mechanical engineering Archives
Safe solid-state lithium batteries herald ‘paradigm shift’ in energy storage
Jul. 19, 2018—Kelsey Hatzell studied the performance of a promising electrolyte for solid-state lithium batteries under real-world conditions.
Mechanical engineering student dives into conservation with Seychelles internship
Jul. 11, 2018—Rising junior Jillian Bremner is steering beyond her academic focus this summer to explore her passions for scuba diving and ocean conservation, with the aim of eventually combining engineering with a marine career.
“These could revolutionize the world” — Pint cracks code to cheap, small carbon nanotubes
May. 23, 2018—Imagine a box you plug into the wall that cleans your toxic air and pays you cash. That's essentially what Vanderbilt University researchers produced after discovering the blueprint for turning carbon dioxide into the most valuable material ever sold – carbon nanotubes with small diameters.
Vanderbilt wins NASA rocketry championship for fifth time
May. 11, 2018—The Vanderbilt Student Launch team won the NASA University Student Launch Competition for an unprecedented fifth time—following up on their eighth Payload Design Award—the space agency announced Friday.
Getting robotic surgical tools from the lab to the operating room
May. 8, 2018—Nabil Simaan’s Advanced Robotics and Mechanism Applications Laboratory at Vanderbilt leads the way in advancing several robotics technologies for medical use, including miniature robots for single small-incision, cochlear implant and minimally invasive throat surgeries.
Class of 2018: Josh Fleck is giving greater mobility to people with disabilities
May. 7, 2018—As a high school student, Josh Fleck knew he wanted to research and develop robotic prosthetic devices. At Vanderbilt, the mechanical engineering major has spent the past three years in Assistant Professor Karl Zelik’s Biomechanics and Assistive Technology Lab immersing himself in research.
Class of 2018: Elizabeth Lee explores identity through an original web comic
Apr. 18, 2018—Elizabeth Lee identifies as many things. She’s a mechanical engineering major, a proud Asian American, and a woman working in the STEM fields. To give a clearer voice to these identities, Lee created a web comic called “Existing Quietly, Living Loudly.”
Rocket team’s novel two-part design addresses NASA challenge; launch is April 7
Mar. 29, 2018—Engineering students in the Vanderbilt Aerospace Design Laboratory will demonstrate their solution to a common rocket dilemma at the 2018 NASA Student Launch Competition on April 7.
Design competition aims to assist laryngectomy patients
Mar. 29, 2018—The first annual LaryHacks, a competition to design innovative devices, apps or methods to assist laryngectomy patients who have had their voice boxes removed, has been set for Thursday, April 12, 5 to 8 p.m., in the Wond’ry, 2414 Highland Ave. in the Vanderbilt University Engineering and Science building.
‘Smart cane’ could one day help flag gait problems, falling risks more quickly
Feb. 12, 2018—Falling is no joke when you're a senior citizen or have other balance issues. Vanderbilt engineers are working on a 'smart cane' that could help physical therapists spot and treat problems sooner.
The 20 most popular research stories of 2017
Dec. 15, 2017—New clues to Alzheimer's disease, helping kids deal with stress, understanding why our universe is three-dimensional and—of course—electric eels all appear in this year's look back on the research stories that were visited the most frequently on Vanderbilt's website in 2017.
Hyperlens crystal capable of viewing living cells in unprecedented detail
Dec. 11, 2017—A fundamental advance in the quality of an optical material used to make hyperlenses makes it possible to see features on the surface of living cells in greater detail than ever before.