Explore the evolution of haptic feedback from pagers to modern smartphones. This article examines the mechanical engineering of ERM, LRA, and piezo actuators in creating sophisticated tactile notifications.
The PlayPump: Lessons Learned from a Design Failure
Explore the rise and fall of the PlayPump in this analysis of design failure. Learn how overlooking product misuse, vague problem definitions, and inadequate testing transformed a humanitarian dream into a cautionary tale.
Preparing for Design Reviews
Transform stressful design reviews into productive sessions. Learn how to focus on critical unknowns using forty essential questions to improve performance, reliability, and manufacturing outcomes.
A Serious Approach to Engineering Memes
Explore the social science of engineering memes. From sleep deprivation to coding struggles, we analyze what truly makes engineers laugh.
The Timeless Appeal of Cadbury Mini Eggs
Explore the design mastery of Cadbury Mini Eggs. From the psychology of seasonal scarcity to their iconic speckled aesthetic, discover how thoughtful design transforms this simple candy into an Easter staple.
Ralph Ziman's Weapons of Mass Production
Explore Ralph Ziman’s Weapons of Mass Production project, where decommissioned MiG-21s and Casspirs are transformed into beaded masterpieces to confront history, provide employment, and inspire impactful design.
Celebrate Women’s History Month
Celebrate Women’s History Month by exploring how female engineers improve design quality, expand perspectives, and drive innovation in a field where they remain underrepresented.
Explained: How Touchscreens Work
Explore the evolution and physics of touchscreen technology, from 1960s prototypes to modern capacitive and infrared sensors. Discover how these interfaces work and what the future of touchless interaction holds.
Embracing the Call to Serve
Explore how the Embrace infant warmer provides a low-cost, portable solution for premature babies in resource-limited regions, demonstrating how engineering design can save lives and serve humanity.
The New World’s Tallest Roller Coaster: Tourism Inspired Engineering in Saudi Arabia
Explore Saudi Arabia’s Falcon’s Flight, the world’s tallest roller coaster, showcasing how ambitious engineering and tourism investments are diversifying the nation’s oil-dependent economy.
Designing a Better Pie
Apply engineering principles to the kitchen by analyzing the materials, methods, and constraints of the perfect pie to achieve a flaky crust and stable structure.
The Confederation Bridge
Explore how Canada’s Confederation Bridge overcomes harsh ice and navigation challenges through intelligent engineering, featuring unique conical ice shields and curved designs to ensure long-term driver safety.
Alberto Santos-Dumont: The Father of Aviation?
Explore the aviation rivalry between the Wright brothers and Alberto Santos-Dumont. Did Brazil’s national hero achieve the first true powered flight with his 14-Bis in 1906?
Fordlandia: The Failed Design of an Industrial Utopia
Discover the history of Fordlandia, Henry Ford’s failed Amazonian utopia, where industrial ambition clashed with ecological reality and cultural misunderstanding in the Brazilian jungle.
Rudolf Diesel’s Ubiquitous Legacy
Explore Rudolf Diesel’s enduring impact, from his vision of accessible power to the global engine legacy that remains a cornerstone of modern industry.
Design of the ISS
Discover how the International Space Station uses modular design and global collaboration to unite nations and advance science for the benefit of humanity.
Sir Richard Taylor: A Knight and a Designer
Explore how Sir Richard Taylor and Weta Workshop used "bigatures" and expert design to bring the iconic world of The Lord of the Rings to life on screen.
Shinkansen: The Bullet Train
Discover how Japan’s Shinkansen revolutionized high-speed rail. Explore the engineering behind its safety, aerodynamics, and cultural impact, proving that innovative design can transform global commuting and infrastructure.
Thérèse Kirongozi: Robotic Traffic Controllers
Discover how Thérèse Kirongozi’s humanoid traffic robots transform Kinshasa’s streets. Learn how community-centric engineering and cultural aesthetics create impactful, solar-powered solutions for global design challenges.
What Does It Take to Be an International Designer?
Explore the essential principles of international design. Learn how to bridge cultural gaps through empathy, accessibility, and humility to create solutions that resonate globally.