Introduction Self-regulating systems using feedback loops, i.e. the routing back of the output of a system to its input, have existed since antiquity and have nowadays become an integral part of modern technology. One of the first attempts to rigorously describe control loops using feedback traces back to more than 150 years ago with James… Continue reading Principles of PID Controllers
Author: IEEE_Spectrum
AI and Radar Seek to Unsnarl a 500-Year-Old Traffic Jam
Porta Nuova in Verona, Italy, is the result of then-modern city planning—in the year 1532. The gateway to the city, and its elaborate fortifications, was designed by Michele Sanmicheli, the Renaissance military architect who built fortresses in Crete, Cyprus, and Venice. Those thick walls are still standing, but Porta Nuova is now equally known for… Continue reading AI and Radar Seek to Unsnarl a 500-Year-Old Traffic Jam
College Electric Motorcycle Team Keeps Setting Records
In 2016, IEEE Spectrum spotlighted Ohio State University’s Buckeye Current team, a group of engineering students who dared to test their electric motorcycle’s mettle against professionals in the grueling Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The 20-kilometer “Race to the Clouds” challenged the students with 156 hairpin turns on a trek to the 4,300-meter summit. By 2022,… Continue reading College Electric Motorcycle Team Keeps Setting Records
Partial Automation Doesn’t Make Vehicles Safer
Early on the morning of 3 September, a multi-car accident occurred on Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania, raising alarms about the dangers of relying too heavily on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Two men were killed when a Ford Mustang Mach-E electric vehicle, traveling at 114 kilometers per hour (71 mph), crashed into a car that… Continue reading Partial Automation Doesn’t Make Vehicles Safer
The Next Frontier for EV Batteries: Nanoscale Coatings
Over the past 25 years, the longest driving range of an electric vehicle on a single charge has gone from about 260 kilometers to slightly over 800 km. Increasingly, these advanced battery packs have also begun storing energy from the grid or renewable sources to power homes or businesses. No wonder, then, that the global… Continue reading The Next Frontier for EV Batteries: Nanoscale Coatings
New Laser Could Cram GPS Alternative Into a Shoebox
Dramatically more sensitive motion sensors could help ships keep track of their positions at sea, even in rough weather or when a military opponent jams GPS signals. However, these advanced sensors are typically lab-scale in size. Now researchers have developed a new laser system to help make these sensors fit in a shoebox, as well… Continue reading New Laser Could Cram GPS Alternative Into a Shoebox
NASCAR Unveils Electric Race Car Prototype
NASCAR, the stock car racing sanctioning body known for its high-octane events across the United States, is taking a significant step toward a greener future. In July, during the Chicago Street Race event, NASCAR unveiled a prototype battery-powered race car that marks the beginning of its push to decarbonize motorsports. This move is part of… Continue reading NASCAR Unveils Electric Race Car Prototype
Seaport Electrification Could Slash Emissions Worldwide
According to the International Maritime Organization, shipping was responsible for over 1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in 2018. A significant share of those emissions came from seaport activities, including ship berthing, cargo handling, and transportation within port areas. In response, governments, NGOs, and environmental watchdog groups are sounding alarms and advocating for urgent… Continue reading Seaport Electrification Could Slash Emissions Worldwide
Superconducting Wire Sets New Current Capacity Record
Superconductors have for decades spurred dreams of extraordinary technological breakthroughs, but many practical applications for them have remained out of reach. Now a new study reveals what may be the world’s highest-performing high-temperature superconducting wires yet, ones that carry 50 percent as much current as the previous record-holder. Scientists add this advance was achieved without… Continue reading Superconducting Wire Sets New Current Capacity Record
Snafu-Sidelined Chevy EV Hits the Road Again
General Motors was ready to toast the 2023 holidays with the Chevrolet Blazer, as the perfect gift for mainstream EV buyers. Then the holiday lights went dark: Some owners saw the SUV’s infotainment screens blank out or flash error messages. A reviewer for InsideEVs was stranded in rural Virginia when his Blazer conked out during… Continue reading Snafu-Sidelined Chevy EV Hits the Road Again