In a vast array of fields including transportation, marine biology, and security enforcement, engineers have discovered novel ways of using deceptively simple objects such as magnets or basic concepts such as buoyancy to create incredible technological feats. For example, by using magnet-containing tracks, levitating trains known as maglevs have been created to eliminate the noise and fuel consumption associated with traditional trains. Other engineers have used the physics concept of energy wave deflection to create aircraft vehicles that can avoid detection. Not only do these inventions exemplify the creative applications of basic concepts, but their uses have expanded beyond their initially intended purposes. This Illumin issue describes various technologies that demonstrate these creative and expansive abilities of engineers.

Even though magnets appear to be very simple objects merely used to decorate our refrigerators, engineers have creatively used magnets in a variety of practical applications, from everyday objects such as USB hard drives and doorbells to more advanced tools such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Now engineers are using magnets to create levitating trains known as maglevs that can eliminate the noise, cost, and pollution associated with traditional trains. Maglevs: The Future of Flying Trains focuses on the engineering that has gone into creating this novel form of transportation. By placing magnets in the track in a static position and placing additional magnets within the train’s body, the repulsive electromagnetic forces propel the train forward, eliminating the need for fuel or friction. By utilizing magnets in this efficient and creative manner, maglevs may transform the future of transportation and allow for a “greener” tomorrow.

Some types of vehicles are used for purposes other than transportation. For example, submersibles such as the Deepsea Challenger have been used to explore the mysteries of the ocean. Designed to withstand the high pressures of the ocean floor while allowing fast and cost-efficient mobility, the Deepsea Challenger has been used by Avatar director James Cameron towards Uncovering the Secrets of the Mariana Trench, which is the lowest point on earth. Marine biologists, geologists, and other scientists have also utilized this submersible to map the ocean floor, explore the structures of tectonic plates, and study the environmental conditions of marine creatures, serving as a testament of the vast applications of a single creation.

In addition to use in explorations of the mystical ocean, engineered vehicles have also proved of immense utility in the military sector. The aircraft known as the F-22 Raptor was developed by Lockheed Martin and Boeing with the initial intention of utilizing it as a next-generation fighter craft that could physically grasp and subsequently destroy enemy aircraft in an offensive military strategy. However, this vehicle has taken on a vast variety of roles within the military sector, allowing it to be used not only offensively but also defensively by protecting troops on the ground in air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. As described in Stealth Characteristics of the F-2 Raptor, these multiple purposes of the F-22 Raptor result from the aircraft’s ability to use not only radar detection to sense the presence of enemies but also radar deflection to reduce its own visibility by other aircraft. These unique properties of the F-22 Raptor have provided it with immense potential as a stealthy aircraft fighter.

Of course, the military sector does not just use aircrafts to fulfill its means. Dogs have been used since the mid-1800s to detect explosives and search for missing people due to the incredible sensitivity of their noses. However, in order to create a more efficient and cost-effective method of explosive detection, scientists are now using nature as a blueprint by creating chemicals and devices that imitate the canine nasal mechanical, electrical, and physiological features. Described in The Dog’s Knows…Or Does It?, these instruments, including nanosensors, microelectromechanic​al systems, and other electronic devices such as FIDO, imitate the mechanisms of the olfactory canine epithelium in order to detect explosive chemicals in their environment. Furthermore, the companies developing these devices have expanded the uses of these sensors beyond their original intended purpose. For example, although FIDO was initially created to detect the common explosive TNT, its use has been diversified towards detecting landmines and performing underwater detection of chemicals. The vast applications of these sensors have allowed military and security organizations to more efficiently undergo operations in safe conditions.

In addition to practical inventions, some feats of engineering have created novel and intriguing forms of artwork. For example, instead of using traditional opaque concrete, engineers have started using a variety of techniques to create Translucent Concrete. Composed of materials such as glass or plastic, transparent glue, white silica sand, or even light transmitting optic fibers, translucent concrete is being used in artistic exhibitions in museums. Not surprisingly, engineers have also discovered ways to merge translucent concrete with practical architectural forms, such as in the structural surface of buildings, light installations, traffic signs, and furniture, allowing once mundane objects to have a taste of artistic beauty.

This array of technological inventions, from novel vehicles to explosive detectors to translucent concrete, are transforming the world in a vast variety of ways, including creating more environmentally friendly transportation to uncovering the mysteries of the ocean to enforcing efficient security measures. Furthermore, these novel instruments demonstrate the incredible creativity and versatility of engineers. We hope that you enjoy learning more about these innovations in this issue of Illumin.