Innovation Poster

Mars (1)

Ron Li (rocket – LRO, moon research):  Rongxing (Ron) Li, professor of civil and environmental engineering and geodetic science, has won awards for his research collaborations with NASA. The creator of the mapping software NASA uses to track the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity, Li's latest projects include the Mars Panoramic Scanner, a camera system that can scan the horizon and form a full 360-degree panorama in 220 seconds. The system has the potential to improve the accuracy and speed for future Mars rovers to find their way on the Mars surface and to obtain accurate 3-D photogrammetric measurements using two stereo panoramas to locate obstacles and assist scientists in analyzing the planet's geological surface. Li is also a participating scientist of NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission. In addition, he is working with a $1.2 million grant from the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, a NASA-supported organization, to develop a GPS-like system to help astronauts overcome disorientation that they can experience on the moon due to microgravity and other factors. The system, which is now in prototype form and called LASOIS, short for Lunar Astronaut Spatial Orientation and Information System, will use imaging, mapping and sensor technology as well as psychological and cognitive research to deliver data to the astronauts through an LCD touch screen. The system was tested in Moses Lake, Wash., in summer 2009, and the improved version is being tested this month in Flagstaff, Ariz., for a longer traverse.

Molten Glass (2)

Along with making pieces of stained glass, high school students are dissecting light bulbs to study the tungsten filament, experimenting with the shape memory alloy nitinol and even cooking up their own chocolate. It’s all part of materials science lessons from ASM, the Materials Information Society, and Ohio State’s College of Engineering to spur interest in young students before they embark on their college years.

iShoe (3)

College of Engineering students are working with students from other colleges as well as the Department of Athletics to develop iShoe, an iPhone app for fans to keep closer tabs on the action of the football games.

Clock Hand (4)

Ohio State students are working with parents of children with Down syndrome work to design clocks to help the children learn the concept of time. The project is part of a capstone program called Social Innovation and Commercialization, developed by Peter Rogers in the college’s Engineering Education Innovation Center. Funded by the college and the Tony R. Wells Foundation, the program enables engineering students to develop products to meet the needs of people with disabilities. The students work with nonprofit agencies to identify real needs and then will help take products all the way through manufacturing and sales. Money generated from these sales provides an alternative revenue source for the non-profit partners and helps sustain the engineering program. This year’s pilot program included three teams made up of students studying engineering, business, industrial design and occupational therapy. In addition to the Down Syndrome Association project, they are working with Easter Seals to devise a sensory compression vest to calm autistic children and United Cerebral Palsy to develop adaptable exercise equipment for adults with physical disabilities.

Drones (5)

Almost 70 years ago, the ElectroScience Laboratory was created as a government-sponsored research facility to satisfy national defense needs in wireless communications, radars and optics. Since then, the lab has evolved into a center of excellence in the College of Engineering with a legacy of teaching, scholarship and cutting-edge research. Now, the ElectroScience Laboratory is reinventing itself to incorporate a model where private companies and public universities work together under the same roof.

Solar Decathlon House (6)

Ohio State’s Solar Decathlon team finished its first-ever competition ranked in 10th place. The U.S. Department of Energy contest, which pits 20 university teams in an effort to build, design and operate the best solar house, took place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in October. An Ohio State team also has been selected to participate in the next Solar Decathlon, in 2011.

Roller Coasters (7)

Another highlight of the First-Year Engineering Programis the end-of-year roller coaster competition. This year 20 teams participated, including two from the Newark Campus. The judges were led by Jeff Gramke, manager of facilities, engineering and construction for Cedar Fairs Entertainment. Gramke helped build the Beast at Kings Island.

Robots (8)

In the college’s nationally recognized First-Year Engineering Program, student teams in Fundamentals of Engineering for Honors participate in a year-end competition to design and build autonomous robots. This year’s version of the event required the ’bots to simulate the servicing of small-scale models of sustainable, alternative energy machines — all within a 2-minute time limit.

Buckeye Bullet (9)

The Buckeye Bullet is still in hot pursuit of speed records. This year, the team has sponsorship from French electric vehicle manufacturer Venturi Automobiles and is developinga lithium ion battery powered vehicle. The 2009 Ohio State Venturi Buckeye Bullet 2 team’s 302.877 mph speed on the Salt Flats in Utah was certified by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, making it an official world record. The record of the hydrogen fuel cell powered landspeed streamliner racer and its engineering student team far surpasses the certified record of 132.129 mph the vehicle set in 2007. Read more in the original news release, where you’ll also find an online link to a video of the Bullet flying down the Flats.