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"Discovery Files" Features from the National Science Foundation
"Shake Absorbers"
Fully produced report in MP3 format:
48 kbps |
96 kbps
(90 seconds)
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READER SCRIPT
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SHAKE ABSORBERS... THE "DISCOVERY FILES": NEW ADVANCES IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU WANT TO FEEL THE EARTH MOVE--AND THERE ARE THOSE OTHER TIMES, WHEN YOU DON'T--LIKE WHEN YOU'RE IN A BUILDING, AND AN EARTHQUAKE HITS. THAT'S ABOUT THE TIME WHEN YOU WISH THAT THERE WERE SENSORS AND SHOCK ABSORBERS ON THAT BUILDING--JUST LIKE ON YOUR CAR. YOU MAY NOT BE THAT FAR OFF. MEET SHIRLEY DYKE, AN EARTHQUAKE ENGINEER AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN SAINT LOUIS--AND THE FIRST PERSON TO TEST WIRELESS SENSORS IN A SIMULATED STRUCTURAL-CONTROL EXPERIMENT. IN OTHER WORDS, SHE'S PIONEERING A PRACTICAL, WIRELESS WAY FOR BUILDINGS TO AUTOMATICALLY COMPENSATE FOR THE MOTION OF QUAKES. THE SYSTEM STARTS WITH MANY ONE-INCH-SQUARE WIRELESS SENSORS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE SIDES OF BUILDINGS. THESE SENSE SWAY AND MOTION--AND RELAY THE INFORMATION TO A CENTRAL COMPUTER THAT ADJUSTS A SERIES OF DAMPERS, OR SHOCK ABSORBERS. THE DAMPERS ARE FILLED WITH A SUSPENDED-IRON-PARTICLE FLUID THAT BECOMES SOLID AND RIGID WHEN ACTIVATED BY AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT TRIGGERED BY THE MAIN COMPUTER. THIS COMPENSATES FOR THE MOVEMENT--AND KEEPS THE BUILDING MORE STEADY. IT WORKS IN THE LAB--AND SCIENTISTS HOPE TO SEE IT TESTED ON LARGE, REAL-WORLD BUILDINGS. STABILITY, CONTROL AND A SMOOTHER RIDE--EVEN IF YOU ARE STILL IN YOUR OFFICE. THE "DISCOVERY FILES" COVERS PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOU! LEARN MORE AT "N-S-F"-DOT-GOV--OR ON THEIR PODCAST.
For additional "Discovery Files" features from the National Science Foundation, click here.
