As part of an engineering design class supported with research funding from Cambridge Consultants, the students met with residents and staff over a period of months at Brookhaven at Lexington , a life care facility in Lexington, MA, to find ways to make new healthcare technologies more user-friendly for older populations. With Baby Boomers turning 65 next year and the elderly population expected to double in the next twenty years, innovative connected health solutions could provide aging adults the tools to better manage their own health issues, which would in turn reduce hospital visits, decrease costs and increase patient health.

As part of the study, students developed and tested several user-friendly ‘health dashboard’ prototypes to help determine how elderly patients might best interact and potentially even embrace new technology. The students developed several prototypes based on their research work with the elderly participants, who collectively expressed sensitivities to privacy, a social stigma around cell phones and PDAs, nearly unanimous problems with eyesight and an unwillingness to mine through inessential data. Based on focus groups that tested potential technology prototypes, the students’ recommendation for a final design was a handheld device with a physical rotary dial and a larger dock that could sit on a counter or table.

The handheld device was designed to be used by seniors on the go. For example, users could enter the number of miles walked as part of a “diet and exercise” function, or record and receive reminders on when they need take their medication via a “medication” function. The dock interface was developed as a companion piece for the dial, and would be used as a long-term in-home storage and viewing center, where seniors could update vital sign readings using sensors, access an “interactive pillbox” for reference medical information, and quickly review overviews of current health data.

Building on its groundbreaking work in connected health and human factors, Cambridge Consultants advised the student project team during its work on the potential design prototypes on the “health dashboard” project. Cambridge Consultants has developed several wireless-based applications that are designed to connect patients and their treatment devices, such as inhalers, with healthcare support professionals and a range of online applications.  This connected health approach is exemplified in the company’s Vena-enabled solutions, which allow healthcare specialists to monitor medication adherence, reduce long-term treatment costs, and improve patient access to, and interaction with, healthcare providers.

Cambridge Consultants

www.CambridgeConsultants.com

Smart cameras, like PPT VISION’s powerful IMPACT®, automate visual inspections. PPT VISION reduces manufacturing costs by ensuring quality and improving throughput in today’s factories.

Machine Vision systems commonly use a series of edge or BLOB (Binary Large OBject) algorithms to locate and inspect parts. The functionality and benefits of edge and BLOB tools are surpassed with IMPACT’s powerful PinPoint Pattern Find. PinPoint Pattern Find delivers the simplicity of applying a single tool with the power to adjust for variable location, rotation, and reflectivity.

The same IMPACT software suite is included with all 21 PPT VISION smart camera models. The IMPACT software emulator runs on any Windows PC. PPT VISION’s IMPACT emulator software is useful for programming and adjusting IMPACT smart camera inspections off-line, without any camera hardware. The IMPACT software suite, including its emulator, is available as a free download at www.pptvision.com.

PPT Vision

www.pptvision.com

Baytubes®, the carbon nanotubes from Bayer MaterialScience, are now making waves in kayak design, marking a new chapter in the evolution of these popular boats, which were originally made by the Inuits using wood, bone and animal skin. Today’s kayaks are usually made from plastics and composite materials. Some new kayak prototypes have now been coated with an epoxy gelcoat modified with Baytubes® that has been developed by Norwegian research company Re-Turn AS, based in Gamle Fredrikstad. “We are confident that these prototypes outperform standard models in a number of areas,” explains Stein Dietrichson, General Manager of Re-Turn AS.

Reinforcing the outer skin of a kayak – the gel coat – with carbon nanotubes makes it far more resilient to abrasion from a shingle beach or contact with the edge of a river bank. In contrast, many conventional gel coats, especially those of particularly lightweight and sporty kayaks, are highly sensitive to external mechanical action. But that isn’t the only way that these tiny tubes in the solvent-free gel coat help to prolong enjoyment of the boat and therefore of the sport itself – they ensure that cracks appear less frequently over long-term use and reduce wear on the outer skin. They also absorb UV radiation, thereby minimizing the associated bleaching and embrittling effects.

Re-Turn AS modified the outer shell of one of the prototypes with Baytubes®. “This means that the kayak doesn’t get as dirty above or below the water line and is easier to clean,” states Dietrichson. And he hopes that this innovative combination will result in another effect: “The flow resistance of the hull should also be lower.” This will enable the kayak to glide through the water faster without its occupant having to paddle harder – a fantastic advantage for any aspiring kayaker. And there are further advantages to the use of Baytubes® in the epoxy base of the kayak, which the additive helps to make more stable and rigid. “This makes the boat easier to paddle and translates more of the kayaker’s muscle power into speed. The new gelcoat incorporates many experiences from the development of nanotubes reinforced marine paints which are already commercial,” comments Dietrichson.

During this summer, experienced kayakers will be putting the prototypes from Re-Turn AS through their paces. Meanwhile, experts from the Norwegian company are already working closely with Bayer MaterialScience to develop further nanotube-reinforced materials that could in future find their way into kayaks or, for example, into the rotor blades for wind turbines. “More and more innovative companies are beginning to recognize that Baytubes® have enormous potential to give established materials entirely new properties,” says Dr. Raul Pires, head of global activities for nanotubes and nanotechnology products at Bayer MaterialScience.

BayerMaterialScience

www.bayermaterialscience.com

Sumitomo Electric was the first company in the world to produce long bismuth-based superconducting wire, a material that has become an industry standard and is considered to be the major candidate for commercial HTS applications. Sumitomo’s bismuth-based superconducting wire – DI-BSSCO – is made of bismuth-strontium-calcium-copper-oxygen and operates at temperatures up to 110 K. Sumitomo’s BSSCO materials have been used in pioneering superconducting applications for almost 20 years, including the world’s first superconductor electric vehicle, the first underground in-grid cable, transformers for high speed trains, and windings for ship propulsion motors.

The QUENCH tool for modeling the superconducting “quenching” process – when a wire turns from a superconducting to resistive state – is available as part of Cobham’s Opera CAE software suite for low frequency electromagnetic simulation. QUENCH has become the standard simulation tool for superconducting equipment because of its sophisticated multi-physics modeling which couples the electromagnetic and thermal modeling processes. Results can be post-processed to provide users with clear views and analyses of the potentially damaging effects of quench propagation as the wire heats up and becomes resistive including displays of the voltages between coil layers, temperature gradients, and so on. This analysis helps users to find the optimal design and incorporate protection circuitry.

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
www.global-sei.com

Cobham Technical Services
www.cobham.com

PITTSBURGH, PA– The world’s first commercial “flying car” will go the distance on both highways and runways next year when it rolls off the production line — thanks, in part, to design optimization from ANSYS (NASDAQ: ANSS).


Terrafugia’s beta prototype design is shown in a near wing-stall case, with the propeller being modeled using software from ANSYS. Image courtesy Terrafugia.

Massachusetts-based Terrafugia used ANSYS® engineering simulation software to design and verify its new production prototype of the Transition® aircraft that also can drive on the highway. Terrafugia engineers conducted whole-vehicle airflow tests that assessed the effects of design changes on overall performance — working in parallel across the various Transition components. The simulations were used to maximize wing lift in the air and to minimize the effects of crosswinds along the road.

Terrafugia’s beta prototype design is shown cruising at 105 mph, with the propeller being modeled using software from ANSYS. Image courtesy Terrafugia.

“The Transition’s test flights identified some important engineering issues that ANSYS fluid dynamics software helped us to address in the production prototype,” said Gregor Cadman, an engineer at Terrafugia. “Our latest design improves both the in-air and on-road performance of the Transition, as well as ensures that the vehicle lends itself to full-scale manufacturing. Simulation software from ANSYS played a central role in these engineering efforts. Without the ability to work in a virtual environment, we would have had to construct complicated physical models, modify or rebuild them, and conduct hours of real-world testing, slowing down the process and adding significantly to development costs.”

Terrafugia’s beta prototype design is shown cruising at 105 mph from a rear perspective. Image courtesy Terrafugia.

The Transition is the world’s first vehicle to combine a lightweight, aerodynamic aircraft with the stability needed for long-distance driving on the highway. The vehicle can cruise up to 490 miles at over 105 miles per hour, can drive at highway speeds on the road, and is capable of transforming from plane to car in less than 30 seconds. The sophisticated design features foldable wings that span more than 26 feet, a rear-wheel-drive system for the road and a propeller for flight. Terrafugia’s team of aeronautical engineers earned global attention when the Transition proof-of-concept vehicle completed a successful 60-second test flight in March 2009. The company expects to begin commercial production of the vehicle in 2011.

Terrafugia’s proof-of-concept vehicle is shown in an actual flight configuration. ANSYS engineering simulation was used to validate Terrafugia’s models and to learn more about the vehicle. Image courtesy Terrafugia.

Working closely with ANSYS product specialists, the Terrafugia engineering team also studied the impact of the Transition’s propeller on air flows around the vehicle. As the project developed over time, engineers applied simulation tools to study ever-smaller and more precise design modifications, which added to their confidence that the Transition will perform well in flight testing.

“The dual challenges of driving and flying present significant challenges for aeronautical engineers,” said Greg Stuckert, aerospace industry manager at ANSYS. “Terrafugia’s use of engineering simulation to fine-tune designs throughout the development process — not just at the end for verification — contributed to an optimized historic vehicle and an efficient product launch. Their earlier successful test flights and this year’s production prototype are the proof that their efforts are paying off.”

Terrafugia, Inc.
www.terrafugia.com

ANSYS, Inc.
www.ansys.com

::Design World::

Source: :: Design World ::

Continental will replace its existing PLM system and standardize its three automotive divisions – Chassis & Safety, Powertrain and Interior – on PTC’s Windchill platform. The software will be used as the worldwide PLM backbone for engineering change, multi-CAD data management, ECAD data management and for third-party integration, thus enabling seamless process integration and global collaboration. Windchill is ultimately expected to support more than 12,000 users in both engineering and non-engineering departments.

PTC
www.ptc.com

::Design World::

Source: :: Design World ::

The D-Cubed 3D DCM (Dimensional Constraint Manager) will now be deployed in any in-house software application that requires a 3D geometric constraint solving component. The 3D DCM is already integrated in NX™ software, which Joe Gibbs Racing continues to use for all aspects of product development.

Hendrick Motorsports, winner of the 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship; Joe Gibbs Racing, winner of the 2000, 2002, and 2005 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship; Roush Fenway Racing, winner of the 2003 and 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship; and Andretti Green Racing, winner of the 2004, 2005, and 2007 Indy Racing League® (IRL) IndyCar® Series Championship; have been using Siemens PLM Software for years to help develop their cars and improve their performance on the race track.  KB Racing, winner of the 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 National Hot Rod Association®   (NHRA®) Pro Stock Championship, began using Siemens PLM Software technology in 2005, and the Renault®  F1 Team, winner of the 2005 Formula One Drivers and Constructors Championships, established a partnership in 2004 using Tecnomatix® software.

Siemens PLM Software
www.siemens.com

::Design World::

Source: :: Design World ::

Chrysler Group has now added NX software, Siemens’ comprehensive digital product development solution, to provide efficiency gains in engineering and design and to help create a common product development platform.

Siemens PLM Software
www.siemens.com

::Design World::

Line 6’s lead industrial designer, Dale Wagler, and the rest of the engineering team spend an average of five to six hours per day working in SolidWorks, each using a 3Dconnexion 3D mouse to design and test their products.  “When you’re working in a complex application hours on end each day, working as efficiently as possible has a tremendous impact on the design process,” says Wagler. Using his 3D mouse, “I move around models in assemblies so much, that not having to stop what I am doing and click and drag, and scroll the wheel, is the biggest benefit.”

For the past five years, Wagler and his team have been using 3Dconnexion 3D mice to design their products, from guitar and bass amps, to recording interfaces and stompbox pedals. Most recently, the team worked on the design of the Relay G-series digital guitar wireless system used by Steve Stevens with Billy Idol, Peter Stroud with Sheryl Crow, and Sarah McLaughlin on stages across the world, as well as the next generation of Variax modeling guitars – Variax designed by James Taylor. Wagler drives the conceptual stage of products and then works closely with the engineering team to finalize the working design. According to Wagler, 3Dconnexion’s 3D mice have had a positive impact on the quality of their designs and the team’s overall productivity. “You can do these things with a standard mouse, but they are not as sure-fire. With the SpacePilot PRO, I can move around a model and rotate an assembly with greater ease – as if I’m holding it in my hand.”

3Dconnexion
www.3dconnexion.com