Abstract As the world seems to be getting louder and louder, noise-canceling headphones could be the potential answer to tuning noise out in many different situations. Born from the dissatisfaction of regular passive noise-reduction headphones, noise-canceling headphones utilize an internal speaker that actively produces a sound wave equal and opposite to that of external noise, [...]
Abstract Smart contacts are one of the newest platforms for smart technology. They couple a compact wearable device with equipment for health diagnostics and drug delivery, optimizing both the existing infrastructures of ophthalmology and general medicine. Smart contacts already have a wide potential customer base in patients who want improved quality of life and real-time [...]
Abstract First appearing in popular movies like Star Wars, the idea of 3D holograms captured and confused the world. While the idea was born over seventy years ago, it wasn’t until recent advances in technology that holograms transitioned from the fantasy world of the movies to real life. In fact, 3D holograms are so prevalent [...]
Abstract When you look at a firework sparkling in the night sky, you may wonder how this phenomenon occurs or how fireworks became a staple for special occasions. The creation of the modern firework underwent much experimentation to become the spectacle it is today. With gunpowder, fire, and “stars,” fireworks can range from sparklers to [...]
Written by: Lauren Lawson About the Author: Lauren is a junior at USC, studying biomedical engineering. In her free time she volunteers for the Make-A-Wish USC chapter, participates in the executive boards of multiple on-campus organizations, and is in Alpha Gamma Delta. Introduction Imagine the ultimate headphone experience: just like listening to your favorite song [...]
Abstract Thermal imaging has incredible medical device applications. Infrared light is the driving force behind this technology because it allows us to produce an image derived from temperature variations. Bolometers allow infrared light to be converted to temperatures and are produced through UV lithography. The final product is infrared sensors that are affordable and can [...]
Abstract There’s nothing quite like the thrill of watching a close finish in racing sports such as track and swimming. However, sometimes these finishes are so close that they leave fans, and even referees, wondering who actually completed the race first. To address this ambiguity, the Fully Automatic Timing (FAT) system has been developed. This [...]
Abstract Touchscreens change the way we interact with computers and machines. They remove physical buttons, make computers and machines easier and more fun to interact with, and integrate more technology into our everyday lives. Touchscreens also allow us to humanize or anthropomorphize devices because it reduces the barrier between the user and the device. While [...]
Do androids dream of electric sheep? The answer lies within Google's new image recognition algorithm, DeepDream. While the algorithm is more generally used to identify objects in images, it can also be used to give images a “dreamy” makeover. To fully understand what DeepDream is, and how it gives images these bizarre makeovers, we must [...]
The wireless transfer of electrical power is a technological concept that has been around since the late 19th century. However, this technology was never fully developed for commercial use, and after the death of its discoverer, Nicola Tesla, it became obsolete for almost a century. This technology was finally revived in the year 2007 by [...]
Hoverboards have been a dream put into people’s imagination by movies and other science fiction works, but now they have become a reality. By using the concepts of magnetism, hoverboards have been developed that levitate a few inches off the ground while allowing the rider to maneuver across metal surfaces. This technology would not just [...]
This paper investigates the physiological production of sweat, and how humans have developed strategies involving deodorants and antiperspirants to prevent the bacteria in our body from producing foul-odor chemicals. Well-known mechanisms of sweat production, from eccrine and apocrine glands, are described to introduce the topic. Biochemical explanations of the four main production pathways axillary bacteria [...]
Although car turn signals seem like a trivial part of the car, they are a very important communication tool that drivers depend on. Each design decision of the turn signals from the frequency of the blinking, the sound of the ticking, the color of the lights, and their location on the car are carefully engineered [...]
Albert Einstein’s famous theory of relativity specified that the Universe had a speed limit for all masses. As a result, faster-than-light travel has always been seen as nothing more than science fiction. However, faster-than-light travel may not be so farfetched anymore. Engineers today are working to create the first usable ‘warp drive’, which would allow [...]
The inherent weakness of traditional cryptography has exposed its unreliability to modern computing technology. To overcome this issue, scientists used the laws of quantum mechanics to create quantum cryptography, which is invincible to conventional hacking. By developing the quantum cryptography system, conventional hacking will eventually be eliminated. Introduction The internet, as one of the greatest [...]
People have shown an interest in virtual reality, long before we were capable of accomplishing it. Now, with technological advancements in computer graphics and hardware, engineers are closing the gap between fact and science fiction. Developing advanced 3D displays and increasing processing speed and response time are leading to a future with authentic, immersive virtual [...]
Engineers are on the brink of major breakthroughs in creating contact lenses that offer wearers all of the functionality of a computer or smartphone. Earlier iterations of this technology have been confined to clunky glasses and goggles. However, new composite materials that combine graphene and silver nanowires are making it possible to create a display [...]
Arrhythmia—a cardiac disease in which the heart beats irregularly or at an abnormal pace—is caused by faulty electrical signal generation within the heart at the SA node. Recognizing the electrical properties of the heart, engineers created a treatment device, the artificial pacemaker, by applying principles of electrical engineering. The device controls the rate and rhythm [...]
Automotive active safety systems have saved many thousands of lives since their introduction. From simple headlights to automated emergency braking, active safety systems use advances in engineering to make driving safer. By making a vehicle more visible to other drivers, better informing a driver of road hazards, and even taking total control of an automobile [...]
Electronic cigarettes deliver the same nicotine as traditional cigarettes but with fewer additives. They offer themselves as an alternative to traditional cigarettes and possibly as an effective nicotine replacement therapy. Being that they are less harmful to our environment, electronic cigarettes are a strong example of how engineers are seeking to reshape our world for [...]
Understanding laser hair removal requires knowledge of many disciplines. Quantum and optical physics, the biology behind the growth cycles of hair, and the historical and modern rationale for depilation (hair removal) contribute to this interesting cosmetic procedure. The study of Laser Hair Removal reveals the interconnection between societal values and science while also providing an [...]
Mad Men, the American Movie Channel’s award winning TV show, transports viewers to the sexy and fast paced marketing world of Don Draper in 1960’s New York. Today, that world is getting sexier and faster with the advancement of neuromarketing. By using MRI and EEG machines on subjects exposed to products or advertisements, companies are [...]
Conventionally, electric vehicles are charged by plugging in the battery compartment to an outlet using a heavy duty wire. Recent work and study into inductive power transfer methods have shown that it is possible to power electric cars wirelessly. The work highlights the success achieved in charging car batteries by retrofitting them with inductive power [...]
A rail gun uses magnetic and electric forces to accelerate a projectile. Parallel rails extend along the length of the firing chamber of the rail gun powered by capacitors. With the power generated by the magnetic fields contained in rail guns, objects can be launched at incredible speeds. The result is a destructive force. The [...]
Technology has advanced the functions of clothing to a new level through the creation of power-generating textiles. These materials are made of solar cell or piezoelectric fabric that will allow enough electricity to be generated to recharge a small, portable electronic device. With additional engineering and research, clothing that can recharge any portable electronic device [...]
What if a text message could save a life? Dr. Ayogdan Ozcan and his team of researchers have developed a cost-efficient, revolutionary device that can perform basic diagnostics for blood cell count, malaria, and tuberculosis – all on the back of a $30 camera phone. The device uses a lens-free imaging technique known as LUCAS, [...]
Maglev trains have the potential to revolutionize how we travel. The trains levitate using magnets, zipping through the air at speeds above 350 mph. These high speeds would allow for maglev trains to be a realistic alternative to flying, and they use very little energy and emit no pollutants during transportation. They require little maintenance, [...]
Nanotechnology is currently being used as a valuable weapon for combating body odor-causing bacteria. Materials can be manufactured at the ‘nano’ scale, one billion times smaller than the world of meters we currently live in. Nanoparticles provide terrific driving forces for diffusion, which allows chemical reactions to occur at a high rate. In the case [...]
Explosives have been and continue to be a major threat to airports and military personnel across the globe. With the endless amount of information available on the Internet and with technology advancing at an incredibly rapid rate, dangerous weapons have never been so easy to manufacture. Not only are newly made explosives a concern to [...]
Current research and experimentation with metamaterials have led to advancements in the development of invisibility. Metamaterials can be used to make objects appear invisible by bending light around those objects through refraction instead of away from those objects by reflection. Though no natural material exhibits this behavior, engineers are working to design cloaking devices with [...]
Internet Protocol (IP) addresses form the foundation of the internet. Every device and website requires an IP address to send and receive information. Unfortunately, IPv4, the current IP address system, is limited to approximately 4 billion possible addresses, a threshold that is quickly approaching as countless new devices connect to the internet. When no IPv4 [...]
Electronic ink mimics the appearance of ordinary ink on paper. It is currently used in cell phones, signs, and e-readers like the Amazon Kindle. There are many ways to imitate natural ink displays, but the most commonly used method is electrophoretic ink. This ink takes advantage of interactions between computer processors and charged black and [...]
Advancements in technology over the last 150 years have allowed people to spread music throughout the world by recording sound into a physical form and replaying it at their convenience. Music reproduction began in the late 19th century with the advent of the vinyl album, the first invention to let the masses record audio into [...]
Urban sprawl and a lack of public transportation infrastructure have led to ever increasing traffic congestion, as people commute to most of their daily activities. Traffic-actuated signals have been created to alleviate this problem by efficiently managing traffic flow. The system is capable of detecting live traffic data and assigning the appropriate light cycle (for [...]
The electrical outlet is a modern convenience that we often take for granted - until it becomes an inconvenience. When traveling abroad, you must purchase adapters, converters and transformers with no guarantee that these will fit into your hotel room outlet. There have been a number of developments to make the outlet a safer, more [...]
Motion sensors are found everywhere today. This technology has helped accommodate our busy schedules by making our daily activities more efficient and convenient. These sensors were introduced by the demand for detection of enemy aircraft during World War II and were ultimately developed to apply to everyday life. With the demand of useful tools to [...]
With research focusing on different ways for people to interact with computers, speech recognition is emerging as a very important technology. Whether it is using a voice controlled navigation system in a car, or a voice controlled system over the phone, speech recognition is bound to play a larger role in society. Ultimately, various theories [...]
The idea of robot-like vehicles has been around for quite some time. We have seen them in movies and read about them in science fiction books. But how close are we really? With financial backing from the government and private industry, the engineering field has made tremendous progress over the last few years. However, the [...]
A credit card is ubiquitous in today's fast-paced society. The invention of credit cards has revolutionized the word, perhaps due to the fact that this object has made transactions faster, more secure, and trackable. What many forget is that the most important feature of a credit card is the black stripe often found at the [...]
Since being introduced in the 1960's the light emitting diode (LED) has found applications in many areas due to its power efficiency, low power consumption, long life and toughness. Applications include indicator lights on electronic devices, backlights for liquid crystal display screens on cell phones and laptops, traffic lights and even wireless communications and counterfeit [...]
In the post-September 11 era, engineers have developed new technologies to meet growing safety and security concerns at the world's airports. The drawbacks of existing security measures - especially physical pat downs - have provided a foundation for "backscatter" X-ray technology. Information offered by the Transportation Security Administration and American Science and Engineering, Inc., demonstrate [...]
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are a fusion of many engineering disciplines. They are the premier platform for advanced communication, surveillance, and propulsion technologies. While they have recently garnered most of their press on the battlefield, an emerging commercial sector is attempting to make them part of everyday life. Introduction Anyone paying even the slightest attention [...]
Advertisements for some new types of televisions claim that their superb picture quality is due to “the mirrors.” These mirrors are on the order of microns wide, and millions of them reside in the back of DLP televisions. This way of projecting the light source is a cutting-edge method (over LCD and Plasma) that allows [...]
Two retinal diseases, Age- Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), are the leading causes of blindness in individuals over the age of 65. Despite various treatments such as gene therapy and retinal tissue transplant, physicians have thus far been unable to combat the blinding effects of these diseases. With the knowledge that AMD [...]
In order to bring high-speed internet to areas where developing a traditional broadband infrastructure would be cost prohibitive, engineers have recently begun working on developing techniques for delivering broadband internet signals over the existing power supply grid. By using an entirely different frequency range, power lines can carry traditional AC power and data signals simultaneously. [...]
Mobile phones allow users to place calls, send text messages, and receive updates from the internet. Information from a mobile phone is sent and received by way of electromagnetic waves. All information is encoded prior to transmission, decoded upon arrival, and must be sent so that many users can share the cellular system without mutual [...]
Tele-Immersion (TI) involves the construction of a three dimensional (3D), realistic holographic environment where two or more physically separated users can communicate with each other in real-time. Existing video conferencing applications lack this dimensionality and realism. Tele-Immersion is an engineering solution to this deficiency and is made possible by combining state-of-the-art multimedia technologies with high-speed [...]
A collection of recently developed audio technologies allows for the creation of thin, directional sound beams. With this type of equipment, focused streams of sound can be pointed exactly where the user wants them. Directional sound technology will likely see widespread adoption in the near future as engineers continue developing sound beam technology for numerous [...]
The launch of Sputnik in 1957 by the USSR marked the beginning of the satellite era. The next half-century saw new research and development that changed satellites into the useful tool of contemporary society. Modern satellites can help locate people all over the world, aid in scientific research, and perform many other valuable functions. Introduction [...]
Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID) are widely being hailed as the up-and-coming successor to barcodes. The superiority of RFID lies in its faster speed, rewriting capabilities, and the fact that the device need not be visible to be read. However, until the cost of RFID is lowered, barcodes will remain the prevalent technology. RFID works [...]
The digital image sensor is a technology used to record electronic images. The most commonly recognized application of the digital image sensor is the digital camera. In digital cameras, the image sensor is used in conjunction with a color separation device and signal processing circuitry to record images. The two main technologies used to fabricate [...]
The brain is our body's information processing center. It controls everything that we do, making us intelligent, conscious, and alive. The brain is made up of over 100 billion neurons. The neuron, or nerve cell, is a type of cell responsible for the body's gathering, processing, and transmission of information. Much like a unit of [...]
The history of the harp goes back thousands of years. The harp is regarded as the world's oldest string instrument. It influenced the evolution of the piano, guitar, and violin. Engineering is the application of science to the art of problem solving; the harp has encompassed the ideals of engineering. Through many centuries, harp makers [...]
Audio distortion has become an accepted method of musical creation. A discussion of the wave properties of sound, the origin of distortion (due to both wave physics and audio device technology), and an overview of many types of distortion, including hard and soft clipping, even and odd harmonic distortion, speaker overdrive, amplifier non linear operation [...]
The video game industry has a world wide sphere of influence. Whether you are hanging out at home with your friends playing the newest FIFA soccer game, communicating over headset with someone around the world to team up and take down an enemy, or in line at the grocery store playing Angry Birds, your gaming [...]
The field of artificial intelligence (AI) incorporates many disparate disciplines. In the past few decades, theoretical work done in the field has made technological breakthroughs, such as expert systems and interactive robots, possible. These artificially intelligence systems touch our everyday lives, and new AI developments hold even more promise to benefit mankind. The Basics of [...]
Robots are often relegated to the realm of fantasy. But Minerva, an interactive tour-guide robot, which was successfully exhibited in the Smithsonian Museum, has brought robotics to everyday life. Robots: Cuddly or Deadly? From the terrifying annihilators of Terminator II to the cute, artificial creature of Short Circuit, contemporary science fiction has done so much to shape people's [...]
The microwave oven recently celebrated its golden anniversary. As familiar an appliance as it is to many people, few really know how it works. This article will provide some insight into the history of the microwave oven's discovery and development, as well as elaborate on the internal workings and mechanisms that provide the "magic" behind [...]
Digital Versatile Disks are paving the way toward a new tomorrow in the entertainment industry. With DVDs, home entertainment is looking and sounding better. The digitalization of media offers many advantages to current storage methods. This technology outperforms magnetic recording in the presentation of audio and video quality and storage life. These and other features [...]
We live in a nuclear age. We've harnessed the power of the atom to feed our thirst for energy, but new uses of the atom have the possibility to expand the annals of knowledge. Modern scientists are now turning to the power of the atom for its unbridled promise in the realm of computation. Quantum [...]
Speech recognition capabilities on personal computers may soon become common applications for those who wish to have relief from inordinate amounts of typing or data entry. Perfect speech recognition is difficult to achieve, however, thanks to variations in speech from person to person. The development of these capabilities requires understanding of human speech variance and [...]
Augmented Reality is a technology in which virtual images are superimposed on views of the real world to provide users with additional information. Engineers are already experimenting with practical applications of Augmented Reality in the realms of medicine, manufacturing, emergency situations, and efficiency evaluation. However, improvements must still be made in the areas of tracking [...]
