The year is almost done, and we’ve seen plenty of amazing technological feats in the world. From the iLet Bionic Pancreas to Scientific American reporting on the possibility of 3D printing with sound waves there has been no shortage of exciting developments. But engineering.com has an eye for what it takes to make these marvels a reality. So, we gathered a list of 2023’s inventions, world records, firsts and more and then narrowed it down to our top five engineering marvels of 2023. Do you think we got it right?
5. Northrop Grumman’s B-21 Raider
In November, Northrop Grumman’s B-21 Raider made its first flight. This intercontinental bomber is scheduled to replace much of the USAF bomber fleet, so it has been equipped with the best technology and engineering $750 million-dollars-a-vehicle can buy.
Though the craft resembles the B-2, it is smaller, half the weight and has a wingspan 40 ft shorter. Much about the vehicle is still unknown, at least to the public. But what is known is impressive. It sports two Pratt & Whitney PW9000 engines with 27,000 lbs. of thrust and a weapons load around 20,000 lbs.
One reason for the similarity to the B-2 was to pack the design of the B-21 with proven technology so that engineers could focus on innovating other aspects of the vehicle. For instance, it has been reported by Aviation Week Network that to help reduce the radar cross-section of the B-21, engineers ran iterations of electromagnetic simulations. This improved the traditional trial and error method used to design other bombers.
The bomber includes also the first military aircraft fully designed using a digital thread. This included a digital twin of the vehicle that included the physical characteristics and shape of each part. This made it easier for engineers to find errors and issues with designs early in development, cutting costs significantly. Aviation Week Network also reported that CFD was performed to optimize the vehicle’s sensitivity to flow distortions.
4. The Sphere in Las Vegas
Nothing is ever small in Vegas and its new venue, the 366-foot-tall and 516-foot-wide Sphere, is no exception—having broken the record for the largest spherical structure in the world. Its construction and engineering are reported to have cost over $2.3 billion dollars. The exterior of the building houses a 580,000 square-foot, LED screen that woos travelers with displays ranging from the earth, satellite images and a scene out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
But the specs don’t end with the exterior. Inside, the Sphere contains a 16K-resolution, 160,000-square-foot screen with haptic audio and temperature features that are able to individually target each of the venue’s 10,000 immersive seats. The building also contains 7,600 regular seats and standing room for 20,000 people. Other immersive additions include simulated wind, smells and beamforming sound. Hidden behind the transparent LED screen are 1,586 loudspeakers, 167,000 speaker drivers and 300 mobile loudspeaker modules. The venue also includes robots that greet people and answer basic questions.
The engineering behind this building is enormous and so is the work put into the images it displays. For a breakdown of how the engineering company Autodesk brought the MCU’s Goose to life, watch this:
Video showing the engineering behind Autodesk and Marvel Studios’ ad on the Sphere. (Video: Autodesk.)
3. Mercedes-Benz's DRIVE PILOT for SAE Level 3 Self-Driving Vehicles
In the race to fully autonomous cars, Mercedes-Benz drove laps around the competition this September because its DRIVE PILOT system was certified as the World’s first SAE level 3 system. This will make the company’s EQS Sedans the first conditionally automated driving vehicle. What sets level 3 apart from level 2 is that under certain circumstances, the human driver can completely disengage from the road and perform other activities.
Therefore, the engineering necessary to certify an autonomous vehicle to SAE level 3 is considerable. The vehicle will need to be simulated, tested and decked out with numerous sensors to ensure safety. The amount of testing required is much more substantial than level 2 because at the higher rating the human is no longer in control of the vehicle. This means that when fully autonomous much of the liabilities and risks land on the company producing the vehicle. For DRIVE PILOT, the conditions where autonomous driving is acceptable are when the vehicle is moving up to speeds of 40 mph, on suitable freeway sections and during high traffic density.
To ensure Mercedes-Benz will reduce the risks and liabilities associated with certifying an autonomous vehicle to Level 3, its DRIVE PILOT system was engineered to include many redundant features such as:
- Extra steering and braking actuators.
- Additional on-board electrical systems.
- Numerous sensors including LiDAR, cameras, microphones and moisture sensors.
- High accuracy positioning systems.
"DRIVE PILOT is the world's first and only system for conditionally automated driving with internationally valid type approval,” said Markus Schäfer, member of the Board of Management of Mercedes‑Benz Group AG and Chief Technology Officer, in a release. “It is engineered with a sophisticated system architecture based on redundancy with many different sensor types. I strongly believe that redundancy is key for safe automated driving for level 3 and beyond. Safety is one of Mercedes-Benz core values. Responsible handling of this technology is our top priority and the key to acceptance among customers and in society."
2. Atom Computing’s 1,000+ Qubit Quantum Computing System
In late October, Atom Computing won the race to exceed 1,000 qubits on a single quantum computing platform. IBM was quick to respond with its own system to reach over 1,000 qubits in early December.
“This order-of-magnitude leap – from 100 to 1,000-plus qubits within a generation – shows our atomic array systems are quickly gaining ground on more mature qubit modalities,” said Rob Hays CEO of Atom Computing in a release. “Scaling to large numbers of qubits is critical for fault-tolerant quantum computing, which is why it has been our focus from the beginning. We are working closely with partners to explore near-term applications that can take advantage of these larger scale systems.”
The benefit of fault-tolerant quantum computers is that they can overcome errors during computations, ensuring more accurate results. To get to that level, a system will need hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of physical qubits—according to Atom Computing. As a result, their jump into thousands of qubits represents an order of magnitude jump towards this goal.
Paul Smith-Goodson, vice president and a principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, praised the engineering that was involved for Atom Computing to beat IBM to the punch. He said, “It is highly impressive that Atom Computing, which was founded just five years ago, is going up against larger companies with more resources and holding its own. The company has been laser focused on scaling its atomic array technology and is making rapid progress.”
1. Antora Energy’s Industrial Thermal Battery
Perhaps the biggest challenge engineers face as they design a greener future is the reality that industrial processes are heavily dependent on fossil fuels. Whether you’re making glass, steel, cement, lime or a swath of other components, chances are you need to heat something above 1,000 C (1,832 F). Until recently, the only way to get to these temperatures at scale and on budget is by burning fuel.
How hot is this renewable energy solution for industrial processes? White hot! (Video: New Energy Nexus.)
Enter Antora Energy, creators of a completely electric thermal battery that can deliver process heat to industry up to 1,500 C. On paper, the concepts behind the workings of this battery are straightforward. However, the engineering behind making those concepts a reality is extensive—and so is its potential impact on the engineering industry.
The battery consists of industrial level coils that heat up blocks of pure carbon—like a toaster heating bread. The carbon, which can remain solid up to 3,500 C (6,332 F), gets so hot that it emits white light. This system is then housed in an impressively engineered insulation container that prevents the heat from escaping. The result is a battery that can produce heat from electricity and hold it for days on end.
To discharge the battery, one only needs to open a door to produce a beam of energy. That energy can heat something to extreme temperatures or be transferred back into electricity using a thermal photovoltaic panel.
By hooking up intermittent green energy, like wind and solar, to the battery, it can supply guaranteed, green electricity and industrial heat on-demand without any emissions and at a price comparable to fossil fuels. This means that this engineering marvel might have the biggest impact on the day to day lives of engineers in the very near future—solidifying its spot at the top of the list.