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Welcome to The Wave Engineering Newsletter, your weekly guide to the cutting edge of engineering. Whether you're a seasoned professional, an eager student, or simply curious about innovation, we’re here to inform, inspire, and connect.
More than just a newsletter, we tell the human stories behind the tech—spotlighting the innovators, dreamers, and changemakers shaping our world. Backed by insights from Pipeline Design & Engineering and the Being an Engineer Podcast, we deliver the latest advancements, impactful collaborations, and stories that redefine what’s possible.
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What’s one problem in your industry that could be solved if machines could “smell” as well as they see or hear?
Ever wondered how your phone could charge itself just by sitting on your desk? Or if you could 3D print a wrench to fix your other 3D printer? Oh, and did you know there’s a startup teaching robots how to sniff like bloodhounds? This week, we’re diving into the wild world of wireless power transfer, the most useful 3D printing tools on the market, and a spotlight on Olfactory AI—a company that’s making noses smarter than ever.
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Emerging Innovations
The Evolution of Wireless Power Transfer
A chance encounter with wireless pacemaker monitoring in a medical clinic sparked a deeper exploration into one of engineering's most promising frontiers: wireless power transfer (WPT). While today's wireless charging pads still tether us to specific spots and precise positioning, recent breakthroughs in magnetic resonance coupling, beam-forming technologies, and metamaterials are pushing us toward truly wireless power delivery.
Current commercial systems like Qi standard chargers are just the beginning. Engineers are now developing adaptive beam-forming technology that can track and power devices across rooms, metamaterials that create efficient power corridors, and intelligent multi-device charging systems. While challenges remain in efficiency, heat management, and device compatibility, the foundations for a wireless power revolution are being laid today.
Read the full article to discover how these advances could reshape product design across industries, from medical implants to urban infrastructure, and learn why engineers should prepare for what could be one of the most significant technological transitions since wireless communications.
Practical Tools and Resources for Engineers
3D Printing: Matching The Right Tool For Your Needs
From rapid prototyping to end-use parts, 3D printing has transformed how engineers approach design and manufacturing. But with options ranging from desktop FDM printers to industrial DMLS systems, choosing the right technology can make or break your project.
In this week's deep dive, we explore:
Why material simulation and precision requirements should drive your technology choice
A comprehensive comparison of FDM, SLA, SLS, and DMLS technologies
Real industry applications, from Boeing's manufacturing fixtures to SpaceX's rocket components
Drawing from personal experience with manufacturing fixtures, we break down the critical decision factors that every engineer should consider when selecting a 3D printing technology. Plus, get insights into the latest innovations, from continuous liquid interface production to AI-integrated printing systems. For the full breakdown, visit The Wave below and read more.
The Startup Spotlight
Olfactory AI
During the pandemic, a candle company was hit with a wave of negative reviews claiming their scents had changed. After digging deeper, they discovered the issue wasn’t the candles—it was that many customers had lost their sense of smell due to COVID-19. This story sheds light on an overlooked gap in technology: while we’ve made huge strides in mimicking sight and sound, replicating the sense of smell remains a complex, unsolved challenge.
This week, we explore the emerging field of digital scent detection. Expert Kordel France breaks down why smell is so tricky to capture, from the chaotic nature of air to the lack of a standard way to “digitize” scent.
Key Takeaways:
Why It’s Hard: Unlike photos or music, there’s no universal format to represent smells, making it difficult to measure and standardize.
How It Works: Current methods rely on chemical reactions, molecular vibrations, or light refraction to detect scents.
Where It’s Useful: Potential applications include robotics (think scent-guided navigation), aerospace (fuel leak detection, combustion monitoring), and automotive manufacturing (spotting battery or material issues).
Smell technology is still in its early days, but the possibilities are huge. Whether it’s improving safety in industries or enabling robots to “sniff out” problems, this is a space full of untapped potential. Curious to learn more?
Closing Thoughts
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Engineering is about solving, innovating, and connecting ideas to make a difference. Progress is a collective effort and your curiosity is what drives it forward. Thank you for exploring the dynamic world of engineering with all of us at Pipeline Design & Engineering and The Wave.
If you found value in this newsletter, share it with a friend or colleague who might enjoy it too. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a new perspective, idea, or breakthrough.
“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.” - Steve Jobs
In collaboration and creativity,
Brad Hirayama
Blueprinting tomorrow, today