The proving ring implements a simple principle of physics to provide precise and tangible indication of applied weight ranging up to hundreds of thousands of pounds. Engineers who work with sensor-based data acquisition systems know that verifying and calibrating the performance of the sensor itself is often the most difficult part of assuring the performance […]
FAQ
Does a planet have a capacitance?
The self-capacitance of Earth is approximately 710 μF, assuming the free-space dielectric to be a vacuum. The capacitance of Mars is 378 μF. At first glance, it may not be clear where these figures comes from or how a planet can have a capacitance. And if a planet has a capacitance, might it also have […]
When audacious engineering leads to major success, Part 4: Apollo Lunar module
The Mars Rover Sky Crane, SpaceX Self-Landing Booster, and the Apollo Lunar Lander are just a few examples of dramatic, radically unconventional thinking, leading to astounding successes. While we now consider a lunar in-orbit rendezvous as routine, the viability, and risk of even a more-basic Earth-orbit link-up was a major concern at the time […]
When audacious engineering leads to major success, Part 3: Apollo Mission profile
The Mars Rover Sky Crane, SpaceX Self-Landing Booster, and the Apollo Lunar Lander are just a few examples of dramatic, radically unconventional thinking which led to astounding successes. Time and distance have a way of blurring the hard edges, sharp points, and intense disputes which accompany innovation. Years later, what once seemed ridiculous or foolish […]
International performance and safety standards for robots
Robots are being used to implement logistics tasks, industrial processes, personal care, medical procedures, and more. The growing variety of robot designs and the breadth of tasks that robots perform is driving a large number of specific performance and safety standards. This FAQ reviews emerging standards for industrial mobile robots, collaborative robots (also called ‘cobots’), […]
When audacious engineering leads to major success, Part 2: Mars Rovers
The Mars Rover Sky Crane, SpaceX Self-Landing Booster, and the Apollo Lunar Lander are just a few examples of dramatic, radically unconventional thinking, leading to astounding successes. You have undoubtedly been awed by the stunning and fully successful landing of the Mars Perseverance Rover on February 18, 2021. It used a radical, hovering “Sky […]
Sentient robots and artificial intelligence
Sensors for touch, vision are on the leading-edge of robotics developments. Sensors enable robots to gather information about the environment, determine how the environment may be changing, and provide the data to determine the appropriate response to any changes. Sensor information can be used to improve performance of the task at hand, or it can […]
Robot software environments and motion control architectures
Robots can be classified by their kinesiology, their mechanical performance specifications, and various types of software they employ. This FAQ will consider robot software environments and motion control architectures. The next FAQ will delve into “Sentient robots and artificial intelligence.” The series will conclude with a review of the major “International performance and safety standards […]
Where does 5G fit into your designs?
by Jon Gabay for Mouser Electronics Virtually everyone today has wireless service or access to it. Since the introduction of early analog wireless services to digital 3G and 4G, most depend on their wireless service provider and device to keep them connected to our fast-paced, real-time world. Now, 5G is flaunting its promises for next-generation…
When audacious engineering leads to major success, Part 1: SpaceX booster
The Mars Rover Sky Crane, SpaceX Self-Landing Booster, and the Apollo Lunar Lander are just a few examples of dramatic, radically unconventional thinking, leading to astounding successes. Bringing a major engineering project from concept to successful conclusion is a combination of often-elusive factors of skill, understanding, determination, risk, diligence, perseverance, good fortune (luck), and many […]