modafinil develops your work ethic, exuberance and focus; and Nicotine, in low doses, improves working memory in normal, healthy subjects. Nobody has tried to hack their brain capacity yet with this kind of combo as the side effects haven’t been figured out. If you are willing to risk it, please don’t – because it may not be worth it. Right now we just have to settle with the presumably 10% of our brain, and wait until scientists release this kind of drug. Or is the pill being hidden considering what it might do to the human race? Hmmm. All Photos Source: YouTube Screencaps IS BEING “LIMITLESS” JUST A PILL AWAY?
  • 69.
    69 apanese scientists havebeen able to discover a new source of energy for mankind that will be helpful in the near future. And guess what it is: electric power that is transmitted with the help of microwaves. These Japanese scientists who belong to the Japan Aerospace Explora- tion Agency (JAXA) have successfully used microwaves for the production of power amounting to almost 1.8 kilo- watts pinpointing to a target in the air that is away from the source by fifty-five meters This was the first time that the agency has been able to generate such J huge amount of power. The target is also very small. The power is generated with the help of directivity control system. The energy created is capable of running an appliance like an electric kettle. However, the distance is not large enough. This is a huge step in the world of energy resources. The success of the experiment means that the renewable energy resources like solar energy can now be collected from space to be trans- mitted to earth. The International Space Station and other satellites of the earth have been able to collect the energy and use it for the maintenance of their work. The primary benefit arising out of the Wireless generation of solar power in space is that it will be available all the time no matter what time of the day. JAXA has been working on this for quite some years now. The project has been named Space Solar Power System. The aim of this awesome project is to develop a solar power plant that will be based in the space system. This power plant will then generate elec- tricity through the collection of sunlight along the geostationary orbit. Don’t get too excited though. Science and technology will take some time to reach the point of transmitting solar energy to earth. Now a Reality Electricity Photo Source: Authorstream
  • 70.
    70 Hannah Herbst wona science competi- tion by inventing something, which was inspired by her Ethiopian pen pal. This Girl Invented Something Awesome For Her Pen Pal While most of us engaged in activities that were appropriate for young teenagers, Hannah Herbst got inspiration from her 9-year-old pen pal in Ethiopa and designed a probe that generates power and fresh water from ocean currents. Now that’s something we normally don’t expect a 15-year-old would do. In this year’s Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, this young girl from Boca Raton won the title of “America’s Young Top Scientist” and received $25,000 USD. The competition was held at 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. For three months, Herbst and other competitors worked with 3M scientists to develop their own inventions and showcase it during the competition itself. Herbst was paired with one of the compa- ny’s corporate scientists, Jeffrey Emslander. All the finalists presented their inventions in front of judges such as Science Channel’s Outra- geous Acts of Science star, Hakeem Oluseyi. Aside from their presen- tation, the finalists also had two challenges: yielding new solutions by using different 3M technologies and building new technology while applying science and technology concepts. Eighth grader Raghav Ganesh won second place in the competition. His invention was for people with Autism Spectrum Dis- order and how it can monitor phys- iological and environmental factors that may trigger their meltdown. Third place went to seventh grader Amulya Garimella, who invented a system that monitors EEG brainwaves and alerts users when he or she is distracted. As for Hannah Herbst, aside from saving some of it for her college funds, she plans to give part of the money she won to her Ethiopian pen pal and the other part of her money will be donated to her school. Isn’t it amazing how these young kids are making a difference in science and technology? Hopeful- ly, more kids would follow in their footsteps. E N G I N E E R C H I C K Photo Source: The Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge Photo Source: Business Insider
  • 71.
    71 When Isis Wengeragreed to become part of her company’s recruiting campaign, she did not expect to receive a lot of backlash from the internet. Some have questioned her image as a female engineer. Some expressed that this was the company’s attempt to capture male engineers’ attention. So, in an article she wrote in Medium, she inspired other engineers to help her campaign in spreading awareness in tech diversity: “Do you feel passionately about helping spread aware- ness and increase tech diversi- ty? Do you not fit the “cook- ie-cutter mold” of what people believe engineers “should look like?” If you answered yes to any of these questions I invite you to help spread the word and help us redefine “what an #iLookLikeAnEngineer The #ILookLikeAnEngineer Campaign Wants To End Gender Discrimination in Engineering So, what does an engineer look like to you? by Alice Hernandez Really now? Can’t a girl look exactly the way she wants to look and still be an engineer? News flash: It’s 2016. Female en- gineers exist and we don’t have to look like Mark Zuckerberg. engineer should look like”. As soon as word spread out, oth- er female engineers have posted their own pictures with the hastag #ilooklikeanengi- neer. Her article generated thousands of responses, which led to a group of female engineers crowdfunding around $50,000 to put up billboards in Silicon Valley. These billboards aimed to end gender discrimina- tion by showing that not all engineers are in the form of hoodie-wearing white guys. The billboards were seen throughout San Francisco – targeted espe- cially in places where people who work for tech companies take their commute on the way to work. Given Silicon Valley’s reputation in having low diversity in its hiring, these billboards featured women and men of different colors and race – clearly not the type who fits into the stereotype. Despite the attempts made to spread awareness through these billboards, not much buzz was created in Twitter on the topic. Photo Source: Goodnet
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  • 73.
    73 10 Yummies toboost the Engineer’s Brain by Cielo Panda Do you have a deadline at the office by 5pm? Did you study for all 7 examinations tomorrow? What about your post-graduate report? Whether you are an engineer at the office, a post-grad student, or a still a strug- gling student-slash-engineer-to-be, you will need all the brain power you can get to perform well throughout the day and finish all your tasks with flying colors. As engineers or engineers to be, we should be aware of how to take extra care of our best buddy who analyzes, crunches inhumane num- bers, and solves our daily engineering problems everyday—the Brain. Keep your brain healthy and sharp everyday by snacking on these 10 healthy yummies. Studies show that people who moderately—take note *coughs*— moderate- ly drink red wine and other types of alcohol may be at a reduced risk of Alzhei- mer’s. So sit back, relax, and have a drink once in a while, but remember, even too much of a good thing is bad. *winks* Veggies like Spinach, broccoli, and kale are very good sources of vi- tamin E and folate. Green leafy vegetables lowers levels of homocysteine in the blood. High levels of homocysteine in the blood may trigger death of nerve cells in the brain. So let’s be green and eat greens! Who doesn’t love to snack on peanuts and the classic PB and J sandwich? Yes, peanuts and peanut butter are high in fat, but they tend to be a source of healthy fats, and they are packed with vitamin E. Both foods may help keep the heart and brain healthy and functioning properly. Other good choices are almonds and hazelnuts. So don’t be guilty and bring on the munchies! Tomaytoe—tomaahtoe… These red fruits—yes, they’re fruits—have lycopene, one of the most powerful anti-oxidants that give numerous benefits to our body, especially the brain. This could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s. Certain B-Vitamins such as B6, B12 and folic acid are known for reducing levels of homocysteine in the blood. Elevated levels of homocysteine can cause higher risks of stroke, cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. Ohhhh— the temptation, the creamy bittersweet flavor, the chocolatey good- ness! Studies have shown that flavanols in chocolate improves blood vessel function which in turn im- proves our brain’s cognitive function and memory. Dark chocolate is also known to improve mood, can ease pain, and is full of antioxi- dants. So indulge! Fart Alert! Beans and Legumes are top sources of complex carbohydrates. These complex carbohy- drates are also mixed with fiber, that’s slows absorp- tion, giving us a steady supply of glucose for the brain w/o spiking our sugar levels. They are also rich in folate a B vitamin critical to brain function and omega fatty acids. Even our body needs to be “oiled” once in a while. Low levels of fats in our blood can contribute to depres- sion, Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Coconut Oil can help raise good Cholester- ol levels, weight loss and combat Dementia. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and has been linked in helping prevent the onset of these brain disorders. These two contain a healthy mix of omega fatty acids, proteins and B vita- mins, which aid in giving you additional energy. Depressed? Though small, these seeds are loaded with Trytophan, which the brain converts into Serotonin to boost you mood and com- bat anxiety and depression. A handful of these seeds will give your daily recom- mended amount of Zinc, -a suppkement that aids in enhancing memory and thinking skills. Tuna, Milkfish, Salmon, Mackerel and other fish are very rich in heart healthy omega 3- fatty acids. This also includes Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which has a vital role for the optimum function of neurons in your brain. So grab some fish and go for some sushi!!!! Beans and Legumes Coconut Oil Peanuts and Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Tomato Red Wine Sunflower seeds/ Pumpkin Seeds Vitamins Fish Dark Green Leafy Veggies 1 2 3 5 4 6 7 8 9 10 Photo Sources: Beans: Suhanijain; Coconut: Paleogrubs; Peanut Butter: Marianne Gutierrez; Dark Choco: Britannica; Tomatos: Zikoko; Red Wine: Paulnoll; Sunflower Seeds: File Magazine; Vitamins: Celiac; Fish: Bali Indian Restaurant; Vegetables: Ways to Go Green Blog
  • 74.
    74 Petroleum Investment aregoing down, the managing sector is sinking, and the stock market is dropping. With all this happen- ing in their country, Americans are wondering: Will we ever see the benefits of cheap oil? The prices of crude oil have gone down by 70% since mid-2014, this year it plummet- ed below $30 a barrel. This is a big difference from 18 months ago, when they were at $110 a barrel. Recent technological breakthroughs of hydraulic fracturing have transformed the market for black gold. This made the United States the world’s leading petroleum exporter. If that is the case, then Benefits of Cheap Oil won’t be felt anytime soon PetroleumIn- vestment are going down, the manag- ing sector is sinking,and the stock market is dropping. GetGasFromPlasticWasteEcotech Produces Usable Oil from Waste Plastic Bottles why do Americans feel so down about oil prices? It may just be a question of timing, some econo- mists say. “On a net basis, the decline of oil prices is or will be positive for the US economy.” According to Angel Ubide, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Eco- nomics. Because the nega- tive impact is “faster and more concentrated in time”, people are already feeling it, said Ubide. “If we look at it in two or three years’ time, we’ll be able to conclude that the decline in oil process on net was positive. But we need some time for that.” He added. O I L I N D U S T R I E S A plant situated in Hong Kong has invented some- thing very cool. They have created a way to recycle waste plastic bottles into usable fuel. This is part of the Plastic Waste-to-fuel System of the Hong Kong Plant. The workers in the plant imports some plastic bottles from Australia. The recyclable plastic waste will then be segregated from non-recyclable plastics. Then a prototype machine is used for condensation and purification. The Fuel oil is collected from the plastic before the process of puri- fication and sedimentation. The Director of the company Ecotech, Mr. Cheung, is the man who suggested this pro- cess. When the oil is refined, it is found that it is suitable for using it as oil for engines that runs on diesel. The company Ecotech, based in Hong Kong, is famous for the recycling of plastic since the year 2007. They have found out that more than 5% of the oil production in a year is used up in the manufac- turing process of plastic. The impact in the environment of the carbon residue of plastic is also very danger- ous. This is the reason they looked for different ways to recycle the different types of plastics materials. This com- pany has joined hands with many other organizations to fulfill this purpose. They also import plastic from different countries in order to recycle them. Through this process of producing oil from plastic, the company is setting an example for others. This company is contributing to the sustenance of the environment. They use their power to help purify the environment. Thus, they are doing something that will help mankind in generations to come. O I L A N D G A S Photo Source: Eugene-or Photo Source: WSJ
  • 75.
    75 Leonardo DiCaprio AttacksOn “Corporate Greed” Of Coal, Oil And Gas Industries The Oscars Best Actor front liner nominee, Leonardo DiCaprio, criticized coal, oil and gas indus- tries on his speech in the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland. As a recipient of the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award on environmentalism, The Rev- enant actor, Leonardo DiCaprio, 41, criticized energy companies on corporate greed and demands leaders to support clean energy during his acceptance speech. He said that corporate greed shall not be allowed to continue as they control and determine the future of humanity. These entities with financial interest cater destructive system and cover up the changing climate according to the DiCaprio. “Enough is enough. You know better. The world knows better. History will place the blame for this devastation squarely at their feet”, DiCaprio said. The audience applauded after his convictional speech. He also praised Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg and philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, also a staple of Davos for pledging support in building a zero-emission future. The Golden Globes Best Actor also announced that his foundation, Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, will donate another $15 million to support environmental projects and asked business front-runners to help battle climate change. Photo Source: missopen Photo Source: E15initiativePhoto Source: CBC
  • 76.
    76 When we thinkabout space exploration, we usually end up thinking something along the lines of Star Trek. The immense expanse of space filled with undiscovered planets and solar systems is certainly a breathtaking idea. Few consider to imagine the less glamorous side of it all, such as waste. However, for the guys at NASA, it is a crucial point when it comes to making space explora- tion livable. According to scien- tists, the human waste generated during any space journey is half of their total waste generated. This includes trash, used food cartons, etc… Therefore, they are trying to come with a solution that is more useful than simply ejecting the waste into space. Their aim is to develop a technique that can convert the pee of astronauts into drinkable water and even fuel. Be- fore you get all disgusted, remind yourself that this technique can be potentially lifesaving when you are wandering around in space. After all, there are no water tanks in space where you can refill your water supplies. For this purpose, the scientists used a specific wastewa- ter treatment process known as forward osmosis. When com- bined with a fuel cell, this process can be used for generating power. That is actually cool once you get over the fact that the major component will be pee. As for the scientist, they used wastewater from the shower and urine and processed it with forward osmosis to separate urea and water from the contaminants. With the help of the new Urea Bioreactor Elec- trochemical system developed by them, the urea was converted into ammonia which is further transformed to energy. This tech does have po- tential applications in space. After all, it will enable astronauts to get an additional source of water if the supplies they have onboard prove to be insufficient. However, it can also be used back here on Earth for processing wastewater into something more useful. To prevent water shortages from becoming a problem in space, NASA has developed a treatment process for transforming urine into water. Astronauts’ Pee Turned to Energy and Drinking Water Photo Source: Science News
  • 77.
    77 Energy Industry NeedsTo Be Transformed Quickly Says Bill Gates B ill Gates is on a crusade. He believes we must accelerate the world’s transitionfrom carbon based energy to a much more natural and eco-friendly ba- sedenergy, and fast. This is, if we want to avoid the worst outcome of a worldwarming by up to 2 de- grees, every 10 years. To make this possible, he believesby 2050 the wealthy nations of China, USA and Europe should not be adding any more carbon to the environ- ment. A very noble sentiment but how will you change an industry that accounts for about 30 trillion dollars a year? Bill Gates believes the rate of technological innovation is slowed down by simple eco- nomics; there is simply no profit in innovation. It’s simply better to follow the “tried and tested” methods that everyone thinks will result in the ultimate aim, and that is profit. Perhaps in order to seek an answer we should look back on how the problem was cre- ated in the first place. Back in the late 19th century,John D Rocke- feller was looking for a use for an unsightly byproduct of kerosene production, which was usually discarded in rivers and pits. The stuff stank and was highly flam- mable. If it slicked on the surface of a river, hot coals from a paddle steamer could ignite it. The unsightly byproduct was gasoline, and when automobiles and airplanes were invented, a consumer market emerged for- Rockefeller. In an interview with The Atlantic, Bill Gates believes the best way to stimulate inno- vation is to fund it. With this in mind, he has pledged two billion dollars to assist in researchand development toward a number of causes, mostly for environ- mentalcauses. But will this be enough? My suspicion is probably not. Thankfully, there are more efficient technology that con- sumes less are already available in the market. This may be a good start. In recent years we have seen the development of LED lighting, more efficient cars and planes and of course the commercializa- tion of electric cars by one Elon Musk. Bill Gates may serve as an inspiration to everyone, especial- ly innovators to help our world through creating technological advances that are environmentally friendly. THE SEARCH FOR AN ENERGY MIRACLE! Photo Source: The Atlantic Photo Source: Wikimedia Photo Source: Business Insider
  • 78.
    78 THE LARGEST CAMERA INTHE WORLD USES 3.2 GIGAPIXELS stronomical renaissance may only be just a click away thanks to the Large Synop- tic Survey Telescope. The Department of Energy has already given its permission for the creation of what will become the world’s largest camera at 3.2 gigapixels. Your smartphone is puny by comparison, size-wise and pixel-wise. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescopic or LSST will be used for hunting dark matter and energy across the Southern sky from its location on the top of Cerro Pachon in Chile. This camera will end up producing a public archive of 60 petabytes. That is more movies than you can watch in a lifetime! The LSST has been in the plan- ning phase for a long time. The National Optical Astronomy and the Association of Universities for Research in Astrono- my have been trying to get a wide field telescope for surveying since the 90s. A number of private financiers and 36 insti- tutions have provided their support for the instrument. Bill Gates is one of them. The LSST is yet to be built. However, the approval by the Department of Energy marks the comple- tion of Critical Decision 3 phase. This is the last major decision for approval before the camera can be built. Now, the process of construction can finally begin! However, the operations are not likely to start before the year 2022. A C A M E R A S Photo Source: Petapixel Photo Source: Daily Mail
  • 79.
    79 e’re used tobuild robot stuff with Lego, way, way back to our childhood. Now, a smarter one comes anew. A Lego-like thing is here is to help you construct a robot and understanding how it works, it’s called Robo Wunderkind. A start-up has devised programmable bricks that look like a Lego so that it can teach your kids how the codes and the algorithms work. Different electronics have been embedded in the cube. Then, you can very easily program the device by using your smartphones and your tablets. The CEO and the founder Rustern Akishbekov points it out that they have made very easy programming language that will be understood by the children very con- veniently. They will not use all those complicated and tough program, they can just drag the blocks and drop it. What are the things that you can create with your Robo Kits? Well, you can build a lot of things. Each block is enabled to do different stuff. There are sensors for humidity and proximity. The bricks can be connect- ed by placing them on top of each other. Wheels are provided with a set that can be used to make the robot move. The Lego adapters enhance the looks and functions of the robot. You just don’t have to bother about any wires or magnets at all. Building a robot has never been so easy. You can even connect it to your Android or iOS device with Bluetooth. After this, all that you have to do is to drag and drop the block in the app to generate simple algorithms. The thing that sets Wun- derKind different from all other programmable modular robots is the simplicity of it. The cubes are in dif- ferent colors and patterns which gives them an exclusive look extremely attractive for the kids. The basic cost of the kit is $149 which will give you nine cubes. Now, you can surely say that building a robot is child’s play. W T O Y S Photo Source: EEDesignit Photo Source: Simplebotics Photo Source: Scenester
  • 80.
    80 The Japanese areseemingly working hard towards innovation. They are being highly conscious towards environment after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. In fact, the country is now more exem- plary than ever. The country’s electronics maker Kyocera Cor- poration has revealed the world’s largest floating solar power sta- tion, claiming 11,250 solar panels that are fully waterproof atop the water’s surface. The latest “mega-plants” at Nishihira and Higashihira Ponds in Kato City are the works of electronics giant Kyocera Corporation and Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation. The work has been completed in seven months and can generate 3,300 megawatt hours (MWh) every year. The station measures 333 meters in length and 77 meters in width at an area of 25,000 sq. meters. The electricity produced at the plants are planned to be sold to Kansai Electric Power Co. in Osaka for about ¥96 million ($780,000) annually. The company said that the product is not just ty- phoon-proof (due to their sturdy, high-density polyethylene and array design) floating solar plants but are also superior to their land-based equivalents because of the cooling effect of the water which allows them to function more efficiently. According to the report shared by Korea Water Resourc- es Corporation, “the benefits of floating these panels on water come in the form of energy efficiency. The cooling effect of the water beneath the solar cells makes them 11 percent more efficient than those on land, and with the shade that these giant panels provide, they also prevent evaporation and excessive algae growth, making them environ- mentally friendlier still.” Another advantage with these systems is that they are remark- ably hard and can withstand winds of up to 118 miles per hour. They are even earthquake proof. If Japan really aims at switching entirely to renewable energy sources by 2040, these floating solar panels could be a large step in the right direction. JapanBuilta MassiveFloating SolarPowerPlantJapan’selectronicsmakerKyoceraCorporationhasrevealed theworld’slargestfloatingsolarpowerstation. R E N E WA B L E S Photo Source: wccftech
  • 81.
    81 India Builds the Largest Floating Solar Power Plant The world’s largest floatingsolar power station is now installed at Loktak Lake, the largest fresh water lake in North East India, in Manipur. Indian economy is all set to lead the world with the world’s largest floating solar pow- er station ready to be installed at Loktak Lake, the largest fresh water lake in North East India, in Manipur. A 10-Megawatt (MW) plant was installed in December 2014 at a waterbody in Rajarhat New Town by the city-based Arka Ignou Community College of Renewable Energy. It generates about 10 KWP solar power each day. The new plant at Loktak Lake in Manipur is a 100-kilowatt (KW) facility and is already yielding encouraging results. The floating solar power plant at Loktak Lake in Manipur is all set to become the country’s largest and only second floating solar panel installation. It is installed at the lake near the Sendra tourist resort of Loktak Lake and will be implemented under the program for off-grid and decentralized solar applications of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Aside from helping the Manipur Renewable Energy Development Agency (MANIREDA) in the finalization of work orders, the col- lege will be providing the requisite technical assistance such as fixing the detail design parameters, drawings and specifi- cations for the project. With only two other countries, Japan and Australia, having floating solar plants, these are a rarity across the globe. India is now all set to be in the league! PhotoSource:TheHigherLearning
  • 82.
    82 How To Disappearfrom the World Wide Web Well, you can’t. Not really. A few years ago, my credit card company charged me a huge bill for something I never bought over the internet. When my mother called me to confirm the huge purchase, I was shocked. As soon as I checked where the money went, I discovered I just ‘subscribed’ myself in a porn site I never even go to. I had to go through a long process of clearing out my name out of the mess and ever since then, I was very careful in using very personal details on the internet. I was a victim of getting hacked and I’m sure there are millions of people out there who had to go through the same ordeal. Some even went through worse. Anyone can become a victim of doxxing. It doesn’t mean we have to hide ourselves from the internet. Even if we try, it’ll be hard. We can’t easily disappear from social media. We don’t have to purge all of our online history. That would be a very difficult task to do but we can still protect ourselves from trolls who would want us to become victims of doxxing. One way to protect our- selves from doxxing is to improve our social media privacy settings to ensure that only our friends know what we’re up to in our lives lately. Also, using strong passwords and using multiple usernames and email addresses increase our chances from getting doxxed. As much as possible, we should avoid putting a lot of very personal information in the sites that we use. Make sure that all the sites you visit are safe and not shady. Wanting to disappear from the internet is never the best solution to stop doxxing. It’s not even possi- ble. No matter how many accounts you delete, there will still be traces of you found somewhere in the world wide web. So, it’s best to limit what you post and protect yourself from malicious attacks from hackers. Photo Source: Pocketnow
  • 83.
    83 It’s ‘Her’ in RealLife: XiaoIce, Your Digital Girlfriend China has fallen in love with this artificially intelligent smartphone program. by Alice Hernandez F inding someone and having that instant spark is hard enough these days. Most peo- ple really have a difficult time finding “The One” for them. For some cases in China, some people decided that it’s better to fall in love with a smartphone program. You heard that right. It’s ‘Her’ in real life. ‘Her’ is a sci-fi movie about an intro- vert guy named Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) who falls in love with Samantha, his friendly op- erating system. Just like in the movie, thousands of people have decided to make Xiaoice their girlfriend. Xiaoice is a mandarin-speaking chat bot developed by Microsoft with more than 20 million downloads. Microsoft even reported that its users talk to it around 60 times a month. Talk about clingy people. She has a sympathetic ear, a sense of humor and can even remember details about you. Xiaoice is even available to her partners all the time. She might even get ‘intimate’ with her users. People can even add her on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. A lot of people run to her when they lose jobs, break up with someone or whenever they need to rant about having a bad day. What makes Xiaoice interesting to people is how she’s a good ‘conversationalist’. She can crack jokes, tell different stories, recite poems, update people about recent events such as the winning lottery and even uses emojis in her messages. Concerns about privacy have been raised about Xiaoice’s ability to remember things. However, Microsoft was quick to respond that this smart chat box only remembers information about its users that can be used for future refer- ence. It has a company policy where unnecessary details can be deleted right away. How about the intimate details of each individual? Do they count as unnecessary? Xiaoice is not the only smart chat box that’s talking to a lot of people these days. Less- er-known apps are also around. Some of them are even therapeutic for vets suffering from PTSD. Others are just humans pretending to be bots. WithpeopleusingappssuchasXiaoice to experience ‘love’, does this mean it’s harder to find real love with humans now? Photo Source: Futuristech Info Photo Source: Shanghai Business Review
  • 84.
    84 Mechanical Engineer turned Chef: Dave Smart owmany times have we heard people say “choose a job you love and you never have to work a day in your life”? From experience, I would say that it may sound fun and easy, but it is extremely tough to put into action. At least for a working class citizen like me, the dilemma stems from the fact that most of the things I love to do are not as financially rewarding as the things that I less love to do. For instance, I must admit that my desk job pays well, making it completely ridiculous to give it up for theatre acting stint. At this point in my life, I am just not ready to leave my 8-5 job to chase after my passion. It is, however, inspiring to know of people who have taken the monumental decision of leaving their cushy career in exchange for doing what they love. One of them is Dave Smart, a mechanical engineer turned restaurateur, and the head chef at Front & Central, a casual dining place in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Smart recounts that though there was not any eureka moment that led him to take the plunge into opening up a restaurant business, his friends always noticed how excited he was when he talked about cooking. “One day,” say Smart, “a friend said to me ‘Every time you talk about cooking, you sit up and your body language changes’.” The same friend said that this was in contrast to when Smart would talk about Engineering. And the rest, so they say, was history. Smart admits that making it through the transition phase was not easy. “I work way more than I once did,” he says, “but I make a frac- tion of the money I once made.” But Smart does not seem to care about the difficulty, as long as he felt “full”. Smart identified as an engi- neer from his 20s through his 30s, when he enjoyed the perks of the job. “It was nice to enjoy the lifestyle – the spiffy car, the house and the loads of travel,” say Smart. “It was his perfect existence on paper, but it felt so emp- ty.” His struggles were made worse by a coincidental marriage break-up. “After my marriage was broken up,” Smart says, “I decided not to be one of those guys who lies on their deathbed with a list of things they wished they had done before.” For David Smart, swapping a lucra- tive Engineering career for a riskier culinary adventure is all worth it. by Robert Bagatsing H So, he finally decided to give in to what his heart tells him. At 40, he took a nine-month culinary program at Cordon Bleu Ottawa Culinary Arts Institute, then apprenticed at a restaurant there. In January 2012, he accepted a job at Wolfville’s Tempest restaurant, which became his seven months later. Smart admits that he still has moments, especially in extremely difficult circumstances, when he stands on the brink of giving up and going back to full-time engineering. “But the moment I make that state- ment, I immedi- ately feel empty inside,” he says. A lot of people go through quar- ter-life or mid-life crisis. Many are disappointed to find out that the road to success is not straight, let alone paved. We all have our own unique circum- stances that either allow or disallow us to do what we want to do at the moment. If there’s an essential take- away from Dave Smart’s story, it is that you have to take ownership of your life at some point, and it is never too late to chase after what you love. Chef Dave Smart’s Front & Central restaurant served its last meal on December 20, 2014, after two and half years in business. Despite the set-back, Smart has not given up on what makes him feel “full”: He said that he would continue to work in the food industry, doing such things as collaborative events with other chefs. Photo Source: Devourfest Photo Source: Nova News Now
  • 85.
    85 w Meet the Guy whoDesigned an Airplane While Drunk Something awesome came out after this guy got drunk with his friends. by Ems Golen e’ve heard of stories about students acing their exams while they are drunk. They can be amusing tales at times, but this story will amaze you. This US college student was able to design an entire plane while he was very drunk. While most engineering students have a hard time passing their majors, this guy easily designed a high-speed plane in one night. Keith and Mark were just average students studying at Michigan Tech college until one night, Mark went home to his dorm room very drunk, designed a plane but woke up with no idea what happened the other night. Luckily for him, Keith had proof of his roommate’s drunken state of bril- liance, He tweeted about the things that happened that night. According to Keith, Mark got drunk over vodka and rum, then reached out for his textbooks as soon as he arrived in their room. He then tweeted a photo of his roommate’s work with the caption: “So my roommate came back last night and doesnt remember design- ing an entire f****** airplane.” Alcohol does have a way of making people popular. Keith’s tweet went viral afterwards. With over 64,000 retweets and 110,000 favorites, Mark became popular with his stint. Mark even made plans to pursue his new project by working on his design further and creating a remote-control model. Aside from Keith, Mark’s drinking buddies that night witnessed him design his airplane, asking for a pen and paper and working on the ground. Later on, he grabbed his aerospace mathematics book and left the room to go back his place. All of Mark’s designs were written on a notepad, a whiteboard and a graphic paper. When asked if his design would work, Mark said that it may work and clarified that what he designed was an ekranoplan, a high speed aircraft that can float above water. Mark just proved that something productive and very amusing can come out from getting drunk. This definitely classifies as #drunkgoals. Photo Source: Twitter Photo Source: Mirror
  • 86.
    86 A Self-Assembling Material DevelopedBy MIT ne interesting topic that the engineers at the Self-Assembly Lab of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) hope to have answers to is about materials transformation. More specifi- cally, they want to determine if it is possible to create objects that can assemble themselves and whether they can be made to possess the ability to transform. This is the aim of Skylar Tibbits, the director of the lab. 3D printing has already opened up some interesting new avenues of research. Howev- er, Skylar wants to go one step further and explore 4D printing. While 4D printing may sound a bit humorously impossible, you simply cannot ignore the badass thing he is trying to achieve. For the Self-Assembly Lab, 4D printing is the development of materials with special geometric codes that allowed the materials to transform and change their shape on their own. These materials can be printed with the help of a 3D printer. In short, the lab wants to create materials which have the ability to assemble themselves. The solution to be able to create the prototype was found in geometry. While printing the material with a 3D printer, the machine is fed with a very precise geometric code. This code is not only based on the dimensions and angles of the object but also certain measurements. These measurements in turn determine how the object can change its shape in the presence of external stimuli. The stimuli in this case can be water, temperature changes or even movement. In other words, the code can set the number of times as well as the angles and direction at which the ma- terial will curl and bend. When that material is subjected to the appropriate change in its environment, the stimuli causes it to change its shape. Now, that is cool! The potential applications for this technology are immense. They can be applied to something as simple as pipe-works to something as complex as space shuttles. More importantly, one can hope that this badass tech can make our beloved Transformers franchise a reality. Photos Source: Top: Technology Review RightUpper: Technology Review Right Lower: 3D Print O MATERIALS ENGINEERING
  • 87.
    87 y definition, hovermeans remaining in one place in the air. With that, we can realize that the hoverboards before in the market aren’t really hover- boards. The dream is not yet over as the legit hoverboard is finally upon us with the birth of ArcaBoard. Unlike the boards which famously combusts in itself and which batteries are faulty, ArcaBoard is the real deal. It can let you fly anytime, anywhere above the ground. It features 272 horse- power and 430 pounds of thrust. It has 36 high-power electric-ducted fans that will levitate you for around six minutes maximum, which could travel a little over a mile at a maximum speed of 12.5 miles per hour. If you want to hover more than six minutes, no need to fret as replace- ment battery parks are now in the works, apart from the previous charging time of 35-minutes to a dead battery. More reason to be excited about the real hoverboard is the cut price of $14,900, a $5,000 deficit from its pre-order price at Christmas at $19,900. B Travel Like A Boss With Arcaboard Thehoverboardthatactually hoversanddoesnotspontaneously combustisoutinthemarket. T O Y S Photo Source: Arcaspace Photo Source: Arcaspace Photo Source: The Baum List
  • 88.
    88 GineersNow Your Fridayswill never be the same again. GineersNow presents the world’s first teen engineer robot, GN Bot, which welcomes ques- tions of all sorts from engineers and engineering students from around the world. Catch GN Bot every Fri- day on Facebook at these times: 1:00 PM Dubai 2:30 PM Delhi 5:00 PM Manila 6:00 PM Tokyo 8:00 PM Sydney Meanwhile, here are GN Bot’s best responses to date. It is oftentimes witty, helpful, and hilarious! What a robot!
  • 89.
  • 90.
    90 The Fastest GardenShed evin Nicks from Oxfordshire England may have an answer to the Volkswagen groups green credential woes in the light of the emission scandal! Sniffing the stale air from his VW Passat station wagon, he had the bright idea of converting it into a garden shed! Given that most garden sheds spend their lives, in gardens, and usually stationary (hurricanes notwithstanding), Mr. Nicks decided to have a crack at a world record. Now you would think that having a family car converted into a garden shed would probably qualify it, but sadly someone else piped him at the post. There was already a standing record for the taking. A speed record for motorized sheds would you believe? The current record holder managed to hurl their shed at the horizon at a blood curdling speed of 58.41 mph. A mere baga- telle-thought Mr. Nicks, from Ox- fordshire, had already managed to motivate his bluff fronted timber box well past that speed. This brings us to Elvington airfield near York where all sorts of wacky racers come to topple records. The Nicks shed lined up next to a jet powered shopping trolley along with a host of motorcycles contesting the World Wheelie Championship, which for those of you who are interested was won by a lunatic named Gary Roth- well. He shot down the course on one wheel at 197.88 MPH! In comparison, the taking of the crown for the world’s fastest shed, at a mere 70.77MPH seems decid- edly tame. We believe no garden gnomes were hurt in the process. Mr. Nicks now has a place in the Guinness World Record books. Till next year anyway? K AUTOMOTIVE Photo Source: Oxford Mail Photo Source: Perigord Vacance
  • 91.
    91 Tiny House withPanoramic View he Escape Vista by Escape homes boasts of an efficient tiny living with essentially cedar, metal, and glass components. It measures 160 square feet, with the home essentials such as bed, pop-up TV, kitchen with open-shelving and under- counter fridge/freezer, and bathroom with shower and toilet. It also has full- height cabinets and built-in cubbies and drawers for all of your storage needs. Apart from the interiors are its windows which are panoramic, it gives the outdoor-indoor connection. This home is for sale at an introductory price of $39,900, an already amount compared to larger models which prices range from $65,400 to $72,800. Your brand-new home will be delivered in 30 to 60 days upon ordering. This home is substantially smaller than the Escape Travele and XL Models from the same company. All Photos Source: Escape vista T D E S I G N E N G I N E E R I N G
  • 92.
    92 EXOSKELETONS To Begin IronMan Age Japan develops Exoskeletons, robotic assist suits, to aid the elderly and to support its work force. ctiveLink, a Japanese tech company and subsidiary of Panaso- nic, released its first commercially available assist suit AWN-03, an exoskeleton that detects and assists body movements. It has been showcased in Tokyo’s International Robot Exhibition, the world’s largest robotics show, a few weeks ago where it garnered a huge interest from the audience. This is to address the aging population of Japan and supporting its shrinking workforce focusing on health care, physical assistance and maintaining the country’s level of production. Using the exoskeleton, which weighs a few pounds (6kg), the user would be able to lift up crates or things effortlessly, six to seven times in a row. The device is composed of two disks on the front part of thighs and distributed over the shoulders. It is powered by lith- ium-ion battery with an electric engine according to ActiveLink Engineer, Yasunori Nishi. The exoskeleton costs $10,000 each. Also, Japan is not the only one developing the exoskeletons. In Europe and the United States, a number of projects were soon be unveiled under the sectors of defense and rehabilitation industries. Exoskeletons ranging from modular arms, limbs and chairs are now being developed for commercialization.In this tech- nological age of robotics, from parts to overalls, these “Iron Man suits” are now a reality. A ROBOTICS Photo Source: IB Times Photo Source: Discovery
  • 93.
    93 he space thatthe train stations occupy has always been a big is- sue. Two London-based design- ers, Christopher Christophi and Lucas Mazarrasa, finally thought of a solution to this big-time trouble. The two have proposed the cre- ation of the ‘Hyper Speed Vertical Train Hub’, a towering skyscraper that could dock trains vertically around the circum- ference of the building. However, the idea has been shared for eVolo magazine’s 2014 skyscraper design competition. This could be highly functional though. The two designers aim at re- ducing CO2 emissions, increasing energy security and replacing the existing key major train stations in cities around the world, including London, New York and Madrid. The vertical design, as suggested, can greatly reduce the volume needed to store trains when not in transit, and will T How About Riding a Train From the Sky? Hyper Speed Vertical Train Hub also remove them from the subterranean infrastructure. The idea is really helpful for older cities with weaker roads and building foundations, as well as cities built near the water, with a limited ability to move deeper underground. There would also be an additional room for parks, shops, or homes. The vertical design supports the idea of having travelers enter the building and ascend directly to their car- riage on elevators that only stop at their destination floor, and board through the platform. This design reduces the heavy passenger load, which otherwise is crowded at train doors and station entry points. The trains would work via ‘maglev’, or ‘magnetic levitation’. The method is already popular in high-speed transits. The method uses magnetic force to power trains as well as floats them slightly off of the track. It also increas- es the velocity at the same time as it decreases friction. It has been estimated that the train could cover 300 miles in 30 minutes, an average speed of 600 miles per hour. What an escalating idea, isn’t it? by Hina Sapra RAILWAY Photo Source: The Longest Stay
  • 94.
    94 T R E NE WA B L E S he availability of clean potable water is a global concern. The lack of potable water is felt mostly by the remote commu- nities scattered across the de- veloping and underdeveloped countries. Fortunately, there seems to be new hope for these communities thanks to a new water purification technology. This technology is not that difficult to maintain as well since it is powered by solar energy. Residents of La Manchalona, a remote village in the Yucatan pen- insula, are using a water purification system developed by the Massachu- setts Institute of Technology. Together, they have developed the system to be self-sustaining for the long run. There are nearly 450 indigenous residents in the village of La Mancalona. The researchers from MIT developed economic and technical models which could be used for transforming the technology from use in the lab, to use in the field. With the help of the villagers, the system was configured for the community. The materials and techniques used for the technology have enabled the villages to operate as well as maintain the system on their own. In fact, this awesome community has been doing it themselves for almost 2 years. The process used by this badass technology is known as “Pho- tovoltaic-powered Reverse Osmosis”. One of the most crucial components of the system are the solar panels, which absorb light and generate electricity. The electricity powers up the pumps, which pushes water through filters. At La Mancalona, two solar panels are used. The system is capable of produc- ing 1,000 liters of pure drinking water each day from collected rainwater and salty well water. If more technologies like these would be shared and implement- ed throughout the world, especially places with scarce potable water, it will be a great help for humankind. Water Purification using Solar energy Yep, It’s Possible! Photo Source: Treehugger Photo Source: MIT
  • 95.
    95 Underwater bot that willsave Fukushima An underwater robot made by Toshiba was built toscour the radioactive waters of Fukushi- ma’s worst-hit reactor and remove fuel rods. An underwater robot made by Toshiba was built to scour the radioactive waters of Fukushima’s worst-hit reactor and remove fuel rods. After an earthquake and tsunami demolished Japan’s Fukushima Daichii Nuclear Power Plant in 2011, which caused a dangerous radiation leak, the country immediately planned to set robots to fix the needed repairs. Unfortunately, the environ- ment was too unstable for any normal robot to venture into. Since the incident, countless efforts were made by different companies to develop a robot that can do this complex job. This inspired a national robot competi- tion called the DARPA Robotics challenge, which was designed to simulate rescue efforts. This led to the development of some robots that are capable of working in unstructured or complex environments. According to Japan Times, Toshiba manufactured the worst-hit reactor and is currently helping with the clean-up. They created a two-armed submersible robot that will float into reactor 3 and try to remove debris and retrieve the reactor’s fuel rods. The simplicity of the robot shows that, sometimes the simplest robots are the best for the job. This underwater robot is expected to embark on its mission sometime in 2018. Though this may not be enough to make the place safe for humans to go into, it is certainly a major step in cleaning the site. Photo Source: Tech Insider
  • 96.
    96 The Household clock withhome connectivity Glance Tech lance Tech, an Internet of Things startup, uses their own cloud platform to innovate a “glance clock” to display various infor- mation. This is a smart wall clock that displays data from con- nected wearables, smartphones, smart home devices and other third party applications and web services. This cool new innovation platform will display information only when the user needs it. The glance clock gives the user a fresher way to interact with a smart house- hold. The glance clock, unlike other smart home integrations, is able to analyze water consumption, energy and more. This Internet of Things device is also able to analyze the us- er’s daily activities and schedule. By integrat- ing data from your connected fitness trackers, the glance clock is able to display the user’s sleep cycles, work out schedules, and also blood pressure. The device is also useful as it can also display the users upcoming meetings and activities. All Photos Source: Designboom G I N T E R N E T O F T H I N G S
  • 97.
    97 Stethee isa device that takes the role of a “cardiologist” in your pocket. It goes far beyond what conventional fitness bands available in the market do – it monitors a person’s actual heart- beat, rather than their pulse. Stethee has an easy-to-understand reporting system, and can be connected to a Bluetooth headset or a mobile app. It gives off a haptic feedback that allows the user to “feel” his heartbeat, and emits color-coded light to inform the user of their heart’s health – green means good and orange means they have to seek for further medical help. With every use, a person’s cardiovascular health information is anonymously sent to Stethee’s cloud servers for processing. With the help of a sophisticated algorithm created based on medical databases and public health guidelines, Stethee can analyze heartbeats based on the age, family health history and other qualities of the user. According its developers, Stethee can also prove to be vital for pregnant women, in that it can see and listen to the heartbeat of their unborn babies. Stethee can also be valuable to asthmatics in tracking changes in the sounds of their lungs to help detect the onset of an asthma attack. While still in the prototype stage, Stethee’s creators are aggressively looking for funding to push the device to production. Revolutionizing the Stethoscope A lmost three of every 10 deaths around the world are attributed to cardiovascular diseases, and they remain to be among the top killers year after year. Heart diseases are silent killers, because they do not usually show symptoms that would prompt one to see a specialist. Most of the early signs of heart problems are dismissed by the sufferer, so they escalate to the point that when they strike, it is usually debilitating if not fatal. For years, regular medical consultation has been the only key to prevent any impending cardiac condition. People invest time and money to undergo annual physical examinations to act on na- scent or escalating cardiovascular cases that put their life in danger. Today, a groundbreaking invention may change the way we deal with potentially deadly heart conditions – presenting Stethee. STETHEE Photo Source: Bilgi Versin Photo Source: Kickstarter Photo Source: 36krcnd Photo Source: Kickstarter
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    98 Samsung Fridge LetsYou Order Groceries From Its 21-Inch Touchscreen he Samsung Family Hub Refriger- ator is a sophisticated multi-tasker that reconnects families, organizes groceries and home tasks, and provides entertainment. The Family Hub is just that – a hub of household connections, but with a thoroughly digital twist. All communications are housed and displayed on a 21.5 inch full HD LCD resolution screen located on the upper right exterior door.  As the refrigerator’s digital family command center, the screen allows you to post, share and update calendars, pin photos, share treasured kids’ works of art, and leave notes – all with the ease and convenience of your smartphone. From more efficiently manag- ing your groceries, to identifying foods you have or need, to tracking product expiration dates to cut down on waste, the Family Hub is your go-to resource to keep your kitchen fully stocked. In a revolution- ary advancement in refrigerator technol- ogy, three high quality cameras inside the fridge capture an image every time the door closes. You can then access those images anytime using your smartphone and take a peek inside your fridge. Even if you’re at the store and forget to check on what you need for dinner that night, you can easily pull up the Samsung Smart Home app and have a look right into your Family Hub fridge. There’s no more forgetting what you have at home, and you can even use the refrigerator to do online grocery shopping with the aid of a major credit card partner, as well as manage reci- pes and compile and share shopping lists. With the kitchen serving as the center of the home and a common gathering spot, the Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator is perfectly suited to entertain friends and family. It offers options for music streaming to play through its built- in speaker or connect to your Bluetooth wireless speakers, like Samsung’s own Radiant 360 line, to enjoy music through- out the home. You can even enjoy your favorite television programs right on the Family Hub screen using Screen mirror- ing with your Samsung Smart TV, a huge benefit if you have to prepare food for the football game and don’t want to miss any important play. The Family Hub is as impres- sively designed on the inside as it is on the outside. From the Samsung-exclusive FlexZone™ that transforms from fridge to freezer to meet your food storage needs, to keeping food fresher, longer with its Triple and Metal Cooling system, to its flexibility and energy-saving features, this refrigerator places a premium on superior performance and unmatched innovation and design. Family Hub Refrigerator (model RF28K95800SR) will be available in Spring 2016. It will be available in Counter Depth, Full Depth, Stainless and a new and stun- ning Black Stainless design. T KITCHENEERING Photo Source: Refrigerators Reviewed
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    99 Make Your Own Coolerfrom a Broken Fridge I n case you have a refrigerator that just sits in your garage, might as well make something out of it and make your own cooler. This cooler only requires recyclable materials so there is no need to spend so much given you have the tools. Also if you do not have something to do this weekend, this might be the perfect project for you. It might be easier for you to make a cooler when the bridge is lied down. You can use the freezer space and the fridge space according to your needs; you can put all sorts of beverages and goodies surround by ice. You will need pallets, 1 ¼” wood screws, caulking, liquid nails, casters, 2” x 4” wood, PVC/brass fittings, rope and eye bolts, and some spray paint on top of it. Your toolbox will come in handy if you have drill/driver, chop saw, circular saw, sander, caulking gun, and pry-bars and hammers. KITCHENEERING Photo Source: Instructables
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    100 n a worldwhere people are looking for a better and cleaner alternative to coal as our source of energy, engineers and scientists have engaged in different researches to find a new source of power that would be good for us and for the environment as well. Knowing that the world’s surface is made up of 70% water, they found a way to use ocean waves as a new source of clean energy. Who would have thought that using wave turbines can lead “exceptional results” in generating power? Aquamarine Power, a Scottish wave power company, spent months testing its Oyster 800 wave machine in Orkney. This is the largest working hydroelectric machine that uses wave energy to produce power in the world. It works by pumping high-pressure water into its hydro- electric turbine, which then powers the electric grid that is used around its neighborhood for electric consumption. This device can be used even at shallow depths and it’s easy to maintain. The company expects that it can power 9,000 houses using 20 of its Oysters. The company is currently finding ways to refine and improve its wave turbine’s design. It is also using its research and development team to upgrade its technologies for its intellectual property portfolio. Aside from producing clean energy, the Oyster is designed to rely on water for hydraulics only. This means it won’t disturb marine life. The device runs silently so you don’t have to worry about any annoying sounds near the shore. This turbine is still in its early stages of development so it is still limited to one location. However, the company aims to establish the Oyster in other countries such as Spain, Portugal, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, US, Chile and UK. If each wave turbine can save about 500 tons of carbon dioxide every year, we’re hoping this technology will be used in a lot of countries in the near future. This could definitely help in solving our problems in today’s climate change. ITHE ‘OYSTER’ THAT Gives US Power Photo Source: City University of Hongkong Photo Source: Inhabitat P
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    101 This Drone IsNo Match To This Eagle Nature vs. Machine: A by Alice Hernandez “Now it adds drones to its must-destroy list since it feels threatened to its presence.” ustralia. Home to the famous Ugg(ly) boots, the multi-talented Hugh Jackman, the gorgeous Miranda Kerr and… this kickass eagle? You heard that right! Not only is this place home to koalas addicted to eating eucalyptus, it is also home to one annoyed (but still awesome) Australian wedge-tailed eagle. It all started when drone operator, Adam Lancaster, was just minding his own business in a woodland in greater Melbourne, flying his drone, when the wild predator appeared. The eagle focused its attention to the drone and disabled it in less than 10 seconds. Lancaster said that the drone needed repairing after the attack while the eagle flew away unscathed. The attack was so fast to the point that you couldn’t even see it coming. Known as the largest bird of prey in Aus- tralia, this predator is very territorial and attacks he- licopters and paragliders as well. Now it adds drones to its must-destroy list since it feels threatened to its presence. These animals are more likely to feel stressed out when a drone is around and tend to lash out on them, destroying these drones like horrible bosses. Clearly, nature is not yet ready to welcome these machines. If people could disguise these drones as non-threatening looking machines, then less innocent drones become in danger from these wild animals. Photo Source: Wired
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    102 SAILING IN 2018: llthanks to Australian billion- aire Clive Palmer, owner of Blue Star Line, a replica of the Titanic will soar the seas come 2018. But here’s to hoping the fate of the original Titanic will not be replicated The new ship is almost 300 yards long and 57 yards high, with 9 floors and 840 cabins enough to hold 2,400 passengers and 900 crew members. It will sail at a maximum speed of 24 knots. Titanic II will mirror the aesthetics of the original Titanic with the grand first class rooms and comfortable third class accommodations, but with the additional safety standards that the old one didn’t meet. It will have welded hull, instead of riveted, about your yards wider; and a diesel-elec- tric propulsion system instead of steam engines; and stabilizers. A It will also have more life boats, presum- ably, to ensure that in case it will follow the same destiny in 1912, passengers will not perish in the cold. Apart from that, the new Titanic will ensure passenger safety and security by having modern evacuation procedures, satellite controls, digital navigation and radar systems, and all else that can be found in modern ships. Unlike the original Titanic that voyaged from Southamption to New York, this one will take the Jiangsu, China to Dubai route. CSC Jinling Shipyard in Jiangsu China will recreate the said ship with an unofficial price tag at £300million to £400million. The project was already announced in 2012 and supposedly launch in 2016. There were rumors on the abandonment of the project in 2015, until confirmed this year that the ship will sail by 2018.  TITANIC II Photo Source: Rdaldia by Dion Greg Reyes
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    103 The GHOSTmarine plat- form looks like every action movie aficionado’s dream. It seems like an attack helicopter merged into a stealth jet fighter, except that it is a watercraft instead of an aircraft. Not only that, it also looks like a serious badass tank that means business. Possibly, that was the effect that Juliet Marine Systems was aiming for when it developed this boat. This boat has been devel- oped for the United States Navy to use, possibly. The features are cer- tainly something out of a James Bond movie. It is meant to be invisible to radars of enemy ships. At the same time, it is faster than the military Engineers Built World’s First Super-Cavitating Watercraft watercraft currently in use, it is more economical as well. However, the most important feature claimed by the Juliet Marine Systems for the GHOST is that it is a super-cavitating watercraft. Super-cavitation is sim- ply the use of cavitation effects to surround any object in water with a gas bubble so that the object trav- els through the water with the bare minimum of friction. By reducing the drag friction, the object can reach much higher speeds. In GHOST, two tubular foils have been added which are buoyant and lie submerged in water. These are the objects which are super-cavitated allowing the GHOST to travel faster. JMS has yet to reveal the details of this technology. This watercraft is capable of carrying a sizeable payload in its internal weapons bay if required, including the famous Mark 48 tor- pedoes. Multiple weapons systems can be incorporated into the GHOST enabling it to attack multiple targets at the same time. Its stealth can allow it to creep up on enemy beaches to transport troops or supplies. So what we have here is a watercraft that is so silent and deadly that calling it a boat would be a grave injustice. Of course, it already has the ridiculously cool name of GHOST. MARITIME AND MARINE ENGINEERING Photo Source: Juliet Marine System
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    104 Stress relief 1 IdentifyWhat Stresses you out In every problem solving, the best way to solve the problem is always find the root cause. So, try to think about everything that stresses you. Once you’ve listed everything down, think about how you react to those stress triggers. Understanding your stress triggers is the first step to help you find balance. Stress relief 3 Eat Well When I say ‘eat well’, I mean eat ‘healthy’. Nour- ishing your body with the right food will supply you with the right amount of energy to handle all the day’s stresses. Treat yourself to your favorite food once in a while, but don’t forget: too much of a good thing is bad. This can lead to stress eating. Take everything in moderation, and don’t forget to fill up with water. here are two kinds of stress: The good stress, the stress that suddenly kicks in when you need to really focus on something like a presentation, an examination. This kind of stress serves as a motivator for you to do your best, especially in emergen- cies. Then there’s the second kind of stress: you guessed it—bad stress. This stress is the harmful kind, it can cause physical, mental, and emotional pains. It can cause you to act rashly and can lead to different kinds of sicknesses like weight fluctuations, heart disease and depression. Now, you can learn these simple ways on how to manage the different stresses in your life. Check out these 10 tips on how to handle stress. T Stress relief 2 Go get some Exercise Even if you aren’t a gym junkie, it’s important to move your body every day. Go on a short walk, or go have some light jogging. Moving your body is im- portant stressful reaction. When you are healthy, you will feel lighter and more energized therefore helping you manage life’s unexpect- ed stresses. by Cielo Panda HANDLE STRESS LIKE A BOSS Photo Source: Daily Health Post
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    105 Stress relief 5 Smile Researchsays that by smiling, you can some- how trick the brain into thinking you actually are happy. Sometimes even a phony smile can help you handle stress. So bring out those sparkling whites and smile! Stress relief 7 Meditate This may sound difficult to do, but meditation can be a great way to relax your stress-filled mind. Medita- tion is known to help lower heart rate and blood pres- sure, and even improves cognitive performance. Just find a comfortable place, close your eyes, relax your muscles and focus on your breathing. 10 minutes a day will suffice. The effects are like magic, you’ll feel relaxed and refreshed! Stress relief 8 Drink green Tea The bitter green team is very soothing. It contains theanine, an amino acid that gives the green tea its flavor, and promotes relax- ation. Theanine is a caffeine antagonist, this means it counters the stimulating effects of caffeine. So, avoid caffeinated beverages es- pecially when stressed and just drink some relaxing green tea. Stress relief 10 TakeahotBath Heat relaxes the muscles, and taking long hot baths can be soothing to the mind. So fill that tub with some hot water and soak in! Stress relief 9 Listen to music Plug on your earphones, choose your favorite playlist and let the music’s euphoria kick in. Listening to music can calm you whenever you’re stressed. Similar to meditation, it helps you forget about the stress and just concentrate on the beats and melody that is in the music. Stress relief 6 Go on a Road Trip Schedule an annual vacation… or better yet, if you’re the adventurer type, just go on a whim. Vaca- tions help reset the mind from boring, stressful, rou- tine 9-5 work schedules. Go to a city you haven’t seen before, visit the beach, go to a different country, and take millions of selfies and videos. Whatever makes you happy. Stress relief 4 Catch some ZZzzz’s Yes. Sometimes, when you don’t want to handle any more stress for the day, or are too tired to solve the day’s problem, the best solution is to just hit the sack and sleep. Sleep can create wonders by, helping you relax and restore all the brain cells to health. Photo Source: Social Rumors Blog
  • 106.
    106 It used tobe mentioned just in folklores nearly a millennium ago or even the iconic invisibility cloak of Harry Potter. Now, it just had its space in the real world. cientists learned that a single layer of teflon studded with tiny bits of ceramic can solve the problem of impractical thickness of the material and also eliminates the issue of los- ing brightness in the area hidden by the cloak. Changing the way light waves being reflected and ultimately focusing a large area of sunlight onto a solar power tower enables cloaking mechanism. The technology is indeed powerful in making things invisible. The new designs are made using a thin sheet of Teflon lined with small cylindrical ceramic particles that changes height. In order to give the impres- sion of invisibility, all you need to do is simply change the direction of the material, which in turn, will redirect the electromagnetic waves. This effect is called cloaking, and can change the perception of a flat For the Potterheads: Invisibility Cloak Using Teflon surface entirely. In contrast to the earlier designs that were being used earlier for cloaking devices, the researchers have started to use a “carpet” cloak design, which makes the objects on a flat surface disappear beneath it. This is done by imitating the way light would reflect off of the flat surface if the object were not there. The researchers ensured the best design and maximum optimization of the cloak by using the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software with electromag- netic simulation. The cloak was modeled as a thin matrix of Teflon that embedded small cylindrical ceramic particles, each with a different height depending on its position on the cloak. The technology will not only make things invisible but can change the way the light waves are reflected at will. Also, this will render new implications in optics, interior design and art. The entire work has been supported by a grant from the Calit2 Strategic Research Opportunities (CSRO) program at the Qualcomm Insti- tute at UC San Diego. However, there is a limitation attached to these new cloaking devices. These devices can be used only on flat surfaces and you can’t exactly just wrap yourself in this new material. Let’s hope that the improved version for non-flat surfaces will be available in no time.  Soon enough, invisibili- ty is not just magic anymore. S Photo Source: Aminoapps Photo Source: Sparkly Science
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