Recycling Goes Intelligent

Recycling Goes Intelligent

Recycling Goes Intelligent Armed with artificial intelligence, robots are working in recycling facilities to address contamination, safety, and manpower issues By Tom Gibson, P.E. Walk into your local recycling facility, and you’ll likely see a host of machinery at...
Transforming the Grid

Transforming the Grid

Transforming the Grid Engineers at the FREEDM Systems Center at North Carolina State University are developing solid-state transformers that promise to make the electrical grid more reliable and facilitate renewable energy such as wind and solar By Tom Gibson, P.E. If...
Down with the Dam

Down with the Dam

Down with the Dam Old dams are being taken down around the country for environmental and safety reasons. In Massachusetts, the story of the Upper Roberts Meadow Reservoir Dam removal project shows the complexities involved and the opportunities for engineers. By Mary...
Translating to Soft Tissue

Translating to Soft Tissue

Mechanical engineers help with knee injuries by developing computational models to characterize ligaments.By Tom Gibson, P.E.In the United States, the number of knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgeries continues to rise, with the highest...
Farming Goes 3-Dimensional

Farming Goes 3-Dimensional

Vertical farming offers opportunities to grow more crops on a smaller footprint, especially in urban areas. It also presents unique educational opportunities.By Tom Gibson, P.E.Murat Kacira (center), shown working with a researcher, heads the UAg Farm, a vertical farm...