Takavar Saremi, Sr. RF Design Engineer, SpaceX The biggest challenge by far has been the age old trade-off between (power amplifier) efficiency and linearity. To date, despite all of the advances made in area of linearization, we are simply in a situation where we cannot end up with the efficiency of a compressed amplifier when […]
ECN’s Top 10 Stories Of 2015
If 2015 taught us anything, it’s that our readers (you!) really enjoy drones, aircrafts, and other things that fly…and fire. We’ve also learned that you’re all really smart (smarter than America!) and passionate about your work. With that said, we’ve had some heated discussions and our comment section has really served as a forum for […]
This Is What It’s Like To Be Shot Out Of A Cannon
Have you ever wondered just a tiny bit what it’s like to be shot from a cannon, like those dudes in the circus? Well, now you can experience it for yourself, and the good news is, you don’t have to risk your life or join the circus. The people over at Eclectical Engineering have solved […]
Why Driverless Cars Won’t Be Hitting Pedestrians
Texting and driving may soon become legal. (For autonomous cars, that is.) Google has secured a patent that will enable driverless cars to talk to pedestrians via text (and audio), because with no driver in the car, how else will communicate? Obviously when autonomous cars text and drive, it’s a little different than when human […]
Engineers: Are You Smarter Than America?
Calling all engineers. I bet you think you’re pretty smart (and I’d hope that you are!). But most Americans also think they’re pretty smart. And, well, we know that’s not entirely true. At least according to the results of this science knowledge quiz, the above statement is true. Pew Research Center has put together a […]
Google Wants To Answer Your Emails For You
Ever open your email to find a slew of unread messages so you consider hiding under your desk or sending out an SOS until they answer themselves? A personal assistant would be nice, but a more realistic option? Have a robot answer them for you. Google’s Inbox app is kind of like having a personal […]
Here’s Why Facebook Employees Are Ditching Their iPhones
Asking someone if they prefer Apple or Android is kind of like asking someone if they’re a cat or dog person. You’re either one or the other, and you usually feel pretty strongly about it. So what if your employer forced you to trade in your beloved pet dog for a cat (I’m so sorry). […]
This Robot Can Ride A Motorcycle Autonomously
Watch out, Valentino Rossi. This robot is coming to steal your Grand Prix titles. Who’s the newest member to the motorcycle racing world? Meet Motobot, an autonomous motorcycle-riding humanoid robot, created by Yamaha. The bot made a shocking reveal at the Tokyo Motor Show today, riding Yamaha’s 1000cc R1M, where it actually warned Rossi, “I […]
Who Should Driverless Cars Be Programmed To Kill: The Passenger Or The Pedestrian?
If you had to push one person in front of a moving driverless car to save a group of people on the tracks, would you? It’s a pretty heavy ethical question. In fact, in philosophy, there’s a name for this moral dilemma, called the trolley problem. But for the sake of argument, we’re going to […]
Who Wants An Original Apple 1 Computer?
In 1976, an original Apple 1 computer would’ve cost you $666.66. Fast forward 39 years, and today, the starting bid is at $370,000. Little did Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs know at the time, the Apple 1, which originally began as an attempt to build an affordable microprocessor, would lead to the creation of the […]