Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Yanwen Zhang

kvd1 — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 14:52:19 +0000

Pushing the boundaries of materials science

Propelling Research

kvd1 — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 14:02:49 +0000

Lauren Welte

Our feet make contact with the ground millions of times within our lifetime, yet we still do not completely understand how they function. Using dynamic X-ray video, we image foot bones in ways we could only previously imagine. Recent work has questioned several popular theories about soft tissue function in the arch. Ongoing research aims to understand healthy foot function, to better inform treatments for foot pain. This research has the capacity to propel our understanding of foot function forward.

Location of photograph:

Skeletal Observation Laboratory, Queen’s University

Prize name:

Partnerships and Innovation

Submission Year:

2019-20

Researchers at Offroad Robotics

kvd1 — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 20:30:45 +0000

Heshan Fernando

A group of multidisciplinary engineering researchers with expertise in mining and construction applications, mechanical and mechatronics systems, as well as electrical and computer engineering collaborate to develop the next generation of field and mobile robots.

Location of photograph:

Jackson Hall, Queen’s University

Prize name:

Community Collaborations

Submission Year:

2019-20

Helping Robots Learn to Walk

kvd1 — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 15:12:03 +0000

Dr. Amy Wu is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Queen’s University. She leads the Biomechanics x Robotics Laboratory (BxRL) and is a member of the Queen’s Ingenuity Labs Research Institute. Her research interests include mechatronics, human biomechanics, and wearable and assistive devices. One of Dr.

New fellows recognized for research and leadership in engineering

moonr — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 16:01:01 +0000

Research Announcement

Recognizing research excellence at Queen’s

moonr — Mon, 27 May 2019 16:01:01 +0000

Margaret Moore (Political Studies), Tucker Carrington (Chemistry; Physics, Engineering Physics & Astronomy), Mark Daymond (Mechanical and Materials Engineering; Physics, Engineering Physics & Astronomy), Robert Ross (Kinesiology and Health Studies)

Research Award

OTTER Lab: Measuring flow around moving objects with high-speed lasers

moonr — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 18:31:51 +0000

On May 8, 2015, the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Queen’s University unveiled a new Optical Towing Tank for Energetics Research (OTTER) laboratory which studies how animals such as birds and fish move by using high-speed laser measurements.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elc3W1HGLR4

GAITway to Namaste

kvd1 — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 20:19:50 +0000

Laura Hutchinson

This photo demonstrates the collaborative nature of the Human Mobility Research Lab (HMRL) by showcasing the interactions of sport and science, research and practice, and researchers with each other. Yoga is widely practiced for health benefits and focuses on connecting your mind and body. This photo draws parallels between mind and body, and science and reality. The lab and the practice of yoga share a common goal of helping people maintain active, healthy lives for longer. The strength of humans both physically and mentally is at the forefront of this photo and the HMRL.

Location of photograph:

Human Mobility Research Lab (HMRL), Queen's University

Submission Year:

2015-16

Wrinkled Flame

kvd1 — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 19:40:12 +0000

Gabriel Ciccarelli

This a photo taken of a flame propagating (left to right) through a blockage in a square cross-section area channel filled with a mixture of hydrogen-air. The photo is captured using planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) that makes the combustion products visible (gray area). The flame surface resembles the topology of a human brain. The photo was taken using a state-of-the-art Princeton intensified-camera.

Location of photograph:

Combustion Lab, McLaughlin Hall, Queen's University

Submission Year:

2015-16

Heart in a cubic

kvd1 — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 19:21:02 +0000

Hongbing Yu

Second phase particles in alloys are important for the properties of metallic materials. The morphology and chemical composition of the particles are critical for researchers to understand the natures and the roles of these particles. With cutting-edge electron microscope, we can map the distribution of the alloying elements over a particle. A very beautiful particle was observed in a special steel during an experiment which made it appear like a little heart of zirconium was enclosed in a vanadium cubic box.

Location of photograph:

Reactor Material Testing Lab, Queen's University

Submission Year:

2016-17

Wonky Air Bubbles

kvd1 — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 19:17:10 +0000

Frank Secretain

This mosaic features air bubbles (2-2.5 mm in radii) rising through water and sequences of others in the background. Bubbles pass through a sound field whose waves cause non-linear interactions between the air-water interface, which produce surface irregularities and pinch-off smaller bubbles. From the bottom to the top of the photograph bubbles are formed, rise, oscillate, and breakup into smaller bubbles (time differences between consecutive vertical images is 5.5 ms). The breakup is efficacious for minimizing potential air emboli during open-heart surgery.

Location of photograph:

Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Queen’s University

Submission Year:

2016-17

Delta Wing Approach

kvd1 — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 18:51:20 +0000

Joshua Galler

In this image a flat-plate delta wing is approaching a laser sheet shining through lenses below. The wing was mounted in a water tank and is being towed at approximately 1 m/s. The water has been seeded with tiny reflective particles so that as the wing passes through the laser sheet, a camera can film the motion of these particles and later process them to determine the velocity field of the trailing wake. This is called particle image velocimetry, or PIV. Understanding the behaviour of the wake can shed light on delta wing performance in other situations.

Location of photograph:

McLaughlin Hall, Queen's University

Submission Year:

2016-17

Measuring the Invisible Wake of a 500 million-year-old Swimmer

kvd1 — Mon, 21 Jan 2019 15:54:45 +0000

David Rival

With this perspective we see the tail-fin model of Anomalocaris Canadensis, a 500 million-year-old predator from the Burgess Shale, as it passes through the high-speed laser sheet. Not visible on either side are high-speed cameras that capture the motion of millions of tiny silver-coated, hollow-glass spheres that track the flow. By tracking the motion of these tiny spheres we reconstruct the otherwise invisible wake of this ancient swimmer. This fin shape is unique from that period but may serve as a good model for high-performance aerodynamic control surfaces today.

Location of photograph:

OTTER lab, Queen's University

Submission Year:

2017-18

3D printed Al alloy

kvd1 — Mon, 21 Jan 2019 15:49:47 +0000

Hong Qin

The un-uniform cells are aluminum grains. Aluminum grains grow eptaxially towards to the heat flow direction forming fan shaped melt pools during selective laser melting (SLM) process. Half of the grains in red indicate a preferential growth along the laser beam direction due to directional solidification. The grains in blue and green are those located at the melt pool boundaries or where the direction of heat flow with a deviation from the laser beam direction. Fine equiaxed grains nucleated at the melt pool boundary because of the high solidification rate. These complex grains comprise a beautiful fan shaped microstructure of 3D printed aluminum.

Location of photograph:

Reactor Materials Testing Laboratory, Queen's University

Submission Year:

2017-18

Ugo Piomelli

vandusen — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 20:39:15 +0000

Attention All Passengers: This is Your Physicist Speaking

Most of us have had it happen: You are sitting on an airplane, picking through your reheated dinner, when all of a sudden the plane drops a few feet, the fasten-seatbelts sign lights up, and your drink ends up in your lap. Turbulence is a common part of air travel. It can sometimes be a little scary—and on the rare occasion, even deadly.