ARTICLES

The threat from plastic pollution has escalated from a minor environmental concern to a full-blown planetary crisis. Since the World War 2, plastic production has grown on an exponential scale.

Fiber reinforced plastics (FRP) are gaining popularity in several fields such as renewable energy, automotive, aerospace and defense.

The advent of high-quality cameras in smartphones, tablets and digital cameras is slowly burying the traditional photo printing industry. About 4.7 billion photos are clicked every day: 92.5% of which with smartphones.

'The last mile' has always been the most difficult leg for the delivery industry. With an ever growing and rapidly evolving online shopping industry, it is imperative to make the last mile efficient.

The Circularity Gap report 2021 estimates that just 8.6% of the materials in use are circulated back into the economy. What's more concerning is the fact that just two years ago the number was 9.1%.

Lightweighting has been a big concern for automotive, aerospace, and medical application for a while now. Plastics are consistently replacing metals as they can achieve weight reduction with same strength properties.

According to a study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), 75 million people across the globe require a wheelchair daily. This constitutes 1% of total world population- just 5 million shy of Germany’s entire population.

Over the years, plastic waste processing has quickly become a major environmental issue. Only 10% of the total plastic used is currently being recycled, while the rest is either incinerated or landfilled. 

We live in times where innovation is at its peak with plenty of ‘market disruptors’. This consistent innovation is facilitated by a design methodology known as Design Thinking which enables companies to tackle real world problems more efficiently. 

Prototyping is the starting point of the innovation cycle. In an age where new innovations pop up every other minute, 3D printing has established itself as one of the most popular prototyping techniques. But have you ever considered injection molding for prototyping? 

The aerial robotics industry is highly innovative with constant application specific developments. Airgility is one such disruptive innovator with several mission specific drones in their portfolio that can take care of inspection activities that are far too dangerous for humans. 

Minimizing food waste and maximizing amount of grains surviving till the end of supply chain is crucial. The CROVER team is tackling a serious problem which is often overlooked in the food supply chain. They are developing a subterranean robot, capable of monitoring grain quality in silos and other grain storage chambers.

From serving food in restaurants to disinfecting public spaces, these robots can do it all. UV Robotics team is developing ground based autonomous robots with diverse functionalities. 

Lunar arm for excavation is quite expensive to build and requires materials that are lightweight and strong. The student team from Concordia University, Montreal are developing a 3D printed lunar rover arm for the Canadian Space agency.