Page 1,963«..1020..1,9621,9631,9641,965..1,9701,980..»

How to protect your privacy when using mental health care apps – NPR

July 18, 2022 | Author: admin

Prospective users can take certain steps to ensure their data might be more protected when using online therapy apps, according to some experts. Jenny Kane/AP hide caption

Prospective users can take certain steps to ensure their data might be more protected when using online therapy apps, according to some experts.

Online therapy has become a booming industry in recent years, but with that growth comes questions about how well these types of companies are protecting the privacy of their patients.

Most recently, in June, Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker and Ron Wyden asked two leading online therapy companies, BetterHelp and Talkspace, to provide information about how they handle user data and their privacy practices.

The Democratic senators said they were concerned that the companies could be leaving their patients "vulnerable to exploitation from large technology platforms and other online actors."

BetterHelp markets itself as the world's largest online therapy service with nearly 2 million users, according to its website. The company operates through thousands of therapists who can communicate with patients via phone, text or video chat.

But a 2020 investigation from Jezebel found that BetterHelp information was being shared with Facebook, including metadata of messages between patients and therapists. Facebook could also see the duration, approximate location and amount of time people spent on BetterHelp, according to Jezebel. (BetterHelp is an NPR funder.)

The nonprofit Mozilla Foundation has also raised concerns about the privacy policies of both BetterHelp and Talkspace.

Talkspace told NPR that it has one of the most comprehensive privacy policies in the industry and that it's gathering information to comply with the senators' request.

Mary Potter, the company's chief privacy officer, added that communication between patients and therapists takes place in "a fully-secure, encrypted private 'room.' We believe our technology fully meets [the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act] privacy and security requirements and protocols. For absolute clarity, we do not sell user information to third parties."

BetterHelp told NPR that it is committed to privacy and security. A spokesperson said the company "has built state-of-the-art technologies, operations, and infrastructure to safeguard the information provided on our platform. Everything BetterHelp members share with their counselor is confidential, secure, and encrypted."

With online mental health services providing a convenient alternative to traditional methods of in-person therapy for many people, NPR asked digital privacy experts to weigh in on what you should know about protecting your privacy when using these types of platforms.

The privacy tips here can apply to more than just online therapy services, but experts say these steps can help with privacy related to therapy apps as well.

"Go through the privacy settings on [your] smartphone operating system. Every time you download an app, go through its privacy settings. Enable all the options that allow you to limit how apps track you," said Arvind Narayanan, an associate professor of computer science at Princeton University.

Narayanan said to pay attention any time a screen prompts you for permissions.

"Don't simply tap the default option. When you try to restrict tracking, many apps will try to convince you that you're missing out. These are generally misleading or deceptive claims," he told NPR.

John Davisson, director of litigation and senior counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said that although steps to protect your privacy mainly depend on the specific app, users can opt out of personalized ads on Google and turn off cross-app tracking.

"That prevents the data that you input to one application from being correlated or collated with data uploaded to another application," Davisson told NPR.

If you're signed into your Google account, turn the slider for "ads personalization" to "OFF" here. This opt-out will work for all of your signed-in devices when recognized as being signed in, according to Google.

And when signed out of your Google account, you can opt out of personalized ads across the web and on Google search under the options here.

You can turn off personalized ads on Apple devices, Androids and Facebook and Twitter as well by following steps here.

Users can also disable their mobile advertising ID, which limits the ways that companies can collate your data, location, search history and browsing history, according to Davisson.

For iPhone users, go to Settings > Privacy > Tracking to see if there are any apps you previously allowed access to track. Switch the slider to "off" where it says "Allow Apps to Request to Track" so the button appears gray.

For Android users, go to Settings > Privacy > Ads > and tap "delete advertising ID." An older version of Android may instead give the option to "Opt out of Ads Personalization."

Reading apps' "privacy nutrition labels" can give prospective users a clearer sense of the types of data apps are collecting and how it's being used, according to Davisson.

Apple says these labels are a way to provide a more transparent explanation of how apps handle user data.

You can find Apple's privacy nutrition labels when you scroll down on the page of an app in the App Store where you'll see an "App Privacy" section.

Google Play implemented a similar label for Android users that began appearing on some apps in April.

These labels don't always tell the whole story, however, as Apple and Google say the developers self-report this information.

Specifically with BetterHelp, the Mozilla Foundation recommends to not connect the app to any social media accounts or third-party tools and to not share medical data when connected to any of those accounts. "Click the 'Shred' button next to each message you've sent if you want it to no longer show in your account," Mozilla's privacy guide says.

With Talkspace, Mozilla recommends: "Do not give an authorization to use or disclose your medical information. If you have given it already (or if you are unsure), revoke it by sending an email to privacy@Talkspace.com. Otherwise, your medical data including psychotherapy notes may be shared for marketing."

You can also ask Talkspace to limit what's shared with your insurance by emailing request@talkspace.com.

Another option for privacy-minded people is to use a virtual private network. VPNs are used to mask the location of your computer and stop an internet service provider from seeing the websites you visit.

But Narayanan said he believes VPNs are more cumbersome and less effective than other methods at protecting your data and privacy online.

"Unfortunately, the lack of stringent regulation of apps like BetterHelp and Talkspace has forced people into a very difficult choice between obtaining mental health support on the one hand and knowing their privacy will be protected on the other," Davisson said.

Davisson stressed that people's individual digital trails are too complex to monitor and safeguard their own data in every context.

"There's a significant gap in privacy protection and regulation that allows these types of apps to fall through," he said.

Federal privacy laws vary by sector, and HIPAA is limited to health plans, health care clearinghouses, and health care providers, according to Davisson.

The federal law seeks to protect patients' personal health information from being exposed without their knowledge or consent, but Davisson said this does not typically apply to mental health apps or other health apps like period trackers.

See the rest here:

How to protect your privacy when using mental health care apps - NPR

Read More..
Posted in Computer Science | Leave a Comment

What is Engineering? – TeachEngineering

July 18, 2022 | Author: admin

Engineering is all around us, so its often taken for granted. Ask yourself, what do I touch that is not engineered? Engineers develop and deliver consumer goods; design the transportation network of highways, air and rail travel; create and improve the internet; mass produce antibiotics; create artificial heart valves and other life saving medical devices; build lasers; and make wonders such as imaging technology and conveniences like microwave ovens and compact discs even possible. In short, engineers make our quality of life possible.

Engineering is the ultimate human endeavor, creating solutions to the worlds challenges and designing the products that support our quality of life. TeachEngineering makes engineering easy and hands-on for students of all grade levels and in any setting. Browse our extensive curricular collection, learn about the different types of engineering, or watch our YouTube videos that provide step-by-step guidance on how to teach hands-on engineering to anyone, in any setting!

Scientists investigate what is; they discover new knowledge in the universe by peering into the unknown. Engineers design and create what has never existed before.

Why Teach Engineering in K-12?

Explore the Various Types of Engineers!

More here:

What is Engineering? - TeachEngineering

Read More..
Posted in Engineering | Leave a Comment

College of Engineering awarded $5.1M to advance nuclear energy | The University Record – The University Record

July 18, 2022 | Author: admin

The College of Engineerings Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences has received $5.1 million funding for three projects to advance nuclear technology.

The department also is collaborating on three more of the 74 projects that the U.S. Department of Energy is supporting with a total of $61 million.

The biggest project U-M leads funded with $4 million from the Integrated Research Projects program is focused on compact heat exchangers, which would transfer heat from a nuclear reactor to the systems that use the heat directly or convert it to electricity. They are much smaller and thus less expensive than traditional designs.

Diffusion bonding, the process used to create compact heat exchangers, involves stacking grooved plates and pressing them together, causing the grooves to form channels. This new manufacturing technique creates a large number of small channels, which maximize the contact between the metal and the heated fluid, allowing more heat to pass through than in conventional heat exchangers.

However, high temperatures weaken the bonds between plates, limiting the heat exchangers to a lower temperature and eliminating the gains made by making them small. This projects goal is to improve the knowledge of the bonding process to enable strong bonds at high temperatures.

By bringing together the top experts from around the country, the research from this project will improve our ability to make lower-cost and efficient heat exchangers that will decrease the overall costs associated with nuclear energy, said Todd Allen, principal investigator of the project, professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences, and the Glenn F. and Gladys H. Knoll Department Chair of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences.

Another U-M contributor is Fei Gao, professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences. The project includes collaborators at the University of Wisconsin, Idaho National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, Electric Power Research Institute and engineering firm MPR.

Funded with $600,000 by the Nuclear Energy University Partnerships program, Brendan Kochunas, assistant professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences, will lead an effort to speed up the modeling of neutron physics for the software tools developed under the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation program.

Determining the distribution of neutrons in a reactor is critical to understanding the energy output, including how to ramp it up and how to shut it down.

Kochunas and his team will focus on developing new simulation methods that can be applied to advanced nuclear technologies based on SPn theory. The renewed interest in the almost 60-year-old SPn method comes in part from recent theoretical breakthroughs that improve the methods accuracy.

lt is humbling, and I feel grateful for this opportunity to lead an outstanding team of researchers in developing the next generation of SPn methods, Kochunas said.

If successful, the new methods could substantially reduce advanced reactor design cycle times and lead to safer designs. Other U-M contributors are Brian Kiedrowski, associate professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences, and Krishna Garikipati, professor of mechanical engineering and mathematics. The project includes collaborators at the Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Naval Nuclear Laboratory.

Funded with $500,000 from the Nuclear Energy University Partnerships program, professor emeritus Gary Was and associate professor Kevin Field, both of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences, lead a study of how radiation damage evolves through creep, which can shorten the lifespan of a nuclear power plant by potentially affecting all components of a nuclear reactors core.

Coupled with heat and neutron radiation in the reactor core, the mechanical stress causes metal components to slowly deform by a process known as creep. Because of these contributing factors, creep is extremely difficult to assess, and traditional testing cannot assess them independently. This project will use ion beam experiments to develop an understanding of how each individual factor affects creep, which will provide guidelines for the development of creep-resistant alloys.

Thermal and irradiation creep are deformation mechanisms that can limit the long-term sustained operation of a nuclear power plant, Was said. However, traditional irradiation creep testing using neutron beams involves high costs and long lead times.

The advantage of ion beams is that they can produce radiation damage much faster, and with additional computer modeling and simulation, they enable industry to predict when and how creep damage will progress. While data exists to make these predictions about radiation creep for current reactors, this project will produce both data and an understanding of radiation creep that is applicable to advanced reactor applications, for which the data is largely absent.

Other U-M contributors on this work are Fei Gao, professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences, and Priyam Patki, a former U-M postdoctoral research fellow and current process engineer at Intel Corp.

Read more:

College of Engineering awarded $5.1M to advance nuclear energy | The University Record - The University Record

Read More..
Posted in Engineering | Leave a Comment

College of Engineering hosts Plastic Characterization Workshop – University of Rhode Island

July 18, 2022 | Author: admin

KINGSTON July 18, 2022 The College of Engineering hosted a workshop recently for researchers and industry leaders that showcased the advanced capabilities of its core research facilities that can be used for plastic characterization.

Irene Andreu, an adjunct professor of chemical engineering and the director of Operations for the Rhode Island Consortium for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, organized the event.

The key thing about this workshop was that it [focused] on the type of material so when I say polymers and plastics, Im saying that very deliberately because if youre a company that makes plastics, or if youre doing pharmaceutical research, you refer to them as polymers, she said.

The public associates plastics now as a bad thing because of micro plastics, so if youre doing research on micro plastics, you talk to them about plastics, she said, but the thing is that the characterization techniques are the same for microplastics and manufactured polymers. So what I [wanted] to do with this workshop is bring people together that are looking at the exact same material, but from two different points of view.

Andreu invited experts from Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (the manufacturer of most of the equipment in the core facilities), the American branch of the Japanese Shimadzu Corporation, to the event to speak about how others in the field are using these instruments.

The presenters from Shimadzu and their topics were: Alan Owens, the use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for microplastic research; Gilbert Vial, the use of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy microscopy for plastic identification; Evan Moreira, the mechanical testing of composite materials; Meagan Moore, the use of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for polymer additives in the food industry; and Laura Mohanty, the thermal analysis of polymers.

We have a great relationship with the people at Shimadzu, so Im very glad they came in-person, Andreu said. It was the first time she had met many of them in-person, and it was the first time they had been able to see the facilities in-person as well.

They were happy that the instruments have found a nice new home, she said, and they seem to be happy with the way that the facilities are managed and how the instruments are maintained.

One of Andreus goals is to provide access to the facilities for students, researchers, a variety of industries, other academic institutions and government agencies to work on important issues like plastic and other types of pollution; pharmaceutical development, food testing, forensic toxicology, live cell imaging, fracture and stress analysis, among many others.

In addition to the team from Shimadzu, there were three presenters from URI: Vinka Oyanedel-Craver, a professor and associate dean of research for the Department of Civil and Environmental engineering, who gave the opening remarks; Tania Silva de Oliveria, a Ph.D. candidate in chemical engineering who does research in nanotechnology and colloidal science, who discussed atomic force microscopy to test the interaction of microplastics with bacteria; and Ph.D. candidate Sarah Davis.

Davis, who began her Ph.D. studies in biological and environmental sciences on the ecology and ecosystem sciences track last fall, explained how her team uses Raman spectroscopy for its research on environmental microplastics.

The focus of my research is investigating the presence, movement and impacts of microplastics in Rhode Islands waterways, primarily in Narragansett Bay, she said. [We look at] pollutant transport in the bay, so waters like rivers and watershed areas surrounding the bay, and isolated freshwater areas as well. So just kind of getting a baseline understanding of whats in the water, and on top of that, doing work to understand how its impacting the organisms.

To get the samples that they use in the Raman microscope, Davis and her team take a 330-micron net which is about a third of a millimeter or about a third of the size of the tip of a sharpened pencil into the Bay and scrape the surface of the water. They then take the particles and put them under a high-resolution microscope to get a better view of what they look like, and then take a hot needle and poke them to see if they melt. If they do, then the sample is likely plastic, as opposed to other human-made products like spun cotton, or natural particles like rocks.

After looking at the samples, the team takes a random sample of 20% of them to the Raman microscope. The researchers put the sample under the microscope and they can view it on a computer screen. Once its focused, the machine shines a laser on the object and produces a spectrum readout. Based on that readout, theyre able to identify the specific plastic in the sample.

In total, 55 people attended the event, including four from outside of the University, Andreu said.

One attendee, Ire Asojo, is a rising sophomore in the Brown University/Rhode Island School of Design dual degree program. Asojo, who is studying the effect of input materials (different clays and burnout ratio) on ceramic water filters performance (strength and bacteria filtration), was interested in the event because she wanted to learn more about scientists work concerning microplastics.

What interested me was knowing more about microplastics and the different ways of working

with and testing them. she said. I feel like I learned a lot. Its very helpful to see what other people are working on, the different ways to analyze microplastics, and what applications these analyses have depending on what field youre in.

It was really cool, Davis said, it was neat to hear the different applications for the types of machines that are in the core facilities.

Davis also was glad for the opportunity to see how these machines can be applied to other fields, such as polymer manufacturing, and how that could be applied to her field.

Its neat to hear what has already been done with those machines and how we might be able to sneak in our environmental stuff as well, in particular theres the LC-MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry), and we heard how they were testing for additives in wines and beers and different alcohols, she said. My mind was just asking can we put some seawater in this? Can we do that with sea water samples?

During the breaks people were chatting with each other and discussing their projects with researchers that they would not have met otherwise, Andreu said, Im hoping that we get some new collaborations happening because of this.

People told me that they liked to see all of these techniques in context, and they got some ideas on doing things or using instruments that they hadnt thought could be used for their research, she said. I think based on the feedback, well try to host something like this again.

The facilities are open to researchers and the general public both within and outside of the University, Andreu said, and she shared that shed love to speak with people who are interested in learning more about them.

If anybody ever wants to come and see the lab, whether its in the context of plastics or something else, or if people are just curious about the core facilities, they can contact me or come to the College of Engineering, she said, Id be happy to show anybody around and talk about microscopes.

Andreu can be reached via email at iandreu@uri.edu or by phone at 401-874-6885.

Mary Lind, a graduate student who works in URIs Department of Marketing and Communications, wrote this release.

The rest is here:

College of Engineering hosts Plastic Characterization Workshop - University of Rhode Island

Read More..
Posted in Engineering | Leave a Comment

Master of Science in Engineering Management | NU – National University

July 18, 2022 | Author: admin

Academic Program Director:Ben Radhakrishnan; [emailprotected]

This specialization focuses on complex technology systems that have a far reaching effect on society and its people. These systems are comprised of three types of entities: a) complex products such as aircraft, ships, land vehicles, and military hardware; b) networks of information and infrastructure such as air traffic control, highways, and public works and environmental processes; and, c) the organizations that design, build, and maintain these products, systems and related services, i.e., businesses (public and private, for-profit and non-profit), military command, and government agencies. The systems engineering program provides knowledge in the activities related to the life cycle of systems including definition, development, deployment, and decommission

Program Learning Outcomes:Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

Specialization Requirements (4 courses; 18 quarter units)

SYE600 Introduction to Systems Design 4.50

SYE601 Systems Analysis & Design Eval 4.50

Prerequisite:SYE600

SYE602 Advanced System Design 4.50

Prerequisite:SYE601

SYE603 System Dynamics 4.50

Prerequisite:SYE602

Read the original:

Master of Science in Engineering Management | NU - National University

Read More..
Posted in Engineering | Leave a Comment

Columbia Business School and Columbia Engineering to Offer New "Dual MBA/Executive MS in Engineering and Applied Science" Program – Yahoo…

July 18, 2022 | Author: admin

20-month program to provide students with critical skill set to meet evolving business demands

NEW YORK, July 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of a commitment to prepare the business leaders of tomorrow, Columbia Business School and Columbia University's School of Engineering and Applied Science will offer a new dual-degree program that pairs the foundational skill sets of business with those of engineering. Students in the 20-month program will receive two degrees: a Master of Business Administration and an Executive Master of Science in Engineering and Applied Science. The program will officially launch in September 2023 and interested students can beginapplying now.

Designed to meet the evolving needs of leaders in technology, product managers, entrepreneurs, and other roles associated with technology and business, the Dual MBA/Executive MS in Engineering and Applied Science curriculumwill cover core engineering, areas of "tough tech," and applied science foundations, as well as essential business courses in leadership, strategy, finance, economics, and marketing. Students will take courses with both Columbia Business School and Columbia Engineering faculty, spend a summer pursuing an entrepreneurial venture or interning at a technology company, and complete a capstone project.

"Today's business challenges are multidisciplinary, and their solutions often lean on technological innovations. Students need, on one hand, a broad exposure to and understanding of how technology and engineering breakthroughs are shaping our lives today and the world of tomorrow. And, on the other hand, they need a deep understanding of business and, importantly, how to manage and lead in this dynamic environment," said Columbia Business SchoolDean Costis Maglaras, the David and Lyn Silfen Professor of Business. "In this competitive marketplace, Columbia's new MBAxMS: Engineering & Applied Science equips students with both the management skills and the science and technology core that enables them to move seamlessly from the classroom to product development to large-scale innovation and ultimately help create and grow companies and drive change."

The MBAxMS: Engineering & Applied Science core curriculum will focus on the creative application of technology and will include a variety of new and existing courses, including Digital Disruption & Tech Transfer, Business Analytics, Human-Centered Design and Innovation, and more. Students will also choose from an extensive array of electives designed to stimulate innovation, strengthen analytical skills, and bolster critical knowledge for their specific entrepreneurial or enterprise path.

"Technology, data, and analytics are transforming every aspect of modern businesses, especially those prized by the ambitious and entrepreneurial students who come to Columbia University," said Columbia Engineering Dean Shih-Fu Chang, the Morris A. and Alma Schapiro Professor of Engineering. "We recognize how important it is to provide students with broad exposures to emerging technology breakthroughs, the comprehensive training of business leadership skills, the unique experience in applying the human-centric design approach to innovative products and solutions, and importantly the ability to apply these unique skills in confronting major challenges facing our society and business world today. We look forward to partnering with Columbia Business School to launch an unprecedented program that can give our students a major boost."

The dual degree program, which is based in New York City, provides students with unmatched access and opportunities to work with and learn from the world's leaders in business, technology, data, analytics, and more. This includes opportunities to learn from guest speakers, meet with in-house mentors, and pursue internship opportunities that extend beyond the summer months. With one of the largest tech and entrepreneurial ecosystems in the country, the NYC location provides a unique, one-of-a-kind experience for the Dual MBA/Executive MS in Engineering and Applied Science students and graduates.

To learn more about the program, please visit https://academics.gsb.columbia.edu/mbaxms.

About Columbia Business SchoolColumbia Business School is the only world-class, Ivy League business school that delivers a learning experience where academic excellence meets with real-time exposure to the pulse of global business. The thought leadership of the School's faculty and staff members, combined with the accomplishments of its distinguished alumni and position in the center of global business, means that the School's efforts have an immediate, measurable impact on the forces shaping business every day. To learn more about Columbia Business School's position at the very center of business, please visitwww.gsb.columbia.edu.

About Columbia Engineering Columbia Engineering, based in New York City, is one of the top engineering schools in the U.S. and one of the oldest in the nation. Also known as The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School expands knowledge and advances technology through the pioneering research of its more than 250 faculty, while educating undergraduate and graduate students in a collaborative environment to become leaders informed by a firm foundation in engineering. The School's faculty are at the center of the University's cross-disciplinary research, contributing to the Data Science Institute, Earth Institute, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Precision Medicine Initiative, and the Columbia Nano Initiative. Guided by its strategic vision, "Columbia Engineering for Humanity," the School aims to translate ideas into innovations that foster a sustainable, healthy, secure, connected, and creative humanity. To learn more about Columbia Engineering, please visit engineering.columbia.edu.

Cision

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/columbia-business-school-and-columbia-engineering-to-offer-new-dual-mbaexecutive-ms-in-engineering-and-applied-science-program-301588295.html

SOURCE Columbia Business School

Read this article:

Columbia Business School and Columbia Engineering to Offer New "Dual MBA/Executive MS in Engineering and Applied Science" Program - Yahoo...

Read More..
Posted in Engineering | Leave a Comment

WVU Today | WVU engineers advance U.S. Air Force search and rescue missions in hostile territories with unmanned drones – WVU Today

July 18, 2022 | Author: admin

A member of the United States military is separated from their group, leaving them lost in an unsafe battlespace. To stay hidden from enemies, they use a smart handheld device that connects to a team of drones that locates missing personnel without using GPS signals allowing them to be quickly and safely located.

This is the realityWest Virginia Universityengineers are makingpossible for combat search and rescue operations to pinpoint isolated personnel without using radio GPS that an enemy can easily intercept.

Through a 21-month, $300,000 project with funding from the Small Business Innovation Research of the U.S. Air Force Laboratory and in partnership with Kinnami Software Corporation,Guilherme Pereira, associate professor in theDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineeringat theBenjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, is working to change the way search and rescue tasks are executed in hostile territories.

"In some environments, such as underground, in buildings, forests or in warfare, GPS signals are not available, only partially available, or jammed, preventing drones from self-localizing using GPS," Pereira said. "Therefore, drones need to rely on other sensors, such as accelerometers and cameras, to estimate their position. In a cooperative team of robots, they can also use information from other robots in the team to help with their localization."

The contract, through the U.S. Air Force Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, will support development of Kinnami's resilient data platform, AmiShare, and WVU's research on the robustness of navigation in challenging environments. Kinnami's resilient data management platform, combined with WVU positioning and navigation algorithms for unmanned drones and ground devices, provides a new solution to increase search and rescue effectiveness in saving isolated personnel.

Kinnami's platform can work in degraded communications environments and provides a secure means to share sensitive data in a timely way, such as location or biometrics, which will allow a rescue team to monitor the lost person and their health during the rescue mission. Kinnamis platform, AmiShare, will enable secure peer-to-peer data sharing about the person being rescued in real-time and will support mission operations more effectively.

By using a network of drones and rescuers carrying Android Tactical Assault Kits (ATAKs), search and rescue teams can have data shared directly with them in order to locate the missing individuals. ATAK is an Android smartphone geospatial infrastructure and military situation awareness app that allows precision targeting, surrounding land formation intelligence, navigation and data sharing.

"Rescue teams will receive health information from the lost person. This information can be used to plan the rescue mission and help prioritize personnel rescue in cases where several people are being rescued," Pereira said. "ATAKs will also give the search and rescue team the ability to control the drones, pointing them to regions with a higher probability of finding lost personal or simply moving them away from other rescue vehicles."

WVU's research and Kinnami's platform will be used with the network of drones and in the ATAK devices to form a single network that communicates as one sharing data between rescue team members in the air, on the ground, command and control personnel.

In this research, Pereira and co-principal investigatorJason Gross, interim chair and associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, will assume the drones will use radio signals to estimate the relative distance between them. Then, in a network of several drones, once one robot knows its localization, the information can be combined with the range to estimate the localization of the entire team.

"Using the same principles of the robots, we will be able to also localize people without using GPS signals," Pereira said. "This will be important in search and rescue missions, where the missing person may also be carrying an ATAK."

Once the lost person's device is connected to the network, the rescue personnel will have an estimate of their position, thus allowing a fast rescue.

"WVU research is complementary to Kinnami's platform since Kinnamis software will secure all the communications involved, including drone to drone communications, drone control signals and the communication between the ATAK devices and these devices and drones," Pereira said. "Securing these will prevent enemy hackers from finding the lost person before the rescue team or faking a lost person in a different position."

Engineers will use a new indoor robotics testing facility that is currently under construction in the Statler College.

This project leverages our existing research in this area from another project with Kinnami and extends it to include human operators and ground beacons which add new dimensions of research questions, Gross said. We seek to integrate several technologies: network data security, cooperative localization and control across a network of humans and robots. Each of these technologies are needed for search and rescue operations in contested environments so, in this project, it is important to think through the implications and limitations by trying to integrate them.

Kinnami AmiShare integration with Robot Operating System and the ATAK app will provide a resilient data fabric for secure peer-to-peer communications acrossrescue teams, Sujeesh Krishnan, CEO of Kinnami Software Corporation, said.

Our software, in combination with WVUs positioning and navigation algorithms for drones, will provide new capabilities to the 563rd Rescue Group, our Air Force customer, for locating isolated personnel in network degraded and GPS denied environments, said Krishnan. Were excited to partner with WVU to support faster safer smarter rescue missions for the Air Force and for other first responders where up-to-date situational awareness is key to response and action.

The future of the U.S. Air Force is through innovation and forward-thinking technology, and were excited to be working with Kinnami and West Virginia University on the next stage of this project, U.S. Air Force Major Joshua Stanley with the 563rd Rescue Group said. Having the ability for rescue teams to and communicate in real-time with each other and more efficiently locate isolated personnel, in contested and degraded environments, provides operational and strategic advantages for Air Force personnel recovery operations."

-WVU-

au/07/18/22

MEDIA CONTACT: Paige NesbitMarketing and Communications DirectorWVU Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources304-293-4135;paige.nesbit@mail.wvu.edu

Call 1-855-WVU-NEWS for the latest West Virginia University news and information from WVUToday.

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.

See the article here:

WVU Today | WVU engineers advance U.S. Air Force search and rescue missions in hostile territories with unmanned drones - WVU Today

Read More..
Posted in Engineering | Leave a Comment

USACE Engineering With Nature program at heart of recent Presidential Executive Order – The Vicksburg Post – Vicksburg Post

July 18, 2022 | Author: admin

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineering With Nature (EWN) program enables more sustainable delivery of economic, social and environmental benefits associated with infrastructure.

For more than 10 years, the program has grown substantially garnering support from collaborative partners from around the world and recently reaching all the way to the White House.

Engineering With Nature represents an approach to developing and operating a project, expanding the benefits gained by integrating the natural landscape into the engineering design, said Dr. Todd Bridges, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) senior research scientist for environmental sciences and national EWN program lead.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) is becoming a universal term to describe the types of projects EWN creates and is now the standard in the U.S. and internationally in relation to U.N. activities and communities of practice in climate-change treaties.

Layering nature-based solutions with traditional infrastructure achieves more socially acceptable, environmentally viable and sustainable projects. These projects potentially have lower whole-life costs, provide a greater diversity of benefits and may be more adaptable over time than conventional alternatives.

Over the last five years, natural hazards, such as floods and storms, produced more than $10 billion in damages to Department of Defense (DOD) installations, Bridges said. The complex DOD mission necessitates resilient infrastructure systems requiring innovative action. EWN is leading the way to harness the power of nature to support mission resilience.

The EWN program, and NBS in general, received major support from the highest level when President Joe Biden issued Executive Order 14072, Strengthening the Nations Forests, Communities, and Local Economies on April 22.

In Section 4, titled Deploying Nature-Based Solutions to Tackle Climate Change and Enhance Resilience, the order identifies three activities to push NBS forward.

It calls for an interagency report on NBS and how to overcome obstacles in their implementation in the federal government and how to facilitate the progression of NBS. ERDC scientists and personnel from other federal agencies have joined a White House working group to develop ideas on how to implement NBS across the nation.

The order also directs the Office of Management and Budget to issue guidance related to the valuation of ecosystem and environmental services and natural assets in federal regulatory decision-making. According to Bridges, this is critical for USACE project approval, justification and evaluation through the benefit cost-analysis process.

Lastly, the order establishes the commitment to perform a national nature assessment. There is no national effort to collect the status of nature as it relates to humankind. This national nature assessment will look at the condition of nature and how it is being harmed.

The issuing of this executive order lays the groundwork for big change where the Engineering With Nature program is concerned, said Bridges. EWN is at the heart of this executive order. Many USACE projects already apply EWN principles, and the executive order will push EWN further into the mainstream from once innovative to now expected. Communities win with resilient natural infrastructure providing expanded economic, environmental and social benefits.

Link:

USACE Engineering With Nature program at heart of recent Presidential Executive Order - The Vicksburg Post - Vicksburg Post

Read More..
Posted in Engineering | Leave a Comment

Tested: 2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring Dazzles with Clever Design and Inspired Engineering – Car and Driver

July 18, 2022 | Author: admin

There's no shortage of tech startups with ambitious plans to build electric vehicles, with varying degrees of hype and flakiness. Lucid Motors is one of these emerging young brands, and while its first product, the 2022 Air luxury sedan, features its fair share of gadgetry and design dazzle, it's also an impressive example of what can result when tech dweebs and car nerds collaborate.

The Lucid Air made its debut as the limited-production Dream Edition, which has since sold out, and now is in the process of fleshing out the lineup. We sampled the now-top-spec Grand Touring Performance near Lucid's headquarters in Newark, California, and tested the next-rung-down Grand Touring back home in Michigan. Lower-cost Touring and Pure trims are set to join the lineup by the end of the year, but for now the $140,500 Grand Touring is the most affordable variant. Lucid has since increased the price of the Grand Touring model to $155,650, but only on orders received after June 1, 2022.

Michael SimariCar and Driver

For that six-figure outlay, you get a four-door EV sedan with a luxuriously trimmed cabin, 819 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and an EPA-estimated driving range that's far and away the most generous among EVs. The special sauce is Lucid's innovative battery pack (112.0-kWh capacity in the Grand Touring) and its super-aerodynamic design, which allows it to achieve up to an estimated 516 miles per charge when equipped with the standard 19-inch wheels. (The optional 21-inch wheels reduce that to 469 miles.) In our 75-mph highway range test, our Grand Touring test car (on 19s) managed 410 milesconsiderably less than the EPA number, but still the best result of any EV we've ever tested, and the first to top 400 miles.

The $180,500 Grand Touring Performance entices with 1050 horsepower, but even with its slightly larger 118.0-kWh battery pack, its EPA range estimate is lower at 446 miles. Twenty-one-inch wheels wearing summer tires are standard here, which contributes to the reduced range, but the additional power potential from the electric motors is also partially to blame.

Michael SimariCar and Driver

HIGHS: The EV range champ, a surfeit of power, striking design.

Charging is quick in both Grand Touring models, and Lucid estimates that on a DC fast-charging connection, 300 miles can be added to the battery in just 21 minutes. When we did our fast-charging test from 10 to 90 percent charge on an Air Dream, it took 46 minutes at an average rate of 135 kW, the fastest we had ever measured. Home charging is slower, naturally, but the Air can accept the highest rate of Level 2 charging, 19.2 kW, assuming your house is wired to give at that rate, which can add about 75 miles for every hour the car is plugged in.

Both models are powered by a dual electric motor powertrain, and Lucid claims the more powerful Performance version can hit 60 mph in 2.6 seconds. (The slightly more powerful Dream Edition Performance model did exactly that when we tested it earlier this year.) The 819-hp Grand Touring, meanwhile, hit 60 mph in 3.0 seconds flat at our test track.

Michael SimariCar and Driver

Merely feathering the accelerator pedal moves either Lucid forward without delay, but the Performance is noticeably punchier. A launch-control feature allows the driver to easily unlock the car's maximum capability for straight-line performance: First select Sprint mode, then simply hold your left foot on the brake and mat the go pedal until the telltale blue-bear logo appears on the gauge display. Release the brake, and the car rockets forward with a whoosh and virtually no wheelspin.

The Air's road manners are refined and borderline athletic. It's not as sharp as the Porsche Taycan, and its width makes it feel less nimble than an Audi e-tron GT. The 0.82 g of grip on the 19-inch all-season range tire also falls well short of those cars, whereas the previous Dream Edition we tested on the summer 21s did 0.92 g. But the Grand Touring nonetheless offers a compelling blend of comfort and sport. Three driving modes alter the car's suspension, steering, and powertrain to a surprising degree. Smooth mode, the Air's most comfortable setting, sets the dampers to soak up bumps as much as possible and limits the horsepower to help preserve range. Swift and Sprint modes are where things get more interesting, with the latter unlocking the maximum horsepower. The dampers are firmed up in these settings for better handling, and the steering dials in a bit more heft as well as some road feel that's largely absent in the default Smooth mode.

Michael SimariCar and Driver

No matter the setting, the Air's brake pedal feels squishy through the initial bit of travel before firming up as the pads bite at the rotors. Luckily, the Air's two regenerative braking modesStandard and Highboth are aggressive enough so that drivers can avoid touching the brakes the majority of the time, although some drivers might welcome a less regenerative coast mode. The Air Grand Touring's 193-foot stop from 70 mph, though, is a disappointing performance, some 30 feet longer than that from the summer-tire-equipped Dream.

The Air's design to a large degree is both aesthetically pleasing and thoughtful. The front- and rear-seat passenger compartments are more spacious than expected, and interior materials are both premium and contemporary, with soft nappa-leather upholstery and textile-covered dash panels. Cleverly located storage bins, including one hidden beneath the lower infotainment display screen, provide ample places to stash smaller items, and the Air's cargo capacity is adequate thanks to a deep well under the car's hood and a wide-mouthed, if somewhat awkwardly accessed, trunk.

Michael SimariCar and Driver

LOWS: Broiling under glass, body squeaks and creaks, work-in-progress infotainment software.

Missteps are few, but they include a wireless charging pad that could accommodate an iPhone 13 Pro Max only when the phone was inserted caseless and upside down. Similar to the Tesla Model X SUV, the Lucid Air's windshield runs uninterrupted up and over the roof, creating a wide-open view for everyone inside. This type of vehicular showmanship is sure to impress prospective buyers when they first slide behind the wheel, but the wow factor quickly becomes a sweat-on-the-brow factor when the car sits in the sun.

Michael SimariCar and Driver

To match the Air's cutting-edge electric powertrain, Lucid has installed an equally impressive infotainment system, but its software is still a work in progress. The curved 34.0-inch display and onscreen graphics give the interface a high-end look, but the software occasionally lags, and accessing simple features sometimes requires wading through submenus. Lucid assures us that enhancements are on the way via over-the-air updates and says that as many as 17 updates have already been pushed out to customer cars since the Air's launch. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are on the list to be added to the infotainment system but haven't yet been enabled. The unfinished nature of the infotainment software combined with some body creaks and squeaks remind us that this is an early-build car from a brand-new automaker.

Still, as a first stab at luxury EV motoring, the Lucid Air is a mighty impressive piece with many traits both car enthusiasts and technology aficionados will appreciate. Lucid, for the most part, has avoided the temptation of stunt engineering and instead focused on creating a groundbreaking electric car with excellence rooted in performance and efficiency.

Specifications

2022 Lucid Air Grand TouringVehicle Type: front- and mid-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICEBase/As Tested: $140,500/$140,500 Options: none

POWERTRAINFront Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC Rear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC Combined Power: 819 hpCombined Torque: 885 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 112.0 kWhOnboard Charger: 19.2 kWTransmissions, F/R: direct-drives

CHASSISSuspension, F/R: multilink/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 15.0-in vented disc/14.8-in vented discTires: Pirelli P Zero All Season Elect245/45R-19 102Y M+S LM1

DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 116.5 inLength: 195.9 inWidth: 76.2 inHeight: 55.4 inPassenger Volume: 103 ft3Cargo Volume: 32 ft3Curb Weight: 5212 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS60 mph: 3.0 sec100 mph: 6.0 sec130 mph: 10.3 sec1/4-Mile: 10.7 sec @ 132 mph150 mph: 14.3 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.Rolling Start, 560 mph: 3.7 secTop Gear, 3050 mph: 1.6 secTop Gear, 5070 mph: 2.1 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 173 mphBraking, 700 mph: 193 ftBraking, 1000 mph: 385 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.82 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMYObserved: 82 MPGe75-mph Highway Range: 410 mi

EPA FUEL ECONOMYCombined/City/Highway: 131/130/132 MPGeRange: 516 mi

C/D TESTING EXPLAINED

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

Continued here:

Tested: 2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring Dazzles with Clever Design and Inspired Engineering - Car and Driver

Read More..
Posted in Engineering | Leave a Comment

What is an engineering degree? The nuts and bolts of engineering – ZDNet

July 18, 2022 | Author: admin

Hinterhaus Productions/Getty Images

Engineers use scientific principles to design solutions to problems. An engineering degree teaches you the skills you'll need to enter the field.

Numerous specializations and subdisciplines exist within engineering. Popular careers an engineering degree prepares you for include:

If you want to know more about everything engineering is and can do for you, check out the information we've gathered for you here.

Engineering programs teach you the fundamentals of the discipline and how to apply them. An engineering degree builds critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills alongside technical abilities in areas like modeling, programming, and design.

The more advanced the engineering degree, the more in-depth the information. An associate program introduces you to engineering essentials while a graduate degree covers advanced coursework and research in the discipline.

You can earn an engineering degree at any level.

Many engineering jobs require a bachelor's degree. Advancing to managerial or senior roles may require a graduate degree.

The type of engineering you study also dictates what degrees exist. Engineering subdisciplines include:

An associate degree in engineering typically lasts two years. The curriculum includes classes in mathematics, physics, and chemistry alongside courses in engineering fundamentals.

You learn about engineering drawing and graphics, electric circuits, material science, and computer programming. Lab classes and practical requirements give you opportunities to apply degree content to real-world engineering scenarios, challenges, and projects.

With an associate degree in engineering, you can enter the workforce in roles such as engineering technician and technical support engineer.

An associate degree also prepares you to continue onto a bachelor's degree in general engineering or any engineering discipline.

Engineering bachelor's degrees generally take four years. General education coursework accompanies fundamental engineering classes in statics, dynamics, material science, programming, and engineering economics.

As you progress through a bachelor's degree in engineering, you take advanced classes in subsets of the discipline.

At the end of a bachelor's degree, you complete a capstone requirement. You may team up with classmates to complete an engineering project using everything you've learned through the program.

The capstone prepares students for work in the engineering industry. Students often get to work with real clients on actual projects.

Bachelor of arts in engineering vs bachelor of science

Some schools offer a bachelor of arts (BA) in engineering. Others offer a bachelor of science (BS). In some cases, an institution may provide a pathway to both. These degrees differ in coursework and outcome.

A BA in engineering integrates more classes in the humanities and social science to prepare students for non-technical engineering positions. BA engineering coursework is typically general and does not focus on a specific engineering discipline.

A BS in engineering requires more STEM coursework, including upper-level courses in a specific discipline. Most BS degree programs are ABET-accredited, which demonstrates that the program meets the industry standards of quality engineering education. BA degrees are not ABET-accredited.

Most prospective engineers are best served by a BS in engineering. An ABET-accredited BS in engineering meets the education requirements for professional licensing, which is required for career progression in many engineering disciplines.

A master's degree in engineering includes two years or less of coursework, research, and practical requirements. Most engineering master's programs begin with core classes in engineering methods and research.

Because engineering is so multifaceted, master's degrees focus on one of the many specialized subsets of the field.

You can earn a master's in electrical engineering, engineering management, mechanical engineering, or any other engineering discipline.

Depending on the program and your desired outcome, you may complete a research-based thesis or an internship or practicum. If you want to continue on to a doctorate in engineering, a thesis is your better option.

With a master's degree in engineering, you may enter engineering manager and senior engineer roles.

A doctorate in engineering may fall into one of two categories.

A doctor of engineering, or D.Eng., emphasizes technical expertise. A doctor of philosophy in engineering, or Ph.D., focuses on theoretical research.

Both doctoral degrees have research components, but the former culminates in a portfolio while the latter ends with a dissertation.

Doctoral degrees in engineering last three to five years. Within an engineering doctorate, you choose a specific focus area.

Doctorates in engineering open opportunities to work as engineering executives, applied researchers, and instructors at colleges and universities.

In addition to schoolwide accreditation, undergraduate engineering programs should hold programmatic accreditation fromABET's Engineering Accreditation Commission.

Earning an engineering degree accredited by ABET signals to your colleagues and potential employers that you've completed a program that meets the standards established by experts in the field.

Students who want to pursue a professional engineering license should complete an ABET-accredited bachelor's degree program. Master's degree and doctoral programs are less frequently ABET-accredited because they are more customizable than bachelor's degrees.

Engineering is a challenging, exciting, and rewarding field. Having a background or affinity for mathematics and science benefits engineering students. A determined student can pick up these skills as they study.

Engineering programs blend theory and practice with individual and group coursework. Projects, assignments, and assessments require problem-solving and analytical skills at all levels of study as you prepare yourself for an engineering career.

Engineering coursescan be difficult. Dedication and self-motivation factor as heavily into success as technical and practical skills.

Sierra Gawlowski, PE, earned her BS in civil engineering and is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Washington. She has worked for a private engineering consulting firm as well as for public agencies.

Sierra enjoys mentoring engineering students and junior staff. She also leads a project team for Engineers Without Borders and currently sits on the board of directors for Kilowatts for Humanity.

Gawlowski is a paid member of the Red Ventures Education Integrity Network.

Last reviewed May 22, 2022.

Excerpt from:

What is an engineering degree? The nuts and bolts of engineering - ZDNet

Read More..
Posted in Engineering | Leave a Comment