The Engineering Behind a Spectacle

The Engineering Behind a Spectacle The Engineering Behind a Spectacle Millions of visitors find their way to the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas every year, and the hotels signature experience begins before they ever walk in the door. The famous water outside the facility has further heightened the status of the famed hotel but WET Design, which worked on the mechanical engineering of this and other famed water spectacles, hopes the audience will never even consider the engineering behind their work, says Jim Doyle, director of plan technology for the company, based in Sun Valley, CA. They just want them to enjoy their shows. Doyle pulls back the curtain a bit as he describes some of the thinking behind the spectacles that have wowed audiences on multiple continents. The Bellagio, for example, was watershed in how incredibly complex it was and we realized it was going to be even bigger than we thought it was, he says. This wasnt the expansion of a little fountain here, it was a major und ertaking from the mechanical and electrical standpoint high-connected load, tremendous devices, not only a power issue with all the compressors and pumps but to have distributor control to and out in the middle. When running, it pulls about five megawatts, intermittently, of course, because its a water feature. The Bellagio fountains. Image PhotographersNature / Wikimedia Commons It runs on air because its a lot more efficient than electrical for what they want to do. It can actually collect air pressure between shows and do these staccato movements that last only like three seconds, he says. We can use stored energy from the air to do that. Among the devices he alludes to are what he calls the oarsmen. If you look at the whole row of them, they look like oarsmen on the ship. They are xyz robots, the x and y being mechanical tracking. X is tracking y like a gimbal, and z is the pump speed. Sounds simple until you put it underwater and deal with it more than 200 times since thats how many we made. Doyle says the roughly 3.5-5 minute show was a great learning curve for the company. Now we understood even better how to distribute massive amounts of electrical into a water feature, he says. The Dubai Fountain, the worlds largest choreographed fountain system. Image The Dubai Mall The learning made works like the Dubai Fountain easier, but thats not to say easy. For example, here we had fan oarsmen. So instead of the stream out of oarsmen, we had a fan and the fan has theta access so it can rotate, he says. Theres always something new to learn on a project, but thats part of the fun of it. And, it shouldnt be surprising that Doyle comes from the world of Hollywood special effects. What he likes here is that work is seen for years and might not just disappear like a movie can if theres a weekend of poor kasten office receipts. Its great to build something and know how appreciated it will be, he says. It can also help business for the area. And hey, I enjoy watching them like everyone else. Eric Butterman is an independent writer. For Further DiscussionIts great to build something and know how appreciated it will be. It can also help business for the area. And hey, I enjoy watching them like everyone else.Jim Doyle, WET Design

NASA Issues Second Call for Ground-Based Research Proposals

NASA Issues Second Call for Ground-Based Research Proposals NASA Issues Second Call for Ground-Based Research Proposals NASA Issues Second Call for Ground-Based Research ProposalsNASA recently released a second call for proposals for the NASA Research Announcement (NRA), entitled Use of the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System, soliciting ground-based research proposals that employ an open science method to generate new scientific insights by using data contained in NASAs Physical Sciences Informatics (PSI) online database. This PSI database provides investigators access to the raw and processed experimental data from past and current physical science International Space Station flight experiments. By issuing the NRA, the space agency aims to promote rapid, multiple investigations resulting in more scientists participating in ISS research. The second call for proposals, Appendix B to the NRA, is soliciting proposals in the five research areas - Combustion Science, Complex Fluid s, Fluid Physics, Fundamental Physics and Materials Science - for which eligible experimental data will be available in the PSI by the proposal due date of March 17, 2016. The call is open to two types of investigators established researchers and graduate students. For eligibility requirements and further instructions, or to read the complete NRA, visit http//tinyurl.com/NASA-15PSI-B. For more information on the Physical Sciences Informatics database, visit http//psi.nasa.gov.

4 Tips for Keeping Your Job Search a Secret

4 Tips for Keeping Your Job Search a Secret4 Tips for Keeping Your Job Search a SecretWhen youre looking to switch jobs, its almost always easier to find a new position when you already have one. With one big exception, of course you need to keep your job search a secret. After all, you dont want your boss to catch wind that youre looking for a new gig, which can complicate matters in the office and potentially cost you your current position. Here are some how-tos on how to keep your job search a secret- and successful.4 Tips for Keeping Your Job Search a SecretKeep it separate. You log in long hours at your job, leaving you little time to find a new position. But if youre tempted to start your search on company time- and in the office to boot- you might be making a big mistake. Your boss can track which websites youre visiting and will be able to find out nahe daran sein if youre on job boards. So try to keep your job search separate from your office life and do your hunting after h ours. If you absolutely have to follow up on a job lead, use your own personal equipment, such as your tablet or laptop, and use your own phone instead of the companys to call back potential employers.Schedule interviews for after hours. Every day in your office is casual Friday. Thats always been one of the great perks of your job. Except now that youre interviewing for jobs, youve ditched your jeans and instead are strolling into the office in a suit and tie. A sudden change in your attire will surely attract the attention of nosy colleagues, so be sure to schedule your interviews before and after work whenever possible. Or, figure out a convenient distributionspolitik to change attire en-route to your interview- perhaps at your gym, a friends house, or your own if its not far away. That way, you can avoid raising any eyebrows and keep your search private.Keep it to yourself. When youve finally made the decision to ditch your office job in favor of another position, chances are yo ull be very excited and want to tell the world. But even telling your office bestie can backfire, since news of your impending exit can quickly make its way back to your boss. As hard as it might be, youll need to keep a lid on your upcoming job interviews and only tell those closest to you, such as friends and family. And think twice before broadcasting your job search status online, because you dont want to do anything that can hurt your job search.Find fresh references. Your boss-to-be wants to get a few job references from you as part of the final phase in the job interviewing process. Thing is, your boss is (thankfully) clueless about your job search. Dont assume that you need to get a reference from him, though. References can run the gamut from previous bosses and colleagues, to even college professors and close friends in your professional network. Essentially, anyone who can attest to the fact that you are a great worker and a professional counts as a contact whom you can u se.Searching for a job while you already have one can be tricky, but if you are cautious and careful, you can implement some job search strategies that will help you find a position that is a perfect fit for you without jeopardizing your current one.Readers, have you ever searched for a job while employed? How did you do it? Let us know in the comments below