Fidget poppers are an example of “bistability,” as the popped circles rest in one of two stable states. Purdue University researchers have taken this idea to its extreme, building robots that can be preprogrammed and controlled using just the physical properties of these fidget poppers.

On Friday, October 24, we are celebrating the renovation of the Mechanical Engineering building by holding a Grand Re-Opening — including a ribbon cutting, guided tours of the new spaces, and showcases from student groups who now occupy the newly refurbished building.

Congratulations to seniors Tanmaee Ledalla and Sofia Velarde, named Purdue Engineering Fellows. These best-of-the-best students will receive $25,000 upon graduation.

A future where all homes and vehicles in the U.S. are fully electrified could overwhelm the power supply and risk outages - unless key upgrades are made. Kevin Kircher's team have developed strategies that could cut two-thirds of the potential costs of reinforcing the nation's distribution grid to handle this demand.

When he graduated from Purdue in 2008, Jim Mumford didn’t expect to become a pizza expert. But after nearly two decades in the engineering world, he’s now merged his love for cooking with his skill sets in engineering.

One of the most intricate maneuvers in agriculture is unloading grain from a combine into a grain cart while both vehicles are moving. It’s a task that requires near-perfect synchronization between the combine operator and the tractor driver pulling the grain cart.

That same kind of close collaboration recently played out in a project between Purdue University and John Deere. Combining industry experience with research expertise, the two organizations developed an initial demonstration of Auto Unload, a precision technology that improves productivity, reduces operator fatigue, and saves valuable time during harvest.

If you’ve ever watched a Battlebots competition on TV and said, “I want to do that” — now you can! Railside Robotics gives Purdue students the opportunity to design their own combat robots: build them, compete with them, and then watch them be torn to shreds.

In most motorsports, the roar of the engine draws people in. But for Purdue Electric Racing, it’s the high-pitched whine of electric motors powered by a 600-volt battery. This year’s Purdue Electric Racing team enjoyed another unique sound — victory. They successfully completed every event in their competition for the first time in their 12-year history.

Congratulations to Andrea Vacca, inducted into the Fluid Power Hall of Fame.

As crew chief for Trackhouse Racing, Matt Swiderski (MSME ’17) has blazed his own trail in NASCAR. It’s been a circuitous trip that included a stop at SpaceX in California, as well as the self-imposed challenge of an Online Master’s in Mechanical Engineering that took eight years to finish.