Innovation & Research On Campus, January 2013

Researchers at Purdue University believe “they have achieved a breakthrough in football helmet technology” by placing improved padding inside the helmet that would cut “g-force to the brain by 50 percent.” Dr. Eric A. Nauman, an associate professor (DE A ’95), says “we are hoping that we can take the majority of the hits in high school football which are 60s and shift down to 20 g’s lower. That’s our main goal. It will definitely mean less damage to the brain.”

Dr. Tom Talavage, engineering professor (IN A ’92), is concerned that manufacturers of helmets are not working with researchers “to expedite improved (helmet) padding.” For more information and to watch the video, click here

Τ

Two NASA engineers recently visited Mississippi State University to see robotic creations made by local middle and high school students as part of the Mississippi Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology (BEST) program. Adam Steltzner, Ph.D. (CA L ’89), was one of the engineers on hand. He works at Jet Propulsion Laboratory and was the lead engineer of the Mars Science Laboratory. “I’m continually amazed at the inventiveness of these young minds,” said Steltzner. “These kids are 10, 12 years old, and they are coming up with ideas that are fantastic.”

The robots will be tested at an upcoming competition. Read the article for more on the BEST competition, which is hosted in 15 states each year.

Β

The Chronicle of Higher Education is reporting that IBM’s famous supercomputer Watson will become “a student of sorts” at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Professors and students at RPI will find new uses for Waston’s technology, “a computer system that uses an understanding of human language and a vast trove of data to provide evidence-based answers to users’ questions.” Read the article

Π