engineering

Jun 28, 2011

Model Finds Optimal Fiber Optic Network Connections 10,000 Times More Quickly

Designing fiber optic networks  involves finding the most efficient way to connect phones and computers that are in different places – a costly and time-consuming process. Now researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a model that can find optimal connections 10,000 times more quickly, using less computing power to solve the problem. 

Jun 21, 2011

Concrete: It’s Everywhere, You Probably Don’t Understand It, And It’s Changing

We are always surrounded by things we don’t really understand, but there are few man-made substances as common, but little understood, as concrete. We walk on it, drive on it and live in buildings built on it (or even from it). And, while most people hardly ever think about it, there are researchers who think… 

Jun 16, 2011

A Clever Solution: Sensors That Repair Themselves

I love it when someone comes up with an ingenious solution to a problem, like the self-healing sensor discussed in a paper that came out this month. I won’t go into the entire sensor, but want to explain the “self-healing” part, since that’s what I think is so clever. (The paper itself is here and… 

Jun 15, 2011

Gaming’s Crystal Ball

Video games are more popular than ever. The online role-playing game World of Warcraft (WoW) alone has more than 11 million registered players. And generating new content to keep those players involved can be a challenge. But now NC State researchers have developed a way to predict what players will do next – and that can help video-game designers give the players exactly what they want. 

Jun 15, 2011

What Is 3D Printing? And How Does It Work?

Three-dimensional (3D) printing holds promise for a wide variety of applications, from biomedical implants to space exploration. But when a friend asked me how it worked, I had no idea. It was a perfect excuse to learn something new. And now, dear reader, I can explain it to you. 3D printing is exactly what it… 

Jun 15, 2011

New Sensor To Measure Structural Stresses Can Heal Itself When Broken

Researchers from North Carolina State University have designed a sensor that can measure strain in structural materials and is capable of healing itself – an important advance for collecting data to help us make informed decisions about structural safety in the wake of earthquakes, explosions or other unexpected events. 

Jun 14, 2011

What Gamers Want: Researchers Develop Tool To Predict Player Behavior

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new method that can accurately predict the behavior of players in online role-playing games. The tool could be used by the game industry to develop new game content, or to help steer players to the parts of a game they will enjoy most. 

Jun 13, 2011

Knick-Knack, Paddy-Whack, Save a Dog a Bone…

And we’re not talking soup bones. Osteosarcoma is the most common canine bone cancer, with tumors generally appearing on the dog’s front limbs, above the wrist joint.  Veterinarians can treat osteosarcoma, but in many cases the treatment involves amputation, a particular challenge for dogs with additional health problems that may affect their balance or mobility,… 

Jun 9, 2011

New Parallelization Technique Boosts Our Ability To Model Biological Systems

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new technique for using multi-core chips more efficiently, significantly enhancing a computer’s ability to build computer models of biological systems. The technique improved the efficiency of algorithms used to build models of biological systems more than seven-fold, creating more realistic models that can account for uncertainty… 

Jun 7, 2011

T-Shirt Transistors?

The touch, the feel … the conductivity … of cotton. Researchers at NC State hope to make that a reality by applying conductive nanocoatings to common textile materials in order to improve current and future electronic devices. Normally, conductive nanocoatings are applied to inorganic materials like silicon. But researchers believe nanotechnology can be used to create… 

Jun 6, 2011

Research Examines How To Apply Conductive Nanocoatings To Textiles

Imagine plugging a USB port into a sheet of paper, and turning it into a tablet computer. It might be a stretch, but ideas like this have researchers at North Carolina State University examining the use of conductive nanocoatings on simple textiles – like woven cotton or even a sheet of paper. 

May 31, 2011

The Real Space Saver: NC State Students Look To Support Manned Mission To Mars

What would it take to make a manned mission to Mars a reality? A team of aerospace and textile engineering students from North Carolina State University believe part of the solution may lie in advanced textile materials. The students joined forces to tackle life-support challenges that the aerospace industry has been grappling with for decades. 

May 31, 2011

Study: Biodegradable Products May Be Bad For The Environment

Research from North Carolina State University shows that so-called biodegradable products are likely doing more harm than good in landfills, because they are releasing a powerful greenhouse gas as they break down. 

May 25, 2011

New Bandwidth Management Techniques Boost Operating Efficiency In Multi-Core Chips

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed two new techniques to help maximize the performance of multi-core computer chips by allowing them to retrieve data more efficiently, which boosts chip performance by 10 to 40 percent. 

May 24, 2011

Hips Take Walking in Stride; Ankles Put Best Foot Forward in Run

In a first-of-its-kind study comparing human walking and running motions – and whether the hips, knees or ankles are the most important power sources for these motions – researchers at North Carolina State University show that the hips generate more of the power when people walk, but the ankles generate more of the power when…