Uncrushable beetle reveals its strengths to scientists
The beetle study is part of an $8 million project funded by the U.S. Air Force to explore how the biology of creatures can provide solutions to military technological challenges.
The beetle study is part of an $8 million project funded by the U.S. Air Force to explore how the biology of creatures can provide solutions to military technological challenges.
The department offers a rich and diverse educational experience for students interested in majoring in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering or their combination. Students can dual major in mechanical and aerospace engineering by satisfying the degree requirements for both majors. Dual degrees with other majors, mechanical engineering and materials science for example, are also possible.
David Kisailus at the University of California, Irvine and colleagues found that interlocking sutures in the exoskeletons of the insects allowed them to stiffen when under stress. The team then created artificial materials inspired by this design – which could allow engineers to develop better techniques for fastening objects together. Read More
A team of UC Irvine engineering students will go head to head this weekend with some 120 teams from around the world as it presents its sleek, frictionless version of a high-speed train that would travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco in a matter of minutes. UCI students, competing in the first-ever SpaceX Hyperloop Competition, have built a scale model of their HyperXite pod (pronounced Hyper Excite). The concept uses compressed air to levitate and glide the pod along a track.
“If you’ve held your smartphone or charge card close to a reader to pay for a purchase, you have taken advantage of near-field signaling technologies. Our fabrics work on the same principle, but we’ve extended the range significantly,” said Peter Tseng, UCI assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science.
The experiment it was involved in was part of a years-long study by UCI professor and principle investigator David Kisailus, who has been seeking to identify what makes the beetle so strong. “This diabolical ironclad beetle is not able to fly away, so it’s adapted to living on the ground,” Kisailus said. … After determining the cause of the beetle’s strength, Kisailus’ lab is working on applying the biological structure of the beetle to things humans engineer.