Bill Hammack's audio and video work emphasizes the creative role of engineers in designing and creating our world. He's a regular commentator on radio - based at Illinois Public Radio in Urbana he's appeared on public radio's premier business program Marketplace, and on Radio National Australia's Sc…
This series on Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. This video (the fourth of four) shows how to operate the machine. Check out the series companion book and learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier.
This series on Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. This bonus video shows the motion of every rocker arm -- that is, every sinusoid. The end of the video shows all the arms in motion together. Check out the series companion book and learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier.
This series on Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. This videos shows the machine rotating and rotating -- including a breathtaking spiral up the machine at the end of the video. Check out the series companion book and learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier.
his series on Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. This video is a page-by-page commentary to the series companion book. Learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier.
► Learn more at: http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier ► Buy the book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0983966176/ ► Buy the posters on Zazzle: http://www.zazzle.com/engineerguy ► Main videos in the series: (1/4) Introduction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAsM30MAHLg (2/4) Synthesis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KmVDxkia_w (4/4) Operation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfH-NbsmvD4 ► Bonus videos: Books and Posters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXgTwrblClQ Page-by-Page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMHw9GCAtE8 Spinning Machine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPQwKRt4Y2k Rocker Arms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mBuyixt22U This series on Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. This video (the third of four) shows how to use the machine to do Fourier analysis. Check out the series companion book and learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier.
This series on Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. This video (the second of four) shows how to use the machine to do Fourier synthesis. Check out the series companion book and learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier.
This introduction to the series Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. This video is the first of four -- plus several bonus videos. Check out the series companion book and learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier.
This series on Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. This video (the fourth of four) shows how to operate the machine. Check out the series companion book and learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier.
This series on Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. This bonus video shows the motion of every rocker arm -- that is, every sinusoid. The end of the video shows all the arms in motion together. Check out the series companion book and learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier.
This series on Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. This videos shows the machine rotating and rotating -- including a breathtaking spiral up the machine at the end of the video. Check out the series companion book and learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier.
his series on Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. This video is a page-by-page commentary to the series companion book. Learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier.
► Learn more at: http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier ► Buy the book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0983966176/ ► Buy the posters on Zazzle: http://www.zazzle.com/engineerguy ► Main videos in the series: (1/4) Introduction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAsM30MAHLg (2/4) Synthesis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KmVDxkia_w (4/4) Operation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfH-NbsmvD4 ► Bonus videos: Books and Posters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXgTwrblClQ Page-by-Page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMHw9GCAtE8 Spinning Machine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPQwKRt4Y2k Rocker Arms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mBuyixt22U This series on Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. This video (the third of four) shows how to use the machine to do Fourier analysis. Check out the series companion book and learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier.
This series on Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. This video (the second of four) shows how to use the machine to do Fourier synthesis. Check out the series companion book and learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier.
This introduction to the series Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. This video is the first of four -- plus several bonus videos. Check out the series companion book and learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at http://www.engineerguy.com/fourier.
Bill nominates, perhaps only provocatively, James Bosnack's cigarette machine as the invention with the greatest economic impact on the 20th century. Cigarettes, as compared to pipes and cigars, are and the most direct way to deliver nicotine to the brain. Bosnack's machine made the mass production of cigarettes possible. The use of cigarettes, of course, has taken a tremendous human and economic toll. (The quotations are from Tastes of Paradise by Wolfgang Shivelbusch published by Pantheon, New York, 1992.)
Bill nominates, perhaps only provocatively, James Bosnack's cigarette machine as the invention with the greatest economic impact on the 20th century. Cigarettes, as compared to pipes and cigars, are and the most direct way to deliver nicotine to the brain. Bosnack's machine made the mass production of cigarettes possible. The use of cigarettes, of course, has taken a tremendous human and economic toll. (The quotations are from Tastes of Paradise by Wolfgang Shivelbusch published by Pantheon, New York, 1992.)
Bill explains how the rise of home air conditioning had to battle the open air movements in public school: They regarded it as only for factories where it was first introduced. Only when movie theatres added air conditioning in the 1930 and 1940s did it become popular for the home.
Bill tells the story of how George Eastman invented film. Its use in the Brownie camera revolutionized photography; that it changed the way American families think of themselves and recall their own histories.
Bill tells us about packaging, a sub-discipline of engineering that is essential to our society. This radio commentary was originally broadcast on November 30, 2004. Visit this link to view complete list of media attributions http://goo.gl/fmGESM.
Bill discusses the theremin, and how it lead to one the music industry's most fundamental assets, the electronic synthesizer. This was originally broadcast on December 26, 2000. Visit this link to view complete list of media attributions http://goo.gl/fmGESM.
Bill tells the story of the origins of an engineering marvel found at every amusement park, the Ferris Wheel. This radio piece was first broadcast February 15, 2005. Visit this link to view complete list of media attributions http://goo.gl/fmGESM.
Bill describes how the household drip coffee maker evolved. This was originally broadcast on August 29, 2000. Visit this link to view complete list of media attributions: http://goo.gl/fmGESM. Watch the related EngineerGuy video on how a drip coffee maker works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j4Q_YBRJEI
Perhaps no technological failure is better known than that of the Dvorak keyboard. Since the early 1870s nearly every typewriter used a keyboard with a QWERTY layout, yet most studies show the Dvorak arrangement of keys to be faster. This videos probes the underlying reasons that this arrangement failed to make headway in the marketplace. This video tells the story of why the Dvorak keyboard failed. This is one of three videos in a series on marketplace failures of technological objects.
How Bell Telephone’s PicturePhone, introduced in 1964, flopped yet nearly catalyzed the internet. Technically, it was an amazing achievement: Bell used the existing twisted-pair copper wire of the telephone network -- not broadband lines like today -- to produce black and white video on a screen about five inches square. And, amazingly for the time, it used a CCD-based-camera. It was meant to be the most revolutionary communication medium of the century, driving subscribers to purchase broadband lines, but failed miserably as a consumer product costing Bell a half billion dollars. This is one of three videos in a series on marketplace failures of technological objects.
In 1976 Sony introduced the Betamax video cassette recorder. It catalyzed the “on demand” of today by allowing users to record television shows, and the machine ignited the first “new media” intellectual property battles. In only a decade this revolutionary machine disappeared, beaten by JVS’s version of the cassette recorder. This video tells the story of why Betamax failed. This is one of three videos in a series on marketplace failures of technological objects.
Bill details how a microwave oven heats food. He describes how the microwave vacuum tube, called a magnetron, generates radio frequencies that cause the water in food to rotate back and forth. He shows the standing wave inside the oven, and notes how you can measure the wavelength with melted cheese. He concludes by describing how a magnetron generates radio waves. You can learn more about the microwave oven from the EngineerGuy team's new book Eight Amazing Engineering Stories http://www.engineerguy.com/elements
Bill explains that the hardest step is making the proper type of uranium. Weapons and power plants require uranium that contains a greater amount of the isotope uranium-235 than found in natural uranium, which is mostly uranium-238. He outlines the key difficulty in separating the two isotope: They have nearly identical properties. He explains the two key methods for separation: Gas diffusion and centrifuges.
Bill shows the world's smallest atomic clock and then describes how the first one made in the 1950s worked. He describes in detail the use of cesium vapor to create a feedback or control loop to control a quartz oscillator. He highlights the importance of atomic team by describing briefly how a GPS receiver uses four satellites to find its position. You can learn more about atomic clocks and the GPS system in the EngineerGuy team's new book Eight Amazing Engineering Stories http://www.engineerguy.com/elements
Bill shows how the three key characteristics of laser light - single wavelength, narrow beam, and high intensity - are made. He explains the operation of a ruby laser - the first laser ever made - showing how electronic transitions create stimulated emission to give coherent light, and then how the ends of the ruby cavity create a narrow wavelength highly collimated beam. You can learn more about laser in the EngineerGuy team's new book Eight Amazing Engineering Stories
Bill describes how metals like aluminum and titanium are made resistant to corrosion by growing an oxide layer into the metals. These is the same process used on many Apple products. This video is based on a chapter in his book Eight Amazing Engineering Stories.
Bill takes apart a smartphone and explains how its accelerometer works. He also shares the essential idea underlying the MEMS production of these devices
Bill takes apart a digital camera and explains how its captures images using a CCD (charge coupled device). He also shares how a single CCD is used with a color filter array to create colored images. This video is based on a chapter from the EngineerGuy team's latest book Eight Amazing Engineering Stories (Learn more at http://www.engineerguy.com/elements)
Bill uses a laser pointer and a bucket of glycol to show how fiber optic cables works, and how engineers use them to transmit signals across the ocean.
Bill uses a pile of cell phones to illustrate the seven design criteria that shape a mobile device. He outlines the seven basic constrain
Bill tears down a hard drive to show how it stores data. He explains how smooth the disk surface must be for the device to work, and he outlines the mathematical technique used to increase data storage.
Bill tears down an LCD monitor to show how it works. He describes how liquid crystals are used, the structure of the glass panes, and the thin film transistor (TFTs) that allow for active matrix addressing.
Bill takes apart a smoke detector and shows how it uses a radioactive source to generate a tiny current which is disrupted when smoke flows through the sensor. He describes how a special transistor called a MOSFET can be used to detect the tiny current changes.
Bill takes apart an incandescent light bulb to how how the filament is made. He shows extreme close-ups of the filament, and he discusses the materials processing need to make the ductile tungsten
Bill reveals how "queueing theory" - developed by engineers to route phone calls - can be used to find the most efficient arrangement of cashiers and check out lines. He reports on the work of Agner Erlang, a Danish engineer who, at the opening of the 20th century, helped the Copenhagen Telephone Company provide the best level of service at the lowest price.
The amazing everyday wristwatch: We never think about it, but only because engineers have made it so reliable and durable that we don't need to. At its heart lies a tiny tuning fork made of the mineral quartz. In this video Bill takes apart a cheap watch and shows extreme close-ups of the actually tunings fork. He explains how the piezoelectric effect of quartz lies at the heart of the watch's operation.
Bill shows how a transistor works by examing a replica of the first one ever build: The Bardeen-Brattain point contact transistor.
Bill opens up a vintage "black box" from a Delta airlines jetliner. He describes how the box withstands high temperatures and crash velocities because it is made from Inconel: A superalloy steels that is used in furnaces and others extreme environments. The flight data recorder he shows is a Sundstrand FA-542 and was likely used on a DC-9 in the 1970s, although it could have been used as late as 1988 on a Boeing 727.
To engineer an object means to make choices. Bill illustrates how the choice of having a single heating element made an engineer find a creative way to pump water with no moving parts.
Bill uses slow motion video to show the ingenious engineering design of the apparently simple tab of a pop can. To create a tab with the least amount of material it changes from a 2nd to a 1st class lever while opening the can.
Early calculating devices and computers used mechanical digital to analogue converters. This video describes one based on an arrangement of metal bars called a "whiffletree" - also sometimes called a "whippletree." It shows, briefly, the whiffletree used in IBM's revolutionary selectric typewriter and then illustrates the principles of a whiffletree converter by showing the simplest one - one that encodes digital impulses into two bits of information. (This videos is an appendix to Bill Hammack's video about the operation of the Selectric Typewriter.)
Using slow motion video Bill Hammack, the engineer guy, shows how IBM's revolutionary "golf ball" typewriter works. He describes the marvelous completely mechanical digital-to-analogue converter that translates the discrete impulse of the keys to the rotation of the type element. (This is the typewriter featured on the television series Mad Men.)
In ths public radio piece Bill reveals the mysteries of the Ice Hotel. In January 2002 Bill visited the Ice Hotel with his wife Amy Somrak and their friends Allan and Pat Tuchman. Located in the arctic circle of Sweden, the hotel's owners rebuild the hotel every year. Temperatures outside the hotel can be as low as 40 degrees below freezing; inside the hotel temperatures are a comparatively warm 9 degrees fahrenheit. In this public radio piece Bill examines the hotel rooms, interviews its designer, and probes the hotel's appeal.
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