We used cheap FDM 3D printers to make fibre-optic components that, with some refinement, could be used to make optical sensors and devices.
Category: Engineering
General engineering posts.
Optical phased arrays are a way to construct a really powerful laser beam, and steer it precisely without mirrors or lenses. Making an optical phased array that can steer millions of times per second would be a huge boon to systems like LIDAR for autonomous cars. But to make something move that fast, you need … Continue reading Fast steering optical phased array: how to trick a control system
2018 has been declared the Year of Engineering in the UK and this week is National Engineers Week in the U.S. (Australian Engineering Week is coming in August.) Around the world engineers and educators will be using these events to bring the important contributions that engineers make to our society to public attention, and encourage … Continue reading Rock Star Engineers
We Australians excel at remembering and celebrating our sporting heroes, from cricketers to particularly successful race horses, but are not so good at celebrating the great people who helped build our civilization, particularly when those builders are Australian. Today, I want to celebrate the birthday of an Australian aviation pioneer, Lawrence Hargrave. Aviation Pioneer Lawrence … Continue reading Great Australians — Lawrence Hargrave
Why driverless cars don't care about your ethical dilemmas If you’ve been paying attention to the media stories about driverless cars, you will have heard the concerns about what driverless cars will do when faced with ethical dilemmas, scenarios in which the car’s computer program has to pick between different options of who to kill … Continue reading Off their trolley problem
We Australians excel at remembering and celebrating our sporting heroes, from cricketers to particularly successful race horses, but are not so good at celebrating the great people who helped build our civilization, particularly when those builders are Australian. Today, I want to celebrate the birthday of a revolutionary Australian engineer, A. G. M. Michell. … Continue reading Great Australians — Anthony Michell
Why we should build a swimming pool on the Moon We choose to build a pool on the Moon, not because it is easy, but because it is hard. A recent special issue of the New Space journal reported on the reasons and methods for constructing a permanently inhabited lunar colony, and that it could be … Continue reading Floating in the Sea of Tranquility
A lesson in innovation from the Wright Brothers The Australian government’s National Innovation and Science Agenda webpage asserts: “Innovation is at the heart of a strong economy — from IT to healthcare, defence and transport—it keeps us competitive, at the cutting edge, creates jobs and maintains our high standard of living.” This recent article from … Continue reading The Wright Stuff
I have a confession to make: I am one of those nut-job engineers who advocates for the return of airships as a means of travel. Wait! Before you roll your eyes and commit me to an asylum, hear me out. Comfort What prompted me to have a whinge write a post about this is my … Continue reading Bring Back Airships
David Gozzard 