Mechanical Engineering is a branch in the field of science that encompasses a large field of designing and manufacturing small individual parts and devices, as well as large systems. The branch is at the heart of moving products from ideas to the marketplace. The branch of engineering involves creating products that will withstand different forces and the thermal environment to ensure they function properly. It entails the design, manufacturing, analysis and maintenance of mechanical systems using principles of materials science and physics. Mechanical engineering is not only concerned about functionality of products but also about aesthetics too. In its broad application the field involves design, production and operation of tools and machinery. There are different concepts that are important in the field of Mechanical engineering namely; thermodynamics, materials science, electricity, mechanics, kinematics and structural analysis. Advancements in technology such as computer-aided engineering have also had tremendous impact on the field.
A recent innovation in the field of mechanical engineering is the time capsule used to record the forensic past of chemical contaminations in water. The capsule is like a tiny lab that takes a fingerprint of contamination in water (Lukas et al. 4324). The capsule also takes a time recording of when it detected the contamination. The device has been developed to detect when chemicals appear in the water and also to note the concentrations present at the point. The device works like a sensor that detects and captures a visible record of the chemical reactions like a barcode. It can then later be scanned to provide information on when the contamination occurred and the amounts of a particular chemical that were detected. Hence, the ability to record the forensic history chemical reactions allows the user of the capsule to analyze water contamination.
The time capsule has no electrical or mechanical parts this gives it the ability to function without electronics being attached to it. The device is composed of clear plastic with two tiny tubes each filled with particular gels. Each of the gel tubes is connected to a reservoir containing diffusing chemicals with predictable rates of movement. The second end of the tubes is left open to allow for the chemical contaminated water to seep into the capsule. One of the tube captures the concentration of the chemicals present in the water. The other tube captures the time the reactions occurred. The device does not use electricity nor does it require batteries that are a new feature that is notably absent in previously designed sensors. The fact that the capsule works without electrical or mechanical parts provides room for the designers to come up with even smaller and cheaper sensors than what is currently available.
The recent advance in technology will impact how sensors are designed. The chemicals in the capsule can be extended through further research to make capsules with different chemicals for detecting different reactions. When the ranges of reactions the capsule can record are increased the higher the uses of the same. The uses of the capsule can be developed for detecting petroleum and geothermal reservoirs beneath the earth’s surface. The fact that the time capsule does not have any mechanical or electrical parts means it can be made in smaller sizes than what it is so as to fit in small spaces such as cracks. In addition, the capsule can be used in places where other sensors with electrical parts cannot because of the likelihood of them being destroyed by pressure and temperatures.
The recent advance in technology will impact the world in that it will aid in determining the sources of contamination in rivers and streams. In the real world, the process of finding sources of contamination will include dropping the capsule in the water upstream and letting it flow downstream. The capsule would interact with the contaminated water which would leave a stamp on it which can be scanned later for details. Based on the stream flow rate and diffusion rate of the timing chemicals the researcher can estimate the point where the contamination began. The advancement of the research on the capsule will guide investments in the petroleum products and geothermal. The concerned parties can ascertain the presence of the products before investing heavily in the mining of the same.
The technological advancement will affect the life of an average person by ensuring that they leave in environments with clean water. The average person can enjoy participating in water activities such as swimming, kayaking, and fishing without the worry of coming into contact with contaminated water. Clean streams and rivers will support proper growth and development of wildlife. Wild animals that are of great interest to humans will benefit from having clean drinking water in their habitat. People can enjoy the beauty of marine life in their naturally occurring habitat that has not been contaminated by different chemicals. Agriculturalists can have access to clean water for irrigating crops reducing the cost of first treating it before using it on their farms.
Works Cited
Lukas Gerber, Liat Rosenfeld, Yunhan Chen and Sindy Tang. “Time Capsule: An Autonomous Sensor and Recorder Based on Diffusion-reaction.” Lab on a Chip Journal. 14(2014): 4324-4328. Web. 28 Nov. 2014.
