techno

techno The Future of Transportation p. 10

Fast Suits are No Drag p. 16

Hands Free?

Drive Me! p. 23

Not Seeing is Believing p. 29

6-7

8-9

What phone is best for you?

Choosing the Right Computer

10-13

The Future of Transportation

2

Fast Suits are no Drag

16-20

23-26

29-31 Not Seeing is Believing

Hands Free? Drive Me!

32-33 Apple Watch vs. Samsung Gear S

The History of Space Travel

34-35 3

A letter from Techno This edition of Techno is the best edition ever. Aidan, Wyatt, Nick, and Mason have been working hard this semester in hope of producing a magazine that all technology lovers will enjoy. The magazine covers a vast range of technology from swimming to high speed trains that involve getting shot out of a railgun. This process has been quite an adventure, and we faced many difficulties. Interviewing other experts on our chosen topics was a unique experience unlike any other. Aidan was able to interview several Olympic swimmers in Austin. Although non-copyrighted pictures were hard to find, we hope you enjoy all of them. Mason got to talk with engineers and archetiects that have helped shape Austin and improve our great city, with the buildings of a better future.We especially hope you enjoy the “great� Rochester cloak images. Due to the incredible difficulty of finding images on his topic, Nick spent a long time making and perfecting his own. Wyatt enjoyed the aspect of writing on a chosen topic of his own. Intrestingly enough getting people to talk about robotic cars turned out to be harder than Wyatt could have ever expected. All four hope for this edititon of Techno to intest all readers from young to old along with helping to support the technology and ideas for the future. Make sure to remember that getting shot out of a railgun is perfectly safe and how you can always trust robots!

Hope you enjoy!

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Meet the Contributors Aidan Dulaney

enjoys competitive swimming and the outdoors. He is an active lover of cricket, but Aidan also loves reading about the latest and most recent technologies. Aidan is the definition of an Apple fan boy. He is very excited about the technologies to come out of Apple in the future. Aidan is interested in the medical field along with helping people around the world. More specifically Aidan would like to be a heart surgeon when he grows up. After school, Aidan enjoys playing with his two younger brothers outside and around the house. The rumors around a future Apple Car is one of Aidan’s favorite technologies to talk about. Being a supporter of clean energy Aidan is also a large fan of Tesla.

Mason Oakley

enjoys engineering and reading about new technology, and he hopes to become a professional engineer after he goes to college. Mason has enjoyed building things ever since he was a little boy, and he built his very first Lego set. He currently has been working on building a new computer from scratch, and has been actively involved in the discussion between Mac vs. PC. After school, Mason enjoys playing video games and reading about the latest advances in today’s technology. The Tesla hyperloop system has been his recent interest, and he has based his most recent article of it.

Mason also enjoys sports such as swimming and basketball. He also is enrolled at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy, and loves the engineering classes there.

Nick Gonzalez

is a completely average human being. He is interested in lots of fields, ranging from architecture to art, but he hopes to go into psychology. In his spare time you might see him biking, sketching, or staring blankly into space. He doesn’t plan ahead often resulting in disproportionate art and missing rough drafts. He hopes to make millions off of his MS Paint drawings and eventually have them displayed in the Louvre. He is currently enrolled in the Liberal Arts and Science Academy and loves the days where he can sleep an extra two hours.

Wyatt Kirkpatrack

is a teenager born and in Austin, Texas. In his free time he enjoys being with his friends, Boy Scout, and video games. When Wyatt grows up he hopes to go into biochemistry. He is excited with the current advancement of technology and the future to come, with his favoured fields being computer science and medicine. He is an Andriod and PC fanatic at heart. Wyatt loves technology keeping up to date with the latest technology and rumors of what’s to come. Additionally, he hopes teleportation will be usable in the future. For now, Wyatt is enrolled in the Liberal Arts and Science Academy, and loving it, too.

5

Choosing the Right Computer

By:Mason Oakley

STOP

r pute Com ness

Buis

When choosing a buisness computer you must take into account that what you want is to have something light wait and has minimal processing. Most jobs (not including programming, computer science,engeneering. and other tech feilds) use Microsoft Word and Office and a few other programs. But because a laptop is the choice for buisness their is very little upgradeability.

Choosing a gaming computer takes more thought than choosing a Buisness computer. You want to have upgradability because games and software requirements are always changing. You can also build your own but that intails using PC parts and if you wanted, to install a Mac OSX (operating system). But Mac is still and option if you prefer apple tech and want more of a family friendly computer.

Computers are close to being the same its only personal prefrence that defines which one to get.

PC Laptop: Price: $700-1299 (range of Pc laptops by different brand and processing speeds prices may be lower, this is a set number of computers)

Both computers can run the same thing depending on what processing power they have but they are generally the same. Its all up to personal preference. Price wise PC is better.

Mac Laptop: Price: $1299 (prices may vary this is a price for a Macbook)

All information from: Glenn Derene http://bit.ly/1HYSawS published: DEC 17, 2009 @ 10:15 PM, Pumphrey, Clint. “10 Differences Between Macs and PCs� 08 Augu

6

For years the debate between Mac and Pc has become so much more intense. The debate has now come down to personal prefrence and not price and processing power. We need to come back and really find out which is best; Mac or Pc?

STOP

STOP

uter omp

ter mp u y Co

ing C

il Fam

Gam

Family computers is a very broad term, you can get anything from a Macbook, iMac, PC desktop, or even a PC laptop. It all come down to upgradabilty if your family likes video games. You could also like Tv and go apple because of itunes its all up to you .

PC Laptop/Desktop: Price(laptop): $700-1299 Price(desktop):$500-2000

Mac and PC have large similarities and differences but upgrade ability is when PC takes the lead Mac has little to no upgradability

Photo by:Intel Free Press, http://bit.ly/1JGvsf6

Mac for gaming and family Mac is essentially the same because of how less diverse the iMac is compared to all the other compouter companies and computer builders.

PC Desktop: Price: $500-2000(PC has a wide range of price, this also includes building your own and buying the parts.

For Gaming PC still owns the market, so unless prefrence is very important. PC has best processing and price for the gaming community.

Family computers are really up to what your family does, gaming or itunes. Gaming would be PC laptop or Desktop depending on what the games need for procesing power. itunes and for adults work at home , iMac or Macbook.

Mac Desktop: Price: $1499 (generic iMac)

Photo by: FuFu wolf, http://bit.ly/1I3CdqP

ust 2011. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://computer.howstuffworks.com/macs/10-differences-between-macs-and-pcs.htm> 01 May 2015., and http://intel.ly/1I3ymdh.

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What phone is best for you?

By: Aidan Dulaney

Smartphones have been around since the 1990s. Smartphones are one of the most personalized technologies. You can set your phone to alarm you of texts, emails, and phone calls along with special ringtones for those who are special to you. Different people have different needs for their cell phones, and the possibilities of what your phone can do for you are unlimited. Below are a few of the specifications from the latest phones brought to us from some of the most well-known phone companies in the United States. What phone will fit your needs the best?

MSRP (Unlocked): $700 Released: June 2014 OS: Android 4.4.2 (KitKat) Network: 3G, 4G (+HSDPA and LTE) Internal Storage: 16/32 GB Card Slot: microSD, up to 32 GB Dimensions: 5.76 x 2.94 x 0.35 in Display: 5.5 inches Weight: 5.26 oz Processor/CPU: Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400 RAM: 2/3 GB Resolution: 1440 x 2560 pixels Pixel Density: 534 ppi Battery Life (3G): Up to 553 hours Talk Time: Up to 21 hours Camera (Front/Rear): 13MP/2.1MP

Aquired from: http://bit.ly/1zHRx4g Photo Edited: No

iPhone 6 Plus

Courtesy of: Kārlis Dambrāns

Courtesy of: Miguel Aranda Aquired from: http://bit.ly/1bgH5L5

Courtesy of: Kārlis Dambrāns

Specs:

8

Moto X Photo Edited: No

Acquired from: http://bit.ly/1JraZaq Photo Edited: No

LG G3

Specs:

MSRP (Unlocked): $620 Released: September 2014 OS: Android 4.4.4 (KitKat), upgradable to Android L Network: 3G, 4G (+HSDPA and LTE) Internal Storage: 16/32 GB Card Slot: No Dimensions: 5.54 x 2.85 x 0.39 inches Display: 5.2 inches Weight: 5.08 oz Processor/CPU: Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400 RAM: 2 GB Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels Pixel Density: 424 ppi Battery Life (3G): Not available Talk Time: Not available Camera (Front/Rear): 13MP/2MP

Specs:

MSRP (Unlocked): $750 Released: September 2014 OS: iOS 8, upgradable to iOS 8.0.2 Network: 3G, 4G (+HSDPA and LTE) Internal Storage: 16/64/128 GB Card Slot: No Dimensions: 6.22 x 3.06 x 0.28 inches Display: 5.5 inches Weight: 6.07 oz Processor/CPU: Dual-core 1.4 GHz Cyclone (ARM v8-based) RAM: 1 GB Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels Pixel Density: 401 ppi Battery Life (3G): Up to 384 hours Talk Time: Up to 24 hours Camera (Front/Rear): 8MP/1.2MP

All information is gathered from: cnet.com, http://bit.ly/1DI79Fb, and http://www.gsmarena.com/

techno technology spotlight

Courtesy of: Maurizio Pesce

MSRP (Unlocked): $700 Released: October 2014 OS: Android 5.1 (Lollipop) Network: 3G, 4G (+HSDPA and LTE) Internal Storage: 32 GB Card Slot: No Dimensions: 6.27 x 3.27 x 0.40 inches Display: 6 inches Weight: 6.49 oz Processor/CPU: Quad-core 2.75 MHz Krait 450 RAM: 3 GB Resolution: 1440 x 2560 pixels Pixel Density: 493 ppi Battery Life (3G): 330 hours Talk Time: 24 hours Camera (Front/Rear): 13MP/2MP

The Bottom Line

Specs:

MSRP (Unlocked): $649 Released: March 2015 OS: Android 5.1 (Lollipop) Network: 3G, 4G (+HSDPA and LTE) Internal Storage: 32 GB Card Slot: microSD, up to 128 GB Dimensions: 5.69 x 2.74 x 0.38 inches Display: 5 inches Weight: 5.54 oz Processor/CPU: Quad-core 2 GHz Cortex-A53 RAM: 3 GB Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels Pixel Density: 441 ppi Battery Life (3G): 391 hours Talk Time: 25 hours 20 minutes Camera (Front/Rear): 20.7MP/4MP

Photo Edited: No Aquired from: http://bit.ly/1yTsFLV

Aquired from: http://bit.ly/1J7MRwR

Photo Edited: No http://bit.ly/1HRDujn Courtesy of: TechStage via Flickr

Specs:

Galaxy S6 Edge

Courtesy of: Kārlis Dambrāns

HTC One M9 Photo Edited: No

Google Nexus 6

Specs:

MSRP (Unlocked): $815 Released: March 2015 OS: Android 5.1 (Lollipop) Network: 3G, 4G (+HSDPA and LTE) Internal Storage: 32/64/128 GB Card Slot: No Dimensions: 5.65 x 2.78 x 0.27 inches Display: 5.1 inches Weight: 4.87 oz Processor/CPU: Quad-core 2.1 GHz Cortex-A57 RAM: 3 GB Resolution: 1440 x 2560 pixels Pixel Density: 577 ppi Battery Life (3G): Not available Talk Time: Not available Camera (Front/Rear): 16MP/5MP

When it comes down to the question of what phone is best for you, each phone has its advantages for different situations. With this in mind, what phone will end up best fitting your needs?

- Streaming Shows -> LG G3 - Customization -> Moto X - Gamming and Battery Life -> iPhone 6 Plus - Maximum Screen Size -> Google Nexus 6 - Best Proffessional Camera -> HTC One M9 - Sleek Design -> Galaxy S6 Edge 9

Transportation of The Future

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Bottom courtesy of: Dirk Ahlborn

By: Mason Oakley

techno technology spotlight

Many engineers and architects looked on in awe as Elon Musk proposed his rapid transit plan to the world. For a long time the man that made a company out of an electric car has dreamed of space travel and different types of transportation, and now those dreams are a reality. Elon Musk has now proposed a rapid transit plan that could cut travel time and carbon emissions. He has proposed that the transportation system could link San Francisco and Los Angeles in a 30 minute travel time, a stark contrast to the’ current six hour time to get between the cities by car.

Architect James Shieh, has his own business and works out of his home.

Shieh is a city commissioner on the Austin Design Commission which deals with how the city of Austin should be built from now and to the future. He also shares interest,

Courtesy of: Dirk Adlborn

T

he electric car revolutionist Elon Musk has proposed a device that mixes a rail gun, concord, and a vacuum cleaner into a super fast transit device. The device still leaves many questions unanswered. Many engineers and architects have their opinions on his ideal’s and if Musk could build it. Many people also believe that the device should use private funding but many others believe that it could use public funding because if its transportation and the state normally provides for it. Other engineers and architects believe that the Rapid Transit Plan would drain resources waste time.

Rebdering of hyperloop system in philidelphia after Elon Musk proposed major cyties will need the device. Many belive the device will be implemented in Philidelphia.

in where transportation should get its funding, and the choice between private and public funding.

“Private funding... the issue that this is trying to solve is not an issue that challenges the masses. Here in Austin, for instance, the last rail bond election lost. It’s not because people think rail is a bad idea. Rail is very successful in many cities.

The rail which was proposed did help alleviate the voter’s everyday battle of traffic. It benefitted a small minority group by linking educational campuses. The idea of linking San Francisco and Los Angeles benefits a minority group with their own minority issues.

The route of private funding is very

“It is a culmination of the far reaches of art and science coming together to create a purposed social setting.”- James Shieh

realistic, however. Toll roads here in Austin are privately backed.

Similar deals can be developed for a project like this,” Shieh said.

Private funding has been used in earlier Austin transportation projects and has shown to be a viable plan of action due to the fact that rates don’t get increase.

Unlike private funding public funding requires tax raises but does not require payment when using the transportation. Chris Oakley a attorney who works for the state of Texas thinks private funding should be consideration.

“Having it state run could work, but it would have to be implemented across the entire state or country.

That would take probably hundreds of billions of dollars to implement and at least 10-20 years to build.

State does not have a great track record for managing those types of 11

projects. I think private run might be best,” Oakley said.

Elon Musk’s prototype design requires hundreds of solar panels, and hundreds of miles of tubing and vast loads of concrete. This is only a prototype and the two cities that the device will run through are Los Angeles to San Francisco.

“He can build the design, at least a working prototype. This day and age, we have seen dreamers bring concepts to life. The general concepts in his design is not new, it’s just a reconfiguration and mix. Because of that, some sort or working prototype will be realized,” Shieh said.

Although the materials a readilyavailable, the area that the transportation device covers is both public and private land. Terry Roth is a engineer who works out of his home. He knows what materials the device would require and if todays technology could make the device.

“The materials needed are all currently available. Physically, no. You have to run these tubes somewhere. Will you use public or private land?” Roth said. “If public, you have to have space to put infrastructure up and it may be hard to convince municipalities to give up land. Private owners would probably not be okay this product to go over their land.”

“Assuming that there are not any major setbacks with funding and governmental entities, we are likely looking at 15-20 years.”- James Shieh 12

Elon Musk has the ability to complete his prototype and go large scale, but many believe that he is only trying to start a transportation revolution, much like he did with electric cars.

“Elon Musk has shown that he has the vision and organizational skill to pull things like this off. So yes, he could do it. Oakley said. I’m not sure if he’s really trying to do this, or just trying to start a conversation about transportation in general.”

The rapid transit plan is a feasible idea and could revolutionize transportation but it won’t solve all of the transportation issues cities face.

“I do like his idea and think that the technologies developed can help advance our other forms of transportation. I do think, however, that on a broader level

Courtesy of: C Fren

Rendering of Tesla hyperloop car, recently after Elon Musk released his plans for the system. Musk also released pdrwings of his vehical which this is based off.

techno technology spotlight this effort can be better spent on solving larger transportation issues that plague our cities on a daily basis. Traffic is a mess, with a large carbon footprint, because efficient mass transit systems are yet to be fully- developed. I’m hoping that this exploration will splinter to address this,” Shieh said.

One issue still remains, and that is safety the device does complete safety standards but is it safe to get shot out of a railgun.

“Depends on what you consider is “safe.” Are flying, cars and rail safe? I think it faces the same level of dangers that the other options present. Would I use this type or transportation? With the same type of reservation as I have for the other forms,” Shieh said.

The device does pass safety requirements and could have precaution placed so that the public would feel safe riding it, but the public must be encouraged by Elon

“I would, so long as it has passed the safety requirements. Again, this is about thinking 20-50 years into the future. As a society we don’t do so well making decisions that might only affect future generations. We need people like Musk who are visionaries that can sell big projects to the public,” Oakley said.

In the United States many cities face traffic during rush hour. If the rapid transit plan is created it would cut travel time, says Tesla Motors.

Getting more people off the roads would substantially reduce traffic in the cities with high traffic levels during commuting hours.

“Besides being an architect and able to design the stations, I am also a city commissioner on the Austin Design Commission. A city’s healthy and smart growth is of high importance to us. Shieh said. We see so many challenges affecting a fast growing city and assist all

those trying to solve them. From this my experience is not specific to designing the actual system, but more so the planning and implementation of it.”

Musk has done many projects to speed up the race for new technology and carbon neutral devices, but he still has not covered many problems that are sometimes more relevant in society.

“Some people may call him a dreamer, but at the same time he acknowledges that we live in a real world. He knows how to work in the real world to bring the dreams to life. For that, I respect him highly. Shieh said. I do hope that he can use his pedestal/platform to help solve some larger social issues.”

Courtesy of: Maurizio Pesce copyright,cc , link: http://bit.ly/1O7k6yq

Elon Musk stands infront of a brand new tesla sports car. Infront of the factory it came from.

Musk so that they will ride it.

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Windows

X

Coming Soon...

Photo by: Microsoft Sweden Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/microsoftsweden/16337613651

Fast Suits are No Drag By: Aidan Dulaney

T

he crowd stood cheering and wondering if this would be the swim that ended Michael Phelps’ quest for eight gold medals. On the night of August 16, Michael Phelps and Milorad Cavic raced in the 100 meter fly event at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. After the first 50 meters of swimming, Cavic led with Phelps 0.62 seconds behind in seventh place. As the swimmers approached the finish line, Phelps swam half an arm length behind Cavic. Phelps took one more, quick stroke and won the event with a final time of 50.58 seconds. Cavic finished at the wall one hundredth of a second behind Phelps, the smallest measure possible in swimming.

“Technical swimsuits not only make swimmers feel faster, but they are also scientifically designed to reduce drag and help swimmers improve their times,” he said.

Drag is the enemy of any swimmer.

Today’s swimsuit technology combines high-tech fabrics with strategically-placed compression to help swimmers slide more 16

quickly through the water. The technology behind swimming can make or break an athlete’s performance in elite competitions.

One of the biggest advancements in swimming comes from the design of the swimsuits. Once just worn for recreation, swimsuits are now revolutionized for speed in the water.

“The design of swimsuits has changed drastically throughout the years,” Schurr said. “Swimsuits used to be made of bulky material to cover more areas of the body. The suits have, generally, gotten smaller and lighter to make it easier to go through the water.”

of a swimmer through the surrounding water.

Frictional drag occurs from the friction caused by a swimmer’s skin and clothing with the water, which keeps the body from moving efficiently.

Smoother, streamline profiles have less form drag than large, thick shapes.

For example, imagine trying to swim in school

According to research conducted at the University of Nottingham in England, the best swimsuits minimize the amount of resistance, or drag, between the swimmer and the water.

Coughlin wears Speedo’s newest suit, the Racer X. The Racer There are two main types X is claimed to have the best combination of speed and of drag. Form drag results compression. from the shape and profile

Courtesy of: Jean-Claude Mouton Aquired from: http://bit.ly/1DKkwLN Photo Edited: Yes

Swimming records are made and broken in less than the blink of an eye. Because of this, swimmers look for any fair advantage to improve their times, no matter how small. Becoming a better athlete through training is one of those ways. But, when the physical ability of an athlete has reached its peak, technological advancements – such as the type of swimsuit an athlete wears – can make or break a swimmers performance. Christian Schurr, a 2012 Olympic swimmer and coach at Longhorn Aquatics, points out the benefits of advanced swimwear.

Courtesy of: Daniel Coomber

Aquired from: http://bit.ly/1Jlx2QE

Photo Edited: No

techno technology spotlight clothes and gym shoes. It would be extremely difficult because the heavy material on the body would create a tremendous amount of form drag. Choosing the fabric of the swimsuit or even shaving the hair off of legs can reduce frictional drag. Drag can slow a swimmer down by as much as 25 percent.

Modern swimsuits are now being designed to reduce drag and help swimmers in other ways as well.

Kathleen Hersey, a 2008 and 2012 Olympic swimmer and Nike sales representative, offers insights into the design of swimsuits.

“The technology behind the suits … is the dynamic between flexibility and compression,” Hersey said.

Hersey explained the science behind the swimsuits, and how their flexibility and compression help to limit drag and improve swim times. Scientists in the swimsuit industry study the physiology and biomechanics of swimmers. Computer fluid dynamic models analyze the flow of water around a swimmer.

Three dimensional scanners and simulations better identify friction points on a swimmer’s body. NASA has even helped develop and test fabrics in wind tunnels and pools with underwater video analysis.

Because of this science, swimmers use the name “technical suit” when referring to elite racing swimwear.

Companies around the world do testing to determine which technical suit materials are the fastest and last the longest. Hersey

All eight swimmers in the 200 meter free wear fast suits in the first Olympic Games after the previous ban of polyurethane filled suits. explained how Nike conducted testing with Olympic swimmer Davis Tarwater.

“We had a machine carry him across the pool and then we had him carried in an Arena and Speedo [swimsuit],” she said. “It turned out that the Nike material was the fastest material over time.”

Studies conducted at Speedo’s Aqualab facility show that one of the advantages of a technical suit is the compression that it applies.

Research shows compressed muscles perform more effectively as compression increases blood circulation and helps with recovery.

“The idea of compression is to prevent lactic acid build up,” Hersey said. “It is kind of the same idea … with compression socks.

This kind of tight sock or tight suit prevents blood from building up [inside the muscles] and it … helps

“Companies like Speedo and Arena are finding a balance between creativity and technology to design fast suits.” -Schurr

you recover faster.”

Compression can also help with the form of a swimmer in the water.

By having the suit want to spring back into its normal position, the suit’s compression can help to keep a swimmer’s body straight. In doing so, the swimmer can spring off of walls back into a tight, streamlined form.

Even the seam of the suit can impact performance. Seams from conventional stitching act like speed bumps in the water. Many manufacturers now ultrasonically weld the seams on the suit together.

Ultrasonic welding is a method that uses the heat produced from high frequency mechanical sound waves to create strong bonds between materials.

“If you flip [a suit] inside out, you can see the bonded seams so there is no drag,” she said.

Bonded seams reduce drag by about 6 percent compared to stitched seams. Using the ultrasonic method, the seams are hardly visible and the technical suit becomes a second layer of skin. The strategic 17

techno technology spotlight placement of the bonded seams also ensures the maximum power output for dives, turns and kicks.

Hersey explains that some swimsuit manufacturers put the bonding up the back of the suit rather than along the side.

“The idea of having it up the back is the technical piece, being it helps with the fluid movement of your legs,” she said. “It helps the whip in your kick on the butterfly because your legs are together.”

Nike research shows that the bonded seams act like a rubber band that helps the legs spring back into position. This gives power back to the swimmer that they can use to kick harder, push more water, and go faster. To achieve this power return, the technical suits are made of lightweight fabrics that are permeable and water resistance to let the water flow directly

“The technology behind fast suits was getting too good. Wearing polyurethane swim suits, swimmers like Paul Biedermann were able to drop four seconds in a 200 meter free in under one year.” -Schurr around the swimmer, causing the least amount of drag. The fabric is hydrophobic since it repels water and reduces drag. About 10 years ago, technical suits were completely different.

“They [the technical suits] had way too much rubber in them,” Schurr said. “It caused them to float really high in the water, which is obviously good … you got faster without really having to do anything because it changed your body position. There were 50 world records broken in one world championships [because of the suit], which is crazy.”

The suits were also full-length from

ankle to shoulder. Charles Logan, the director of the University of Texas swim center, explained the impact of these suits.

“I think that the technology was aiding swimmers a little too much,” Logan said. “The different governing bodies [FINA] took a look and [questioned] how far will we go with technology, and I think they put a brake on some of that. They [FINA] have limited how much of the body can be covered with a swimsuit to make it more about the athlete than the technology.”

FINA banned full-body suits and required the swimsuits to go

Courtesy of: LD Lasica Aquired from: http://bit.ly/1DgLhFq Photo Edited: No

Michael Phelps at the 2009 Santa Clara Grand Prix wears the controversial Speedo LZR Racer. With polyurethane pannels, the suit was banned soon after the meet.

Courtesy of: Daniel Coomber Aquired from: http://bit.ly/1CbmIpy

from waist-to-knee for men and shoulder-to-knee for women. They must also be made out of textile or woven materials, not rubber.

The latest suits are crafted from a combination of materials such as nylon, polyester, elastane, LYCRA and spandex. Some materials even have carbon fiber woven into them to provide extra structure and strength to the compression of the suit.

“The fabrics are … actually treated with a water repelling agent,” Hersey said. “Most of the suits are treated on the outside, but with the Nike suit there are two layers of fabric in places and it is actually treated on the inside. The top end of the suit is not actually water repellent, but the inside is. The idea is that it gives you some buoyancy.”

By applying the coating to the inside of the double fabric suits, trapped air rests inside the suit, providing the extra buoyancy

needed to help a swimmer.

However, the water repellant on the suit only lasts for so long.

“It can last anywhere from five uses, to our suits that take you all the way through the championship season, so 20 plus uses,” she said.

“Even after that, it still has the compression element.”

The longevity of the technical suits depends on the brand and how well the swimmer takes care of it.

So, just how much impact does a technical suit have on a swimmer’s time?

“The suits help with body position in the water and so a suit can make a difference of a second in a hundred [meter event] because of the way it makes the body feel,” Hersey said.

Hersey explained that it is difficult to determine how much of that

Photo Edited: No

Hanna Miley wears the Arena Carbon Pro from the Arenas Powerskin series at the London 2012 Olympics. Critics say that the Arena Carbon Pro compresses the body the best increasing speed. time decrease can be accredited to the technicality of the suit because other factors like resting and tapering before a meet need to also be taken into account. This may not seem like a lot time, but given that many Olympic races are determined by hundredths of a second, the suit could make the difference between winning a gold medal or finishing out of medal contention. Technical suits are designed to allow the swimmer to use less energy so they can swim harder for longer length of times.

As technology advances, new developments in elite racing swimwear will also occur. For example, technology is currently underway to create custom-fitted technical swimsuits. Racing suits are made for one body size, but many swimmers are not that same shape. Specially developed software and web-cameras may be used in the future to size different areas

19

Courtesy of: LD Lasica Aquired from: http://bit.ly/1HcbF4V Edited: No

“I am very excited for the future of fast suits and the technology behind them. I feel that in the next few years, we could see a large jump in the speed and compression experienced by these suits.” -Schurr

of a swimmer’s body and translate that into a racing suit designed and made for a specific swimmer.

Other companies continue to look for ways to modify swimsuit material to better mimic the fast and highly-maneuverable properties of sharkskin. Many other high-tech ideas are in the works to push swimmers to the next level so they can excel at their sport. The Rio Olympics in 2016 could be the next showcase for some of these.

“We [Nike] do have new technologies. We are super excited about it,” Hersey says.

Ryan Lochte wears a Speedo LZR Racer Elite 2 at the 2013 Santa Clara Grand Prix. Critics claim that this suit’s high price of $300 does not support the quality of compression and speed given to the swimmer.

Teamates Missy Franklins and Elizabeth Pelton both wear the Speedo LZR Racer Elite 2. The pannels shown on Franklin’s suit help to strengthen a swimmers core and stabilize them in the water.

Courtesy of: LD Lasica Aquired from: http://bit.ly/1GTJXtd Edited: No

The Next Big Thing is Here

Hands-Free?

Drive Me! By: Wyatt Kirpatrick

Upper Photo Courtesy of: Adam Fagen via Flickr (Modifications were made) Bottom Photo Courtesy of: Henning 48 via Wikimedia Commons (Modifications were made)

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techno technology spotlight Tonight is a party night for Bernstein, but he has had too many drinks to drive home. He pulls out his phone and uses his Uber app to get a ride home. A few minutes later the Uber driver arrives and picks up Bernstein, but there could be a time in the future when the driver does not have to pick up him. Instead, a car with no driver would pick Bernstein up and guide him home.

Initially, the main developer and pioneer of autos was the technology company, Uber.

and get them into more consumer usage the cost will come down,” he said.

“I promise you the first early adopter of the self driving car will be Uber,” said Alon Bernstein, a frequent user of the service.

Costs might be high, but this will not stop companies from developing it; buyers will still use autos.

The cost of developing autos will be high, believes Anthony J. Bertucci, the robotics director for the Liberal “I promise you the first early Arts and The concept of Science a driverless car adopter of the self driving Academy. is not a new car will be Uber.” - Berstein one, rather “Every it has been apparent for a while. computer system when it first These cars, called autos, have came online was incredibly been in development in the car expensive.” industry for the past decade. The taxi industry has shown interest Bertucci also explained that the in their development. They hope cost will not be set in stone. to be able to produce a fully automated taxi; meaning Bernstein “I think that initially they will be would be the only person in the expensive and as you can figure car. out how to mass produce them

“You will have early adopters who will happily take a self driving car the moment it becomes available,” said Bernstein.

Profitability in this area is undeniable.

“Without question, Uber will want to add self driving cars to their portfolio so maybe that way they can serve both markets: people who want a human driver and people who do not.”

Bertucci believes that consumers will use autos due to their potential superiority to traditional taxicab services.

Courtesy of: Adam Fagen via Flickr (Modifications were made)

Uber is speculated to be in development of autos

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techno technology spotlight Courtesy of: smoothgroover22 via Flickr (Modifications were made)

Google’s earliest prototype of the automated car, made in 2014 is perfect.

“Ultimately, I think that’s what’s going to be the selling point, that “I know personally many people they are going to try and sell them who have had potentially lifeas being threatening better than “Think about it, what happens situations with the average drivers,” during rush hour in Austin? cab driver,” said said Bernstein.

Bertucci.

What happens if the network “Once you remove the was down,” - Anthony With human element economical from that success possible, this fuels tensions equation the safety level goes up over opinions, particularly anti or exponentially.” precautionary warnings about the safety of autos.

Besides not being perfect at driving, humans are often distracted while “I think if they’re gonna put these driving, as Bernstein points out. on our current road systems an accident could occur the first day,” “A self driving car isn’t drinking said Bertucci. alcohol, it doesn’t care what’s on the radio, it’s not talking to a However, remember that humans passenger, it isn’t eating a sandwich are driving, and that no human while driving with it’s knee,”

he said.

Even if the robots are safer than their human components, issues still would be present for the network.

“All the current navigation systems take into account only one car at a time,” said Bertucci.

Additionally, a daily and potentially hazardous occurrence poses threat to the effort.

“Think about it, what happens during rush hour in Austin? What happens if the network was down,” remarked Bertucci.

Supposing they were released, malfunctions with the autos would cause serious dissent from critics.

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techno technology spotlight “Once released, the performance of these will be scrutinized and under a microscope. One fatal crash involving this will cause a serious uproar,” remarks Matt Odesky, a local Austinite.

Technology works to be the way of the future.

“I remember many people saying “no way I’ll trust my credit card info to a computer,” said Bernstein.

Autos might not shine within the next few years but they are inevitable.

Courtesy of: Steve Jurvetson via Wikimedia Commons (odifications were made)

“Had taxi services upgraded technologically and socially with

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Google’s Prototype of the Automated Car, hoped to be used in testing by 2016

the times Uber and Lyft would never have been invented as they wouldn’t be necessary,” said Bernstein.

It is thought that the development will take significant.

“I don’t think it’ll be mainstream per se until probably 15-20 years,” said Bertucci.

“The ones I’ve played with they’ve been fun, but they are not quite ready for prime time.”

Clean Running to Take You Anywhere, Anytime

Courtesy of: Norsk Elbilforening via FLickr (Modifications were made)

The New Telsa: Model S

WACOM INTUOS 3

The Finest in Art Software

NOT SEEING IS BELIEVING By: Nicholas Gonzalez

techno

technology spotlight

I

Courtesy of: Nicholas Gonzalez

John Howell, professor of optics at the University of Rochester, has worked in the optics department at the university for over 12 years, but has only started exploring the sciences behind invisibility in the past two. In their latest project, Howell and his student, Joe Choi, built an invisibility cloak out of four magnifying glasses, dubbed The Rochester Cloak. It bears the title of the most efficient invisibility device that exists to this day and Howell still has plans for it to make it smaller

Howell’s first, simpler project only involved a couple mirrors.

and more productive.

“I managed two projects concerning [invisibility],” Howell said. “The first one was more of a short clarification or experiment with some invisibility basics.”

This experiment tested if a certain array of mirrors would make a person within the array appear camouflaged.

The experiment succeeded, but didn’t surprise many people, as others had already discovered this illusion and its method. The second project was the Rochester Cloak.

“For a while, I built on my last project before deciding that mirrors aren’t as effective as magnifying lenses could be,” Howell explained.

“I restarted the project, set on building a cloaking mechanism with only lenses. [Joe Choi] heard me talking about it and wanted to help, so I let him.”

The project took a couple weeks for research and a couple more to

get the optics just right, with other students, as well as Howell’s son, providing their help. Eventually, Howell and his team produced the Rochester Cloak.

“The Rochester Cloak imitates air, but also bends light so that there is space to hide an object,” Choi said.

The sweet spots, or the places where objects appear invisible, according to Choi, exist between the first and second lenses as well as between the third and fourth lenses. The space between the second and third lenses could also provide a cloak, but considerably more limitations arise for cloaking in this spot.

“There are two sets of magnifying lenses used to telescope rays to a smaller size,” Howell said. “A precise separation between the telescopes... is also needed.”

The focal length of the lenses in one set combined determines the precise separation. The lengths get put into an equation crafted by

“The Rochester Cloak imitates air, but also bends light so that there is space to hide an object,” -Choi A rough example of what is seen when looking through the four lenses.

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Courtesy of: Nicholas Gonzalez

nvisibility. From Harry Potter’s cloak to Sauron’s Ring, the quest for invisibility has become a human fascination. The idea has been experimented with lots of times through mirror tricks and fishnets, but one professor has found a more advanced way of creating the illusion of invisibility.

techno technology spotlight between any pairs of two lens, the object will not appear cloaked, as the light is bent to travel along a path in the center. Second of all, the device has 40 degrees of ‘invisibility room’ meaning that if you look at the first lens from more than a 20 degree angle from either direction, the previously cloaked object will appear.

“We are continuing cloaking research and designs because people have raised concerns about the center of the device not being able to hide objects,” Howell explains.

“That is easy to fix. We have another design to eliminate that problem that should be produced this year.”

“I believe that invisibility will be designed to be more effective and anyone could be the one to figure out how to advance it,” Choi said.

Courtesy of: Nicholas Gonzalez

Howell to determine the separations illusions. The background seen with consideration to the device’s through the other cloaks aren’t as effectiveness. This means that the effective in the sense that they don’t size of this device doesn’t matter match up exactly with the actual in the sense that people could background while the Rochester build small Rochester Cloaks as Cloak has the two backgrounds well as larger ones. appear together They would all “Anyone could be the seamlessly. magnify at the same one who advances this “We suggested a magnification. technology,” -Howell few applications “The interesting [such as] making thing about our system is that the a surgeon’s hand invisible to help magnification is one,” Howell said. “ their patient’s visibility, seeing In other words, the background size through the cargo of a semi-truck is exactly the same as it would be if so the driver can see what’s behind, the lenses weren’t there.” making a wall appear as a window to save insulation costs, making a “[This means] an observer would billboard appear levitated by making not be able to distinguish between the post disappear, et cetera,” Choi the imaged background through the said. lenses and the actual background” Choi added.

While these are all viable uses for the Rochester Cloak, there That’s the reason that the Rochester still exist a couple flaws regarding Cloak is considered advanced when its requirements. First of all, if compared to other invisibility the object is in the exact middle

A diagram of The Rochester Cloak and its possible cloaking areas.

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Apple Watch

V

(38mm)

With the emerging technologies of smart watches from major companies, many are unsure of which watch is the best buy. In general, Apple has competed with Samsung for most of their products. The goal of these next two pages is to present to you the benefits and drawbacks of each smart watch; hopefully allowing you to pick out which watch is better fit.

Battery Life

Screen Size

$549 for the pre-order

Approximately one day (Calls, apps, etc.)

1.49 inches

Compatibility

Charging

Features & Apps

Apple Watch courtesy of: Shinya Suzuki via Flickr (No modifications were made)

Cost

Requires a iPhone5 or higher for most features 32

Uses a wireless dock to charge

Has more features & apps than the Samsung Gear S

Background courtesy of: Jim, the Photographer via Flickr (No modifications were made)

S Samsung Gear S Battery Life

Screen Size

$250

Approximately two days (Calls, apps, etc.)

1.63 inches

Compatibility

Charging

Features & Apps

Requires a Android Phone made after 2011, independent for most features

Uses a USB cable to charge

Has fewer features & apps than the Apple Watch

Samsung Gear S courtesy of: KÄ rlis DambrÄ ns via Flickr (No modifications were made)

Cost

Background courtesy of: Suzan Michells via galleryhip.com (No modifications were made) Sources: http://smartwatches.specout.com - used for feature facts Apple http://store.apple.com - used for Apple Watch pricing and Samsung http://www.samsung.com - used for Samsung Gear S pricing

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October 4, 1957 The first satellite, Sputnik, launches into space.

November 3, 1957 Sputnik 2 launches with Laika the dog on board.

July 20, 1969 Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first men on the moon.

August 19, 1960 Two dogs, Strelka and Belka, become the first living things to survive a round-trip in space.

April 12, 1961 Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space.

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February 3, 1966 Luna 9 became the first spacecraft to land on the moon.

HISTORY OF SPACE TRAVEL

Timeline By: Nicholas Gonzalez

Humanity loves to explore the unexplored, so when given the chance, they explored the largest frontier: space. Here are some of the most note-worthy moments of our journey.

August 12, 2012 The Curiosity Rover lands on Mars.

December 15, 1970 Venera 7 becomes the first probe to land on Venus.

July 30, 1971

August 25, 2003

The Lunar Rover lands on the moon and is taken for its first drive.

NASA launches the largest telescope ever into space, The Spitzer Space Telescope.

March 6, 2009 Kepler leaves Earth, set to find planets in deep space.

August 24, 1990 The space shuttle Discovery deploys the Hubble Space Telescope.

All pictures liscensed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some rights reservedâ&#x20AC;? from Wikipedia

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