‘Sensing skin’ for concrete would detect tiny cracks

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MIT researchers tested the ‘sensing skin’ by attaching it to the underside of a concrete beam, then applying enough force to cause tiny cracks to form in the beam under one patch of the skin.

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), in 2009,  assigned a grade of “D” to the overall quality of infrastructure in the United States, saying that ongoing evaluation and maintenance of structures was necessary to improve that grade. Since then, federal stimulus funds have made it possible for communities to repair some infrastructure, but high-tech, affordable methods for continual monitoring remain in their infancy. Instead, most evaluation of bridges, dams, schools and other structures is still done by visual inspection, which is slow, expensive, cumbersome and in some cases, dangerous.

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Chop Stick: Giant swing set and concession stand made from 100 foot poplar tree

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Chop Stick

Architects Anders Berensson and Ulf Mejergren of VisionDivision from Sweden have been commissioned to design Chop Stick, a concession stand for 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. They “sacrificed” a beautiful 100 foot poplar, to demonstrate how to make something new efficiently and respectfully. (Pics)

 

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A plan towards building micro homes and micro apartments for struggling cities

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 Micro home

The following is a letter written  to the Mayor of Providence, RI by Walt Barrett. Walt would like to encourage you to pass the letter on to the mayor of your town or city and try to make some changes across the country.

 

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One of the world’s tallest hotels to open in North Korea

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Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang stands out on the Pyongyang skyline in 2009

One of the world’s largest hotels, the massive Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, is nearly ready to welcome guests after nearly two decades in the making, according to Architizer. (photos and video)

 

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Future Farm: a sunless, rainless room indoors

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Gertjan Meeuws of PlantLab

Farming is moving indoors, where the sun never shines, where rainfall is irrelevant and where the climate is always right.

The perfect crop field could be inside a windowless building with meticulously controlled light, temperature, humidity, air quality and nutrition. It could be in a New York high-rise, a Siberian bunker, or a sprawling complex in the Saudi desert. (w/video & pics)

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Discover the Hidden Patterns of Tomorrow with Futurist Thomas Frey
Unlock Your Potential, Ignite Your Success.

By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.

Learn More about this exciting program.