The ability to remotely inspect equipment of an aging infrastructure is becoming of major interest to many industries. Often the ability to just get a look at a piece of critical equipment can yield very important information. With millions of miles of piping installed throughout the United States, this vast network is critical to oil, natural…

Lots of engineering thinking can be involved in crushing things. As an example, engineers spend a great deal of time designing crush-proof packaging for delicate equipment and packing materials for items that must be stored or shipped. This article presents an activity wherein students can begin to appreciate the technology behind the engineering.…

In this article, the author provides detailed information on a wide variety of commonly used screws, bolts, and other fasteners. The information has been gathered in his engineering career and outside interests (maintenance on his car and airplane, and woodworking). The topic should be of interest to students and educators in many technical…

From wireless connectivity to light processing improvements, digital projectors have incorporated a number of technological advancements in recent years--developments that have made the tools even easier for higher education technologists to use. This article offers some vendor insights about some of those trends, and the ways in which they might…

The technologists, research doctors, computer programmers, electrical engineers, and biomedical engineers who design and create new medical diagnostic equipment and medical treatments are now working on medical systems that use the computing power of personal computers and cell phones. For disease diagnosis, they are finding ways to shrink…

Making furniture decisions can involve many factors, and they vary from institution to institution. For fixtures, furnishings and equipment, comparing initial cost with the cost of ownership over a life cycle can be more challenging. It may be the functionality of the furnishings that provides the greatest return on investment. In this article,…

Technological advances through mathematics and science have made possible the modification of boarding sports. This article discusses the development of sport technologies that use boards and also touches on the social and cultural effects of the new technologies. It identifies many new forms of sports equipment that were spawned from modifying…

Simple measurements of the decay time of cathodoluminescence are described. Cathodoluminescence is used in many devices, including computer monitors, oscilloscopes, radar displays and television tubes. The experimental setup is simple and easy to build. Two oscilloscopes, a function generator, and a fast photodiode are needed for the experiments.…

The State of Maine seeks to eliminate most mercury use. This includes removing mercury thermometers from secondary schools and discouraging Hg use in other educational institutions. Alternatives to mercury thermometers in chemical laboratory work include non-mercury thermometers, temperature probes, and thermocouples. In organic chemistry mercury…

Presents product characteristics, costs, and a personal evaluation of Radio Shack's three new personal computers: the TRS-80 Model III; the TRS-80 Color Computer; and the TRS-80 Pocket Computer. (SJL)

Five experts examine how safe downhill skiing is, what types of equipment can prevent injury, and what the current trends are in equipment design. (MT)

An innovative deck-level coping concept for perimeter overflows for swimming pools is described. The advantages of the deck-level design are listed. (MT)

Guidelines presented to help recreation professional choose effective, safe lighting systems involve determining how much light is needed, buying the best life cycle value, light sources, and other lighting design considerations. (CB)

Suggestions for the design, installation, and operation of laboratory fume hoods are listed. (RH)

Discusses consumer and industrial videodisc systems for information storage including cost, technology utilized, formats, and features. Reflective and transmissive laser optical systems are described, as well as the grooved and grooveless mechanical systems. Tables containing product data are included. (JJD)