Contemporary Science & Innovation

As in the case with most famous inventors, Nikola Tesla was far ahead of his time. As early as 1891, Tesla nearly reached his dream of creating a world entirely supplied by wireless energy. Although he invented numerous things, one of his most famous inventions is what is known as the Tesla coil.

The Tesla coil revolutionized the way we use energy in our everyday lives. When it was first created early radio antennas and telegraphy were quick to use it. However, the coil also has various other capabilities such as creating electron winds and shooting lighting bolts.

Because the coils in Tesla’s invention are wound slightly looser the coils are able to withstand a much higher voltage compared to a traditional transformer.

In order to explain more of the coil’s key functions here are the parts broken down in a diagram:

 

 

The power source is hooked up to the primary coil. The primary coil’s capacitor must be able to withstand the massive charge and huge surges of current, so the coil is usually made out of copper. Eventually, the capacitor builds up so much charge that it breaks down the air resistance in the spark gap. Then, the current flows out of the capacitor down the primary coil and creates a magnetic field.

After the energy collapses the magnetic field an electric current is generated in the secondary coil.  The voltage between the two coils creates sparks in the spark gaps until it gets so high that it breaks free and becomes an electric current. The voltage is so high that it can illuminate fluorescent bulbs several feet away without the need for any wires.

“In a perfectly designed Tesla coil, when the secondary coil reaches its maximum charge, the whole process should start over again and the device should become self-sustaining. In practice, however, this does not happen. The heated air in the spark gap pulls some of the electricity away from the secondary coil and back into the gap, so eventually the Tesla coil will run out of energy. This is why the coil must be hooked up to an outside power supply.”

 

 

References:

https://teslauniverse.com/nikola-tesla/books/modern-tesla-coil-design-theory

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/14/tech/innovation/wireless-electricity/

http://www.livescience.com/46745-how-tesla-coil-works.html

 

 

The most recent robotics lab conducted in class focused around the laws created by one of human history’s greatest scientists: Isaac Newton.  Using the lego robot’s computer system, a pulley, and various weights, we conducted an experiment regarding the law of gravity and Newton’s laws of motion.

The experiment centered around Newton’s second law: force= mass x acceleration.

The first set in the experiment was conducted with the force remaining as a constant in order to track the changes in acceleration when different masses were applied.

The second set of data was the opposite: We kept the mass stable and changed the force applied in order to again track the acceleration.

If applied correctly the data should go as follows:

When force is constant and mass is increased, acceleration decreases. When mass decreases, acceleration increases.

When mass in constant, force and acceleration increase and decrease together according to how much force is applied.

Our data is as follows:

Workbook1

 

 

The unique company known as SpaceX first began when founder and multimillionaire Elon Musk sought to turn his love of space into a profitable business. Musk dreamed of reigniting the public’s interest in space travel, while simultaneously making it actually accessible. Eventually, the goal is to send enough supplies into space in order to create a sustainable environment in which humans could live at least semi-permanently.

 

SpaceX now creates some of the highest performance rockets and offers space travel/cargo related services to the public at record-low prices. Four years ago, SpaceX’s dragon capsule became the first commercial rocket to go into orbit and return safely. Although no other company has yet to figure out how, SpaceX offers the lowest pricing per pound compared to any other company.

 

Both of Falcon 9’s (SpaceX’s main rocket) stages are powered by RP1 and liquid oxygen, so only one type of engine is required. Both are the same diameter and are constructed from the same aluminum-lithium alloy, reducing the amount of tooling and the number of processes and resulting in huge savings for the company.  The engine used to power the rocket is called a pintle. “Unlike most rocket engines, in which droplets of fuel and oxidizer are sprayed into the combustion chamber through an injector plate resembling a shower head, the pintle uses a needle-like injector that’s more like the nozzle on a garden hose.” (Chaikin) Not only is this engine cheaper, but also less suseptable to combustion which proves safer for all involved.

Now with over 4000 employees, their contract with NASA is valued at $1.6 billion.

 

With the intention of making space travel available to the masses, SpaceX has also invested heavily in redesigning the bulky astronaut suits that we have seen ever since Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong first stepped foot on the moon. The company wants to redesign the suits to be more comfortable and suitable for the average consumer, while also using the new suit design as a symbol for the company’s futuristic ideology.

 

 

Resources:

http://www.airspacemag.com/space/is-spacex-changing-the-rocket-equation-132285884/?page=2

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-08/spacex-space-suit-will-combine-function-with-design

http://www.spacex.com/

 

The movie iRobot was long before its time during its debut of 2004, however the idea of having a personal robot to help around the house may not be far off.

Honda engineers recently created what is possibly the most advanced humanoid robot in human history after more than a decade of development and research. ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) has been created to ultimately assist the elderly or disabled in performing functions that they are not able to do themselves or assist the everyday citizen with tasks that would pose as dangerous.

The arms and hands of the robot were created with large enough range of motion that it can do everything from turning on a light switch to carrying a tray of food.  It also has force sensors in the wrist to gauge contact with humans and objects. The robot also is capable of generating its own walking patterns and has a range of sensors to climb stairs and avoid obstacles.

However, it is not just the physical capabilities that are impressive with ASIMO but also its intelligence. With a camera located in the front of the head ASIMO is able to recognize people, detect objects, and detect human body language. The robot also recognizes different voice patterns and responds to voice commands accordingly.

Obama likes ASIMO too:

 

But more importantly, how does it all work?

There are a few key important features that allows ASIMO to perform such lifelike human qualities. For walking, ASIMO has soft projections on the bottom of its feet similar to human toes for maintaining balance and absorbing impact. The robot also has speed and gyroscope sensors and various other joint sensors to remain upright and balanced when moving.

In order to detect human faces and avoid objects ASIMO has two videocameras for eyes that use stereoscopic vision alongside a predetermined vision algorithm that gives the robot a base idea of vision, but then allows it to detect changes in real time of its surroundings. To understand and hear human command, the robot has three different microphones installed in its head.

Although this robot is clearly capable on its own, it must be preprogramed using either voice commands or its controller to carry out needed tasks.

 

Resources:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/asimo4.htm

http://asimo.honda.com/default.aspx

10 Amazing Robots That Will Make You Jump for Joy or Run in Terror

 

The development of widespread electricity is one of the most important aspects of our daily lives, yet most people think so little about it. For anyone that has lived in an area subject to extreme weather conditions, some are all too familiar with the struggle to go about our daily routines during a power outage.

The energy that goes into your house first begins at a power plant. There are thousands of plants around the country that generate their electricity through either the burning of oil, coal, or gas, or may also use hydroelectric or nuclear power.

To reach your home the electricity often has to travel large distances from the power plant from which it originated. To do this the voltage must be increased dramatically and then later decreased when it enters your home. Our nation’s grid does this using transmission lines and transformers. In order to generate enough voltage to travel through the lines, the transformer first changes the electricity into an alternating current which flows back and forth between negative and positive. When approaching a place of residence, another transformer will convert the AC back down to a direct current which is what a family uses in their home.

Where the transmission lines end, distribution lines pick up and from there flow into a multitude of residential areas, schools, and businesses.

 

Here is a more in depth look at our Nation’s energy system:

 

Our country is slowly moving away from this system however, and towards what is known as the “smart grid”. The “smart” part of the energy system is essentially computerizing the grid in the same way you would with a smart phone. The grid functions using computer-based remote control, and two way digital communication between sensors and the network operations center. This system is overall much more efficient concerning both man power needed and energy wasted. One key part of this new technology is that it lets operations workers manage thousands of parts of the grid and thousands of transformers from one central location.

 

 

Pros:

• More accurate energy monitoring and management for both national energy and personal residents.
• Renewable energy sources (wind, solar) may either store energy within the grid and maximize clean energy use.
• Installing the grid in its entirety would maximize jobs not just for the installation but for related products/services needed to keep the grid running.

Cons:

• Complete installation would be very costly (estimated between 13 and 50$ billion) and also very time consuming.
• Certain industries that have specific energy needs can not be on a universal grid and therefore would have to pay extra costs for keeping their energy usage separated. (ex. hospitals)
• Bringing the nation’s entire energy system online would possibly make it susceptible to hackers and terrorists, who would potentially be able to shut down entire areas of the country if they were able to gain access.

 

References:

http://artemia.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-smart-grid-technology/

http://energy.gov/oe/services/technology-development/smart-grid

http://www.cfr.org/united-states/modernizing-us-energy-grid/p36858

http://www.ucsusa.org/clean-energy/how-electricity-grid-works#.VrPky1MrIzY

One new company in Oregon may have completely revolutionized the way we treat bullet wounds during critical emergency situations. Commonly known as the “bullet wound tampon” or officially known as the XStat Rapid Hemostasis System, this new innovation is giving gun shot victims across the border a higher chance of survival.

 

 

Created by company RevMed X, the XStat works by filling a syringe with dozens of small expanding sponges and injecting them into the open wound. Instead of trying to pack wads of gauze into the area the mini sponges heal from the inside out, which overall is a much less painful process for the victim. To add to the efficient nature of this product, they are also marked with what is known as a “radiopaque marker,” which will show up on x-rays for a quicker and easier removal upon arrival to the hospital.

Here is the XStat in action:

 

The product is currently for military use and for first responders who in critical situations may not have access to the necessary tools to remove the bullet and/or stop bleeding. These sponges will maximize the chances of survival for the victim and buy medical professionals a little extra time when trying to move the patient to the ER. The company has received a 5 million dollar grant from the US Army to finish the product alongside a seed grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation to further develop the XStat for use in stopping postpartum bleeding.

Although not yet FDA approved, this little innovation is bound to catch big attention.

 

Sources

http://observer.com/2014/02/this-high-tech-injection-heals-gunshot-wounds-in-15-seconds/

http://www.wideopenspaces.com/revolutionary-new-bullet-wound-tampon-save-lives-countless-gunshot-wound-victims/

http://www.revmedx.com/#!xstat-dressing/c2500

Welcome to Blogs @ Suffolk University. This is your first post. Edit or delete it under Posts or make a new one under Posts>Add New, then start blogging! Be sure to visit the Appearance option to choose a new look for your blog!.

Also, for immediate “how-to’s” visit the Tutorials section, or the Getting Started section.

Happy Blogging!