The name “information superhighway” was familiar at the beginning of the internet age.  At the time that the internet was introduced, the most common communication used a point-to-point system.  A user would dial the telephone number of the recipient, and all communications took place between one and the other.  The electrical connection between the two was a series of wires travelling via telephone exchanges, connected for the purpose of that call, and broken once it … [Read more...]

As a mechanical engineer (ME), I honestly never figured that I would need to know much more than your typical V=IR (Ohm's Law), and if I were even more honest, I would say my intention was to completely forget it after my electrical engineering (EE) class of the master's program. In fact my professor, Dr. Kamel, even stated "Here is this equation you don't care about, and will soon forget..." Boy was she incorrect in my case. As fate, or perhaps my employer, should have it; Ohm's law would … [Read more...]

The development of 3D modelling has revolutionized mechanical computer-aided design (MCAD).  It has enabled engineers to develop new products quickly, in collaboration with colleagues around the world, and respond rapidly to changing demands. We have already looked at some of the advantages that 3D design brings to engineers.  However, the mechanical aspect of any design is only part of the process.  The creation of any device represents the blending of different disciplines, … [Read more...]