Category: Engineering

Engineering

A Sustainable Future in Technological Advancement

Alice Shvartsberg, Grade 10 Technology and engineering have been behind our accomplishments since the beginning of mankind, and our world would not be as progressive as it is today without these advancements. Technology evolved as our needs and wants became more sophisticated, but the production of these improved technologies have drawbacks to them. Our Earth encounters environmental, health, and ethical issues from the mass production … Continue reading A Sustainable Future in Technological Advancement

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Engineering

Bioremediation: Microorganisms and Eco-Friendly Decontamination

Sarah Ninan, Grade 11 Each year, thousands of technological advancements are made to further progress our nations socially and economically (1). In a constantly adapting world, there is a consistent demand for new and more appropriate technology to fit the shifting needs of the people (2). Still, the process of mass manufacturing fresh pieces of technology tends to have a negative impact on the environment … Continue reading Bioremediation: Microorganisms and Eco-Friendly Decontamination

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Engineering

Humanity and Technological Innovation

Jillian Martin, Grade 12 Continual innovation is crucial within the scope of engineering and the advancement of society as a whole. Innovative ideas have the potential to improve living standards, increase efficiency, and provide overwhelming opportunities to those it reaches. Whether it be indoor plumbing, electricity, vaccines, automobiles, or smartphones, technological innovation has shaped every industry and facet of life. However, all things come at … Continue reading Humanity and Technological Innovation

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Astronomy, Engineering, Natural World

Implications of Solar Geoengineering

Ashley Goland ’23 Solar geoengineering is a technology that aims to reflect incoming sunlight away from the Earth to reduce the rise of global temperatures, and one proposed approach is to send aerosols into the atmosphere. Although this method may seem like a quick, relatively cheap way to delay further climate change, the effects it could have upon marine and terrestrial organisms are not yet … Continue reading Implications of Solar Geoengineering

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Engineering, Health and Medicine, Technology

The Future of Prosthetics Technology

Aditi Kaveti ’23 People with hand amputations often rely on prosthetic hands and services and face difficult daily challenges in performing simple tasks. The conventional prosthetic hand restores mobility but does not provide realistic human hand-like features. The inability to perform daily activities affects the quality of life and can be damaging to the patient’s mental health and well-being. A new electronic glove boasts the … Continue reading The Future of Prosthetics Technology

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Figure 1. Despite being known for entertainment, Disney has also gained an edge in technological research via 3D printing and modeling. Shown here is one of the compliant mechanisms created in a study from Disney’s research division.
2016-17, Engineering

New Disney Study Suggests More Effective 3D Printing Designs

By Caleb Sooknanan ’20 Compliant mechanisms are mechanisms that can transfer forces or displacements to other points along their bodies. 3D printing can be used to quickly and effectively design compliant mechanisms for commercial use, but more work is needed to understand how such devices can be printed. Doctor Bernhard Thomaszewski and researchers from Disney Research Zurich in Switzerland devised a computational tool that would … Continue reading New Disney Study Suggests More Effective 3D Printing Designs

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Figure 1. Scientists strive to create wearable smart devices that can detect physiological phenomena in real time. According to a study from UC Berkeley, new ear devices can be 3D printed and used to indicate patients’ true body temperatures.
2016-17, Engineering, Health

3D-Printed Ear Devices Detect Core Body Temperature

By Caleb Sooknanan ’20 Healthcare sensors are frequently used to detect skin temperature, but more research is needed to design a device that can pinpoint core body temperature levels and help doctors predict the likelihood of fever, fatigue, and other physiological phenomena. Professor Ali Javey and researchers at the University of California, Berkeley designed a printable smart device that — when placed on a patient’s … Continue reading 3D-Printed Ear Devices Detect Core Body Temperature

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Figure 1: Stairs are frequently a major obstacle for individuals with neuromuscular conditions.
2016-17, Engineering

Researchers Develop Low-Power Assistive Stairs

By Anna Tarasova ’19 Many elderly and mobility-impaired individuals are unable or tend to be unwilling to use stairs. While assistive technologies exist, they are frequently costly and unsustainable. The principle of energy recycling has been previously applied to walking assistance mechanisms that take advantage of the continuous braking and propelling of the legs. However, during stair-walking, ascent is a period of constant propulsion and … Continue reading Researchers Develop Low-Power Assistive Stairs

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2016-17, Biology, Engineering

Capsule Robots Can Be Used for Biosensor Implantation

By Caleb Sooknanan ’20 Biosensors have become increasingly practical within the medical field, as they can detect different biometrics such as heart rate and body temperature levels. However, current biosensors can wear out quickly and elicit health problems such as trauma. Many efforts — especially in the area of capsule robotics — have been made to develop biosensors that are noninvasive and effective at monitoring … Continue reading Capsule Robots Can Be Used for Biosensor Implantation

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Figure 1: Researchers at the Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan used computational fluid dynamics (shown) to analyze the flow distribution of anticancer agent into the branches of the external carotid artery during intra-arterial chemotherapy.
2016-17, Biology, Engineering

Computational Fluid Dynamics Can Be Used to Treat Oral Cancer

by Caleb Sooknanan ’20 Surgical procedures have often been used to treat oral cancer. However, these procedures can cause oral dysfunction — often in the form of speech and breathing difficulties — and thereby harm respiratory organs. To preserve organ function, intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) has become a valuable form of treatment. IAC releases more anticancer agents into tumor-feeding arteries than intravenous systemic chemotherapy. However, anticancer … Continue reading Computational Fluid Dynamics Can Be Used to Treat Oral Cancer

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2016-17, Biology, Engineering, Genetics

The Importance of Synthetic Core Promoters in Yeast Fine-Tuning Expression

    By Caleb Sooknanan ‘20 In genetic engineering, metabolic pathways and genetic circuits can be manipulated in microbes to produce chemicals or activate certain functions. To do this, gene expression must be fine-tuned to balance and optimize protein levels of metabolic enzymes or regulators.  Manipulating these in unicellular eukaryotes often involves core promoter sequences, the minimal portion of the promoter required to initiate DNA … Continue reading The Importance of Synthetic Core Promoters in Yeast Fine-Tuning Expression

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2016-17, Engineering, Health, Medicine and Physiology

Photocurable Bioinks and 3D-Printed Hydrophilic Drugs

  By Caleb Sooknanan ’20 Pharmaceutical dosages are often defined as the amount of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) that has a therapeutic effect in the most patients. Using such a generalized method does not account for variations in patient genomic and pathophysiological status, leading to potential negative side-effects. Personalized medicine intends to provide patients with more individualized API concentrations in their prescriptions. However, changes in … Continue reading Photocurable Bioinks and 3D-Printed Hydrophilic Drugs

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