Although it's been almost 20 years since Tom Cruise's box officesmash Top Gun, aviator glasses and "the need for speed" still meancool.
The University of Memphis Herff College of Engineering will fillthat need for speed Friday (Ray-Bans not included) in the form of aU.S. Navy Blue Angles F/A-18 Hornet simulator.
The simulator is making a stop at the engineering college inobservance of the third annual Engineering Day, said Charles Bray,associate dean of electrical and computer engineering.
"The simulator is just one of many presentations aimed atintroducing young people to what engineers do -- the impact thatengineers have on a variety of areas in our lives," Bray said.
Using a 15-seat motion pod fitted with high-tech digital visualand audio equipment, Bray said riders will experience highperformance flight from a pilot's perspective.
"We expect about 1,200 students from area middle and highschools to take the tour this year," Bray said.
The Biomedical, Civil, Electrical and Computer, EngineeringTechnology and Mechanical Engineering Departments each will makepresentations at the Engineering Day, which is free and open to thepublic.
"Of course, it will be difficult to compete with a flightsimulator, but we'll do our best," said Erno Lindner of thebiomedical engineering department.
Part of the biomedical presentation will include a litmus testbetween cola and lemonade.
"It is a simple example of the more complex sensor research ourstudents are working on," Lindner said.
Some in the biomedical engineering department are working onsensor technology that will hopefully one day be used to replacemany of the often evasive diagnostic test performed in hospitals,Lindner said.
"Imagine if an accurate test existed where all the patient hadto do was blow into a tube and the doctor could tell whether theperson just has indigestion or is really having heart trouble,"Linder said.
Engineering technology, which requires the application ofscientific and engineering knowledge with technical skills, willhost a robot challenge competition as one of its activities, saidRonald Day, engineering technology department chair.
"We get to entertain and educate them (spectators) with highlyvisible and interactive exercises," Day said.
Six at a time, the tour members will compete at manipulatingrobots through a set of exercises for a prize, Day said.
The electrical engineering presenters also do their best DavidBlain impersonations, as two experiments -- one using electricityand the other using magnetism -- will levitate objects, Braysaid.
"Hopefully by seeing engineering in action, we can stimulatesome young minds to consider making engineering a career choice,"Bray said.
The activities will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. at theCollege of Engineering.
"With all the high school students scheduled for the morning, Uof M students should plan to come over after 1 p.m.," Braysaid.
