Inspiration from the Trees

Inspiration from the Trees Inspiration from the Trees Inspiration from the TreesCost is often a reality when creating robotics. Peko Hosoi, professor of mechanical engineering at MIT, and her team knew this well and recently asked Could scaling down reduce costs for small robots?Its tough for a lot of robotics because of the need for valves and pumps. They need tighter and tighter parts that have to machine down and they become expensive, she says. To get a servo valve that was a cubic centimeter can be unbelievably expensive per valve. Thats bedrngnis even for nano. Can we rethink systems to where places in nature and systems add up together to small, cheap components?Her team decided trees and plants provided a potential answer because they have small components that create a giant pump when combined together, she says. The team went to work on what would eventually lead to a microfluidic pump to aid small robotics, called a tree on a chip, with the idea, among other things, of an external pump not being necessary.With trees, there is a sugar channel and water channel and water flows into the sugar channel and drives the flow, she says, but, when its done quickly, it is not ideal for robotics. Our challenge was how to have pumping at a constant flow satz, she says. Trees have this kind of gas tank and the leaves are photosynthesizing and producing sugars. So you need to have that kind of tank that couples with the phloem, which is the sugar-water piece, which is then in contact with xylem. Its adding a third piecenot just sugar and water, but also needing a source that is metered into the sugar-water channel.Like its natural counterparts, the chip operates passively, requiring no moving parts or external pumps. It is able to pump water and sugars at a steady flow rate for several days. Image MITThey ran the system with dextranliterally a little reservoir of itand separated that from the sugar water channel with a membrane that allows dextran molecules to pass through at a steady rate, Hosoi says.We also ran it with a sugar cube. We laser cut a couple pieces of acrylic and we laser cut a little slot for the sugar cube and slot it in, she explains. And the sugar cube just goes for weeks.They were also looking at the measure of flow rate. Its about questions like what kinds of pressures can this generate and flow rates can it generate? she says. The measurement is pretty simple. You have the pump and attach it to a long, thin capillary and the fluid starts to move down the capillary and you track the interface of the fluid as it moves down the capillary. It tells you what the flow rate is. We can estimate what kinds of pressures these pumps can generate. We measure flow rates and pressures for different membranes and what the membrane does is it sets the concentration of the sugar in the sugar channel.With the real drivers behind the work being an interest in cost savings with natural systems that are good at reaching very complex structur es and behaviors in electronics, she says its something many in the ME field should consider. We are good at cheap complexity with the advent of transistors and integrated circuit boards, she says. In mechanical, we just have to think more about this.Eric Butterman is an independent writer. For Further Discussion Our challenge was how to have pumping at a constant flow rate. Trees have this kind of gas tank and the leaves are photosynthesizing and producing sugars.Prof. Peko Hosoi, MIT

Building ASMEs Foundation for the Future

Building ASMEs Foundation for the Future Building ASMEs Foundation for the Future Building ASMEs Foundation for the FutureMay 12, 2017 ASME President Keith RoeTo the ASME Community GreetingsWelcome to the first in a series of communications were putting together under the rubric Building ASMEs Foundation for the Future. As we head into the final stretch of what has been a vital year for ASME, weve reached a good moment to share an update on where we are and where were headed.For perspective, as you know, ASME has been dedicated to engineers, engineering and the wider world ever since ur founding 137 years ago. Whether by world-renowned standards creation, professional training and workforce development, leading publications, conferences and public policy work, or through the support and advancement of new technologies to make the world a better place, ASME has made significantly mora than a centurys worth of remarkable contributions to the safety and improved quality of life of peop le everywhere. Last June, I was inaugurated as ASMEs 135th president the honor of any engineers professional life. But it wasnt just any year. My term arrived at a transformative moment.ASMEs Board of Governors had voted the previous September to adopt a new strategy to unify all Society activity, founded squarely on technology leadership. Five key technologies were approved in June 2016 Robotics, Manufacturing, Clean Energy, Bioengineering and Pressure Technology. The new approach had been taking shape for some years already. As my term began, the new strategy had been approved and was in place. I loved the strategy and was excited to help launch it in my yearIt was time to execute, and the clock was ticking. As the new stewards of our historic organization, it was our job to begin realizing the vision. This meant a great and quite rare opportunity to re-envision how ASME works with and engages its members and constituents, responding to an explicit call from the Board to expand ASMEs reach and global impact well into the future. To reach the ambitious goal the BOG had set, we had no time to waste.We began at the beginning and resolved to build a strong foundation for the significantly enhanced organizational impact ASMEs Governors had challenged us to create. The language they adopted that past September was unequivocalBy 2025, ASME is called upon to be the go-to organization to help address key technology-related challenges in the public interest in a manner that engages core engineering constituencies (government, academia, industry, engineers, students, and technology-development professionals). As a result of successfully pursuing this objective, ASME would be expected to grow and increase its global and technology footprint while increasing its mission impact.Taking on the challenge to become a true multiple-market technology leader was no small task. It meant ASME had to begin the work toStrengthen our focus and insights into those primary marketsLea rn new product development skills and capabilitiesConvene subject matter experts to develop content ecosystems in each technologyEnsure our priorities were embodied in our strategies and well-implemented at every stepBe disciplined and focused in our workChange our culture to reflect the demands placed on us as a technology leaderSet ourselves on a course toward rock-solid fiscal health.ASMEs leadership agreed that raising the Societys game had to start with the BOG raising its own game ASME had to have a High-Performing Board to lead this effort. But while a culture change of such magnitude starts with the Board, we also created several Presidential Task Force working groups to focus intensively on that and a select group of other vital areas. These now includeIncreasing Industry Engagement Leadership in ASME (Chair Stacey Swisher Harnetty)Student and Early Career (Chair Terry Shoup)Strategy and Planning (Chair John Goossen)Building a High Performance Board (Chair Bill Wepfer)We a lso instituted a Sector Management Committee dedicated to Group Engagement/Alignment (Chair Rick Marboe) to optimize our internal structures and align them with the larger effort.As of this writing, all these teams have been at their work for months now, charting the way forward on each of their mutually reinforcing goals. I look forward to sharing details of their work with you in our next article in the series, as well as other areas of growth and good effort that merit your attention at this point.To complete the task set for us by the BOG will take more years of persistence and resolve, but I am proud to say, here in the home stretch of my term the foundation is solid and well along in construction. Please watch this space to learn more the more you know about the work done so far, as well as what is still to come, the more confident I am youll be excited to join in as ASME charts its course to the future. The work is well begun.With all best wishes Keith Roe, ASME President

How to Become a Better Java Developer

How to Become a Better Java Developer How to Become a Better Java Developer Java developers are in high demand, especially in larger corporations, but employers are having trouble finding them. One reason for the lack of available talent is that Java is no longer the first language many programmers choose to learn, opting instead for “fresher” languages such as Python or C++. Regardless of the positive hiring outlook, Java developers need to keep refining their skills to stay marketable. Here are a few tips to help ensure you can keep your edge as a Java developer: Keep building technical skills Attend conferences to learn the latest developments in Java and take advantage of learning opportunities, such as hands-on training or coursework. Review tutorials on key aspects, like minimizing code in loops to boost speed or reducing memory gaps. You can also glean indispensable knowledge from participating in developer communities, or starting your own with your Java developer friends and colleagues. Use our salary calculator to determine starting Java Developer salaries in your area. Grow your soft skills As a Java developer, technical skills are a must. But it’s becoming increasingly important for all tech pros to possess soft skills as well. You can become a better Java developer by honing these interpersonal skills: Communication: As organizations embrace and are more eager to fund technology initiatives, you need to be able to collaborate with colleagues from other departments. By improving your written and verbal communication abilities, you can be a driving force behind these initiatives by providing engaging and informative presentations to audiences who may not be fluent in Java. Problem-solving: You’ll increase your value to an employer by coming up with solutions and workarounds for complex coding conundrums or enhancing your organization’s development practices. Customer service: One sure way to impress management is showing that you make the needs of end users a priority. Even if your role isn’t customer-facing, it’s likely some of the projects you work on are. What about that Android app you’re creating? Its success certainly depends on customer satisfaction. Keep that in mind as you work, so you can achieve better results and troubleshoot the end product. Learn a new language Clearly, you know Java. But why stop there? Having a strong grasp of more than one programming language can enhance your problem-solving abilities and make you a more valuable Java developer. When you learn a new language, you gain the ability to view a problem from multiple perspectives, increasing your likelihood of finding the ideal solution. Scala is one language that presents many advantages, including a reduction in verbosity and the utilization of functional programming elements. And because it interoperates with Java and runs on JVM, a Java developer shouldn’t have much trouble picking it up. However, there are many other programming languages that are in much higher demand. Consider project work Utilizing the resources a reputable recruiting firm can provide is another way to gain new skills. Some leading firms offer opportunities for career development through online training and coursework, certification programs, webinars and even mentorships. Staffing agencies focused on placing tech professionals can also keep your resume brimming with examples of experience by connecting you with relevant consulting or project-based work. With interim tech work, you’ll stretch your skill set and learn to work in different environments. This will keep underutilized components of your Java developer toolkit from rusting, while affording you invaluable experience and networking opportunities. To learn how Java development skills can have a positive impact on the average starting compensation for many technology roles, check out Robert Half Technology’s Salary Guide.