The Latest Breakthroughs in Engineering Science

Scientific progress is being made at large scales, aided by the development of new and better technologies, which has a great positive impact on all fields. From the discovery of gravitational waves that prove Einstein’s theory, and which has been called the breakthrough of the century, to the constant advancements made in engineering, science is moving forwards at a fast pace. This leads to incredible discoveries that can make our lives better and improve society as a whole.

Whiskers and Navigation

It’s not a surprise that animals have better navigational skills than humans. Birds can travel thousands of miles every year and still come back to the exact place they left, without getting lost, and cats can find their way around a room using their whiskers to paint a picture of their surroundings. They brush their whiskers against surfaces and are then capable of orienting themselves. Likewise, seals judge water currents by how the water flows through their whiskers.

Researchers from the US and Singapore have developed a system similar to animal whiskers, which uses elastic metal alloy wires covered in plastic straw-like structures. They’re capable of recording delicate movements, and those signals are then interpreted to form an image of the surroundings. The goal of this project is to eventually use these whiskers in robotics as an alternative to other systems, such as vision and sonar.

A Flexible Camera

Researchers at Columbia University have recently created a novel camera that works unlike any other. Due to its flexibility, this camera works by being wrapped around everyday objects and capturing images that other cameras are not able to. The lens array is capable of producing high quality pictures when the sheet camera is bent, and in the future it could be used to photograph everything – and with unusual fields of view.

Handheld Surgical Pen

Engineering is a vast field that has a wide range of applications, and one of those is in medicine. Australian researchers have now created a handheld 3D printing pen that is capable of drawing human stem cells in any pattern. These cells have a high survival rate and will enable surgeons to design customised cartilage during surgery. This pen has a huge potential, as it can revolutionise tissue engineering, since it allows cells to be printed at will. Surgeons will be able to treat defects by simply printing new tissue to replace the damaged or missing ones.

Here at European Springs Ireland we’re always interested when engineering takes a step forward, which is why we provide high quality springs, wireforms and pressings that can help you develop your scientific projects. We also offer bespoke solutions that are custom-made specifically for your needs, so don’t hesitate to contact us or call us on 028 9083 8605 and discuss your requirements with us. We’re also on Facebook, Twitter and Google+, so find us there to stay updated with our latest news.