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Articles by Matt Kopper
Putting Smart Tech on Old Machines
Most manufacturing equipment is designed and deployed to last at least a couple decades. In that timeframe, tons of important new technology is introduced. Many manufacturers seek ways to derive the benefits of advanced-manufacturing technology without having to replace existing equipment that remains in fine working order. Yet many of the existing machines were simply not designed to support new technology. One current example is connectivity.
Tektronix Unveils Powerful New Oscilloscope Family
Following a massive multi-year development effort, today rolled out a new oscilloscope platform aimed at an increasingly complex breed of electronic design challenges in industrial, automotive, and consumer applications. The mixed signal oscilloscope is said to offer a series of firsts, including a 4-, 6- and 8-channel product family, reconfigurable scope inputs, a 15.6-inch HD display with capacitive touch and an optional Windows operating system.
What’s the Future of Medical Devices? Steve Wozniak Weighs In
What does the future hold for medical devices? According to a recent report on Design News sister media outlet Qmed, what’s next for medical electronics ranges from devices like electronic pancreases to using electronics to allow for targeted neuroplasticity training or to advance devices that restore both movement and the sense of touch to those with paralysis. Indeed, every device could be life changing.
6 Steps to a Successful Simulation Software Upgrade
Users of commercial FEA and CFD software are provided with a link to download the new release of their software once or twice a year. In more than two decades of supporting analysts, I am frequently asked, “When is the ideal time to upgrade to the latest version?” “Give it to me now!” – Those who download and install the latest version the day it comes out and are eager to use the latest features.
Smart Automation Prompts Need for Skilled Workforce
Can advanced manufacturing deliver a clear ROI? This may be an especially thorny question when it comes to retrofitting a plant with aging assets. According to TBM Consulting, a firm that helps manufacturers balance their technology and workforce, the biggest mistake manufacturing industry managers make is relying solely on smart automation tools as the solution to downtime and lost revenue.
Manufacturers Gain from IoT But Slip on Security
According to the data from a recent study, manufacturers are seeing significant gains in productivity and profitability from using IoT technology. Yet the study also found manufacturers are overlooking two critical pieces that could derail their progress: cybersecurity and R&D tax credits.
Collaborative Robot ROI Gets Calculated Task-by-Task
With the costs of robots coming down – particularly collaborative robots – the return on investment (ROI) is an easier reach. Yet that doesn’t mean it’s an easy reach. While many tout the value of a machine that can work 24/7 and doesn’t take vacations, that doesn’t necessarily translate into ROI. The ability to earn back the investment in a robot depends on the type of work the robot can complete, and that value of that work.
The Big, Hidden Questions of Connected Cars
Last December, the Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed a rule that would make vehicle-to-vehicle V2V connectivity a requirement for all new cars. Data from the DOT states this widespread connectivity could reduce non-impaired crashes by up to 80 percent, underscoring the great promise of this automotive advancement.
World’s first 3D-printed car showcased at PLASTEC East
The world’s first 3D-printed electric car rolls onto the show floor this month. The Strati, developed by Local Motors (Chandler, AZ), took just 44 hours of additive manufacturing and 10 hours of subtractive milling to produce. Vehicle assembly required fewer than 50 parts. PLASTEC East attendees will have an opportunity to see the car up close from June 13 to 15 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.
Don’t Fear AI Progress, Steve Wozniak Says
We’ve been taught by movies since HAL refused to open the pod bay doors to be wary of artificial intelligence. Although the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey premiered in 1968, research house Gartner predicts that mainstream adoption of smart machines – those that utilize AI, cognitive computing, machine learning, or deep learning – will reach 30% by large companies in 2021.
Flexible Glass Has Benefits for Nanoscale Medical-Testing Devices
Glass isn’t typically thought of as a material that’s particularly flexible, but researchers at Brigham Young University are changing that with a new type of glass that can be used to bring rapid medical-testing devices to the nanoscale. A team led by Aaron Hawkins, an electrical engineering professor at the university, has developed a method for making glass bend and flex beyond its typically brittle state.
DoE Photovoltaic Ink Makes for Easier Mass Manufacturing of Perovskite Solar Panels
Researchers at the Department of Energy (DoE) have made another breakthrough in their work with perovskite as an alternative to silicon for solar cells, this time developing a perovskite ink that can process quickly to facilitate mass production of solar panels. A team at the DoE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has developed a photovoltaic ink out of an extremely simple perovskite formed from iodine, lead, and methylammonium.
Microsoft Says 'Mixed Reality' Is the Future, Not VR and AR
If Microsoft has its way reality won't be virtual or augmented, it'll be mixed. Whereas virtual reality (VR) creates entirely computer-generated environments and augmented reality (AR) overlays computer-generated imagery onto the real world, mixed reality (MR), a term coined-by Microsoft, seeks to blend the physical and digital worlds together.
ESC Silicon Valley 2017 Call for Speakers - Deadline Extended
Due to popular demand, the Call for Speakers for Embedded Systems Conference Silicon Valley has been extended to June 9! So you still have time to submit your proposal for a chance to speak at the industry’s most comprehensive technical conference for embedded systems professionals. ESC Silicon Valley, December 5-7, 2017, will showcase emerging trends and innovations that will set the tone for the embedded systems industry in 2018 and beyond.
Metal Bismuth Has 'Memory' of Liquid State, Giving It New Electrical and Material Potential
Researchers have made a new discovery about metal bismuth that shows potential for the semimetals unprecedented use in electrical engineering and the development of new materials, they said.
Stratasys Moves 3D Printing into Manufacturing
While 3D printing has exploded on the scene with ready-made prototypes and spare parts, many have insisted the technology is suited for manufacturing. 3D printing company, Stratasys, has taken a step into low-volume manufacturing and mass customization with its Continuous Build 3D Demonstrator. The tool uses additive manufacturing technology for product production. The new platform is composed of a modular unit with multiple 3D print cells working simultaneously.
Predictive Maintenance for People. Using AI to Prevent Suicide
Since rolling out its Facebook Live feature the social network has seen a disturbing trend of people live-streaming their suicides. The very month Facebook debuted the live service 14-year-old Nakia Venant live-streamed her suicide. Most recently this month 33-year-old Jared McLemore of Memphis set himself on fire before running into a crowded bar where his ex-girlfriend worked.
Gold Is Key to New Method for Developing Wearable Electronic Components
They say all that glitters is not gold. In the future, however, it may well be the reverse: even some things that don’t glitter—like a smartphone that can wrap around a person’s wrist--could very well be made from the precious metal, thanks to a new method devised by researchers to develop electronic materials from gold .
New Polymer Additive May Improve Plastic Recycling, Lead to New Materials
With the growing awareness that discarded plastic and the need to recycle it are becoming an overwhelming ecological problem, researchers are trying to find ways to reuse the plastic that already exists and limit the use of the material or find more eco-friendly alternatives. To the former end, a researcher at Cornell University has led a team that’s developed a new material that solves a significant problem that’s been hindering plastic recycling.
National Instruments Returns to Its Roots with LabView NXG
In one of its biggest rollouts in years, (NI) said it is returning to its roots and introducing a simple test and measurement product that’s aimed at capturing engineer customers who aren’t programmers. Known as , the new product builds on the founders’ original vision of creating an approachable, graphical environment for users. It comes 31 years after the introduction of the test and measurement giant’s flagship product, called LabView.
Composite Metal Foam Shatters Bullets on Impact
Researchers at NC State University have developed composite metal foams that are strong enough to shatter bullets on impact, making them applicable for new types of body and vehicle armor, among a number of other uses. Composite metal foams and their properties are still not widely known by researchers. However, Afsaneh Rabiei, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at NC State, has been studying them for years, publishing numerous papers on their uses and properties.
Skills Gap Widens in Electronics Manufacturing
The dearth of skilled workers for manufacturing is hitting the electronics industry in both production and engineering. In order to identify just what’s lacking in the manufacturing workforce, IPC – the Association Connecting Electronics Industries – conducted a study that examines how the gap affects US electronics manufacturers.
New Technique Enables 3D Printed Objects to Change Shape Under Heat
As the science of 3D printing progresses, it was only a matter of time before research brought it to the next level. “Four-dimensional” (“4D”) printing is a term that was recently defined to describe the integration of existing 3D printing technology and active material science to create printed components that can change their configuration with environmental stimulus such as temperature or humidity.
Lithium-Ion Battery Inventor Ups Ante With Advanced Solid-State Rechargeable
The engineer who co-invented the lithium-ion battery is set to revolutionize the field again. 94-year-old John Goodenough—professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin--has led a team of researchers that’s developed a solid-state battery cell that could be the answer to providing safe, fast-charging, and long-lasting rechargeable energy storage for a range of devices, including electric vehicles (EVs).
Next-gen wearable uses live cells to adjust to sweat, body temperature
Mention of E. coli in an article is almost always an ill omen. Not this time, though, especially if you’re a gym rat or athlete looking for the next great thing in workout attire that adjusts to body temperature and sweat. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a biofabric lined with a nonpathogenic strain of E. coli that swells and shrinks in response to changes in humidity.
DesignCon 2018 Call for Abstracts Now Open
DesignCon is the place for practicing engineers to share technical knowhow, make connections, and discuss industry advances. DesignCon 2018 will take place January 30-February 1, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in California. The Call for Abstracts just opened, and between now and July 12 you have the opportunity to submit your proposal for technical papers, panel discussions, and other sessions to be presented at the conference.
The Electric Car’s Same Old Problem
One unwritten rule of product design says that if you’ve given your customer a popular feature, don’t dare take it away. Therein lies the problem with the mainstream electric car. Today’s cay buyers have been spoiled. They assume that they should be able to take their cars on vacations, on weekend trips, or on treks to drop the kids off at college. Thanks, gasoline. Electric car enthusiasts don’t like that argument. And to some degree, they’re right.
Photovoltaic ‘Ink’ Using Perovskite Materials Developed
In the photovoltaic solar power industry, crystalline silicon remains the dominant technology in the creation of solar cells. Silicon is considerably cheaper than the alternative, thin-film technology, and still achieves superior efficiencies, though the manufacturing process is more time-consuming and complex than the thin-film method. But while thin film is faster to make, it requires more expensive materials and still achieves considerably lower efficiencies than silicon.
New 3D Printing Method From Nano-to-Microscale Creates Bio-Similar Materials
Washington State University researchers have developed a new 3D manufacturing method that can control a material’s architecture from the nanoscale to centimeters, allowing for the first time the production of large objects with a nanoscale architecture.
Here’s Your Chance to Design a Better Golf Club
Engineers who’ve dreamed of designing golf clubs for a living will soon get their chance, thanks to a television series called . and the have issued a formal “call for entries,” in which they’re inviting inventors, golf enthusiasts, product designers, and engineers to share their vision for the “world’s next great golf driver.” “Wilson is open to taking input from the outside, and then using our expertise to bring it to the next level,” Tim Clarke, president of Wilson Golf, told Design News.
Siemens ST10 Revamps Solid Edge, Enhancing Modeling Capabilities
Siemen PLM introduced its newest version of Solid Edge – ST10 – at PLM World last week, revealing a handful of improvements, including the introduction of convergent modeling (the ability to mash up mesh and b-rep). The release also offers the ability to scale parts models and provides correct modeling of holes across bends in sheet metal. ST10 lets users clone part models in an assembly – for example placing the same dowel in many different locations and orientations in the assembly.
Electronics Suppliers Preach Gospel of Openness for Autonomous Cars
As the era of the autonomous car approaches, electronics suppliers are encouraging a culture of technological openness in the historically competitive arena of the auto industry. The shift to open platforms, they say, would enable automakers to bring self-driving cars to the market more quickly, while saving on the extensive research and development costs that are sure to follow.
Novel 2D Polymer Has Potential for High-Capacity Sodium-Ion Battery
Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a new type of two-dimensional polymer that has potential for developing long-lasting sodium-based batteries.
Deadline Extended for ARM TechCon 2017 Call for Proposals
With this year’s busy spring conference season, the organizers of ARM TechCon 2017 have decided to extend our Call for Proposals deadline for one week. Friday, May 26, 2017, is now the deadline to submit your proposal to speak at ARM TechCon 2017, taking place October, 24-26 in Santa Clara, CA. The world’s largest ARM event, ARM TechCon facilitates the collaboration between hardware and software communities with the goal of creating a more integrated and collaborative design environment.
Rambus Brings Ease of Use to IoT Security
Days after a massive cyberattack crippled computer hardware around the world, is rolling out a service designed to bring a simple but powerful form of security to Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Known as IoT Device Management, the service is said to provide a secure channel between IoT devices and their cloud servers, and do so in a way that requires little or no security expertise on the part of the equipment designer.
Stratasys Adds Two New Materials to Additive Manufacturing Portfolio
Compressing the product development cycle is a primary goal of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. Increasingly, designers who use AM processes are looking for ways to skip steps and build prototypes faster. Achieving this goal, however, will require new materials. Israel-based Stratasys has unveiled two new printing materials that may fit the bill.
8 Things You Don’t Know About Apple’s Steve Wozniak
With Silicon Valley icon and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak set to speak at Atlantic Design & Manufacturing, a conference and expo event this June hosted in New York by Design News’ parent company UBM, I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to Woz a few times in recent weeks as we ready for his fireside chat keynote. Woz says he’s an open book. Given that he answered every question thrown at him on our calls with truth and humor, I’d tend to agree.
TI Targets Autonomous Driving with New Radar Sensor
(TI) today is rolling out a smaller, lighter, lower-power sensor that is said to deliver better accuracy for autonomous cars and industrial measuring applications. Using what’s known as millimeter wave (mmWave) technology, the new 76-81 GHz single-chip sensor is said to offer 10-times better accuracy than commonly used predecessors.
Creating AI That Understands Emotion
How would you feel if you knew your device could tell how you felt? While other companies are busy trying to give machines intellectual intelligence, Boston-based startup Affectiva is trying to give them emotional intelligence.
Software Designers: Build Your Own
As a leading, full-service product development consultancy, our firm is always in competition for talent. Often, much larger (and richer) firms compete with us for the same limited pool of top-tier candidates. Several years ago, we faced severe challenges in finding and landing software designers with the UI/UX development skills necessary to meet our clients’ needs.
It's Not a Sin to Get Your Hands Dirty
One of the great challenges facing our economy is the availability of an appropriately educated and skilled workforce. In a 2012 Wall Street Journal about Fort Wayne, IN, we saw a snapshot of a broader national issue: the shortage of talent in manufacturing regions. In Fort Wayne, they have high unemployment and a large number of job openings, suggesting a mismatch between the needs and available skills.
An Act of Congress to Bolster Cybersecurity
The time may have come for a Consumer Reports style rating system that can identify the security level of connected devices and services. Industry experts and federal agencies such as NSA, NASA ,and NIST have repeatedly pushed for standardization on the bare essentials of cybersecurity. A new bill heading to Congress may address the problem. Senator Edward J.
Engineers, Thank Your Mothers
In truth, the headline on this blog could have read: Engineers, Thank Your Fathers. But it’s not Father’s Day this coming weekend; it’s Mother’s Day. And, in full disclosure, as you might have deduced by my photo and byline, I’m not a dad, but a mom. We have two young boys in our family, a toddler and a kindergarten. The kindergartner did basic addition and subtraction before he could talk. The toddler’s idea of playing with toy trucks is to take them apart and reassemble them.
With Isaac, Nvidia Trains Robots in Virtual Environments
Remember how the heroes in The Matrix were able to learn new skills almost instantly by training in a virtual environment? It might not be a realistic way for humans to learn (yet), but Nvidia believes it can already be done for robots. Wednesday, at his keynote during Nvidia's GPU Technology Conference (GTC), Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang called for an “alternate universe,” where robots could learn but not be beholden to the laws of time. “This universe needs to train at warp speed,” he said.
How an Autonomous Drone Flies With Deep Learning
Autonomous cars haven't even fully hit the roads yet, and companies are already touting the potential benefits of autonomous drones in the sky – from package delivery and industrial inspection, all the way to modern warfare. But a drone presents new levels of challenges beyond a car.
Baidu Wants to Democratize Autonomous Vehicle Development
There's a search engine giant getting into the autonomous vehicles game, and it's not Google. Chinese search engine company Baidu has announced an autonomous vehicle development platform, called Project Apollo, that it says will democratize autonomous driving.
Protect Your Smarts, Build a Smart Motorcycle Helmet
Wearing a motorcycle helmet is a great idea. But a helmet could be so much more. Matt Kopper, Karl Akerberg, and Valerie Cochrane, three students at Colorado State have improved on the typical motorcycle helmet design with a handful of 'smart' features. To allow better airflow to the wearer the helmet incorporates an LED touchscreen, mounted in the chin, that is connected to two servomotors that allow the wear to control the visor. The screen can also be used to display road maps.
IBM Watson Helps Create Sculpture Inspired by Gaudi
Watson is already very good at recognizing images . Drop in an image of a building and it will tell you the type of building and even what materials it's likely made of. But New York City-based design studio SOFTlab wanted to know if Watson could do more than just recognize art. Could Watson help create it? It turns out it can. IBM is calling it the first “thinking sculpture” – an art piece that helped pick its own materials, shapes, and colors.
IoT Data Can Help Boost Manufacturing Productivity, Expert Says
Plant floor data can help manufacturers improve product quality, reduce machine downtime and boost productivity, an expert told attendees at the recent . Saeed Kazi, an automotive solutions executive for , said that the beauty of data is that it can help improve products, even after they leave the manufacturing facility. “There’s a more digital way to do manufacturing today,” he told Design News.
IBM is Bringing AI to the Maker Movement
IBM has announced a new experimental platform, Project Intu, that aims to bring the various machine learning capabilities of its Watson artificial intelligence (AI) system to developers at all levels -- even ones that use a Raspberry Pi. The goal of Project Intu is to make it easier for developers to implement cognitive computing functions (also called "embedded cognition) into their devices, whether it be an IoT device, robot, or other system, to create more natural user interactions via...
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