February 1997

		Features Student Projects and Activities Tech autonomous robot places 1st for design - One of Tech's robots won first place for design at the Unmanned Ground Robotics Competition at Disney's Epcot Center. Competing robots will go head-to-head as SouthEastCon '97 comes to Tech - After 10 years of entering designs in the SouthEastCon hardware design contest, Tech students are designing the contest. Davis wins Disney design contest - Virtual reality project wins Tech student a grant and a co-op job with Walt Disney Imagineering. Mechatronics Course blends EE/ME issues - Intelligent windshield defogger, an intake manifold controller, and an intelligent pill dispenser are some projects from Tech's first Mechatronics course. Research News First full-powered smart material developed - EE researchers are involved in effort that produced a "smart skin" for underwater vehicles. Power Electronics Group to build converter for superconducting magnetic energy storage - VPEC is developing a prototype power conditioning system for SMES. Wireless research leads to indoor planning tool - MPRG has developed the first commercially available indoor/microcellular Site Modeling Tool. Packaging lab established - New lab increases opportunities for interdisciplinary research in electronics packaging. 1997 Symposia/Conferences Alumni News Deep space probes talk to Tech alumnus - Brad Reed (EE '88) has overall maintenance and engineering responsibility for the NASA/JPL Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex. Department News Letter from the Department Head Department to hire 10 new faculty members Department seeks partners for Alliance for Excellence New 5-year BS/MS program set Northern Virginia campus moves to new location Advisory Board guides, assists Department Faculty News

The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Virginia Tech