Winner of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence award
Spring Issue 7
April 14, 2015
The Florida Tech Crimson
Free meals across all NCAA divisions: realistic or idealistic?
Photo by Ebube Ubochi Members of the women’s basketball team practicing.
Ashley Montion Social Media Coordinator It’s 7:30 a.m. — most are asleep. The average student-athlete is catching her breath, as the last hour consisted of shuffling around cones, running sprint jogs and working ladder drills; the sun is finally rising after a morning of heavy conditioning. Class is next at 8 a.m. But first, food. For some, a simple trip to the the dining hall or Panther grocery before class can take care of the need; however, those without one of Florida Tech’s six meal plans available for purchase are out of luck. “The meal plans are expensive here, and personally I don’t have the money for it,” said Florida Tech softball player Brigit Godfrey. A meal plan with unlimited access to Florida Tech’s dining hall costs approximately $2,285. A full
FlexCredit plan, an access mechanism to purchase meals without redeemable cash value when the meal plan expires, totals to $1770. Scholarship or not, no stipends are available for studentathletes who do not purchase a meal plan. “We go from workouts to school to practice and back to school; it’s a lot,” Godfrey said. “Even if the coaches could help give us who don’t have meals plans maybe just a little bit of help, and we could take care of the rest.” For student-athletes at many NCAA Division I universities, food is abundant, literally. As of April 2014, Division I student-athletes are eligible for free meals and snacks. This applies to both scholarship and walk on student-athletes and does not jeopardize student-athletes’ federal or pell grants. The Legislative Council passed the rule in order to meet the basic nutritional needs of student-athletes, according to NCAA.org. “I don’t think it’s fair that
only Division I schools have that privilege,” said women’s lacrosse player Heather Roache. “Regardless of what division you play for, we all work hard out there.” The issue of fairness in making sense of the new rule brings up the question of who is paying for these free meals. Division I universities — especially the Power Five conferences, which include the SEC, Big Ten, Atlantic Coast, Big 12 and Pac-12 — operate on extensive budgets. The University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin and Ohio State — part of the Big Ten Conference, a Power Five member — run on budgets just under $140 million, according to sports. usatoday.com. Florida Tech assistant softball coach Sean Cotter, former head coach at NCAA Division I Massachusetts Lowell, said the initiative strum out last year after the University of Connecticut’s star basketball player, Shabazz
Napier, made a comment that he doesn’t get to eat after practice. “Just because a law is passed doesn’t mean everyone is going to do it,” Cotter said. “So the Power Five have millions to spend, so most likely those kids will eat free all the time. If you’re a mid major or lower major Division I, your meals aren’t getting paid for.” However, as Cotter said, many schools just don’t have the funds to accommodate the new ruling. “Yes, student-athletes train harder and need to eat a lot more than the average person,” said athletic trainer Christine Clancy. “But technically, from a financial standpoint, if the rule was passed for Division II, I don’t think it would be realistic for Florida Tech.” “Division I athletics, specifically revenue-generating sports like men’s basketball and football, brings in more money for the school and allows the athletic departments to budget and accommodate athletes,” said Clancy.
“We don’t have the financial backing like that here,” Clancy said. “The whole school would shut down; it’s just not realistic for us.” Whether or not free meal meals would be possible if the law were passed across Division II, student-athletes at Florida Tech with meal plans have their own views as well. “In community college, they provided us with three meals a day,” said Florida Tech football player Ramsey Sellers. “I have the all flex cash plan, so I can go to eat wherever on campus and even get food from the vending machines with it.” The 315-pound offensive lineman said that he was satisfied with his meal plan, although he had to purchase it. Free meals across NCAA divisions seems unrealistic, and even if the law was passed, many schools wouldn’t financially sustain such a ruling. v
SGA ‘Paws-abilities for Facilities’ campaign takes shape, sets plans in motion for summer Ebube Ubochi Sci/Tech Editor Florida Tech’s Student Government has undertaken a facilities improvement initiative, aiming for a gradual overhaul that is set to go into full swing during the summer. Current SGA President Carla Deras said the idea originated from a desire to make a difference by starting with the small things: issues like faulty door handles and broken chairs. “Facilities of course doesn’t spend all day looking for things that are broken,” Deras said. “They go and do their jobs according to the request forms that are submitted. This is a way of making sure those little things don’t get missed.” A considerable number of the requests come from students and faculty and pertain to a wide variety of things. The other stuff they do encompasses scheduled
maintenance, which they are reminded to carry out by automated prompts generated by their software. “It tells them when they have to go and check the AC in the library, or check the pressure somewhere, you know,” Deras said. “It regenerates according to the system.” Some students have expressed slight disappointment in this development, as they expected more tangible and quickly accessible changes in the quality of facilities on campus that they use regularly. “This is all fine and good, and I’m glad they’re working toward it,” said sophomore Robert Orya. “But it would be nice to see things happen more quickly, especially in the dorms, for example. My vending machine has been broken for a while.” Sophomore Faith Danladi said she welcomes the changes. “I think it’s a good idea,” she said. “The summer is definitely a good
time to work on stuff like this.” Sophomore Princess Akande agreed. “There aren’t a lot of people around then, so they don’t have to worry about students getting in the way.” Deras cites an SGA senator as a major inspiration for the project. “The idea came from an interview from one of our senators, Lindsay,” she said. “We asked her what difference she wanted to make on campus. She said, ‘Well you know, I want to fix those small things that change your day, like bad carpets in Crawford.’” “It was just an idea,” Deras continued. “And then our PR chair came with the name ‘Paws-Abilities for Facilities’ and we liked it so we did it for Table Thursdays and made a survey for it that people could access online.” With the online form, users can enter information pertaining to various buildings, including classrooms, dorms and dining facilities. Deras said they took the time to make the survey as detailed
as possible. “We also have them write on a giant sheet of paper what issues they had, and all the results are compiled.” In close collaboration with the Chief Operating Officer Donn Miller-Kermani, Deras was able to devise a system that compiles the responses so the different results can be sorted to make sure there’s nothing repetitive, because a lot of people are bound to enter the same information. “We also had to make sure the entries were of things actually fixable by facilities,” Deras said. “Things that fell under the category we’d be looking for. In addition to all this, we have extra suggestions, like the trolley app and campus maps, as well as suggestions on improving campus aesthetics.” Deras said she’s the liaison between Miller-Kermani and SGA, and she holds regular meetings to discuss student issues. She said the project is designed to be short and efficient.
The initiative is ongoing, but Deras said that it’s understandable how students may not know much about it at the moment or notice any changes. “The reason why you haven’t seen much activity is because Student Government is almost done at this point,” she said. “We only have one more meeting and one more Table Thursday, so right now we’re just trying to make sure that everything we can get done is getting done.” Summer break is fast approaching, and the school uses that time when most students are not here to fix everything they can. In light of this, SGA’s goal is to gather all the requests they can before then. Deras thinks the facilities improvement initiative and the trolley app are both things that could make an impact on the student body. “We’ve achieved a lot,” Deras said. “And the past two years have been amazing.” v
SGA ELECTIONS RESULTS, PAGE 4. STUDY ABROAD CHINA, PAGE 5.
OPINIONS
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the Florida tech crimson
Letter from the Editor Rebekah Duntz Editor-in-Chief I’ve gotten a lot of feedback about our Grimson issue that came out a couple weeks ago. The Grimson, our April Fool’s section of the paper, is a chance where the Crimson staff has fun and wildly expresses our freedom to embrace satire. The staff chose to frame our news stories for the Grimson like the Onion’s newspaper. For any-
one that doesn’t know The Onion, I highly recommend reading it. For the Grimson, we chose to write some satirical pieces about Harris donations, Yik Yak and Babcock Oaks issues. And it was hilarious. We also used the “f” word. You know, without the stars. It was edgy. It was dangerous. The editors were giggling as we designed and laid the paper out late on a Sunday evening in our basement. And I
have to admit, I thought twice before sending it to the printer. Here’s why I did it: that’s how we talk. It’s real, it sounds like us. It’s our language. And so sometimes, it’s okay to sound like that, if it’s for a purpose. For an everyday issue, we absolutely wouldn’t print those words for the hell of it. But for an April Fool’s, Onion-style paper, one could argue that it makes sense. And I’m arguing that it makes sense.
I was prepared to deal with consequences for the sake of satire and humor, and I’m happy to see that, though some may be uncomfortable, no one is extremely angry with it. I haven’t gotten any angry emails from administration, even though I was expecting it. I appreciate the support from everyone who picks up a copy of the Crimson. We may have gained some credit with the student body and lost some with
administration, or we may not have even had an impact on anyone. But for a student newspaper, making these decisions is a balancing act. I just want our readers to know — we are a student newspaper. We are the student voice. Sometimes the student voice includes some cursing and pointed humor, but I’m grateful that we have the right and the support from administrators at Florida Institute of Technology to do that. v
CAPS PSA: Staying Well During Exams Kendra Bartel CAPS Contributing Writer There are tons of tips and tricks for succeeding during the semester, and you may feel pretty good at preparing for school work. But there’s one thing you dread, and it’s that pesky sickness that always seems to creep up on you right before exams. You are right to think there is no simple solution, but there are a few things you can do that may help prevent it. Make sure to check out CAPS’ event “De-Stress for Success!” on April 23 at 7 p.m. in Evans Hall, room 202 to learn ways to improve your study skills, cope with stress and anxiety and de-stress for success. Plus, there are prizes up for grabs! Eat healthy. When the semester gets rough, you may think you have the right to eat poorly or have no other choice due to time constraints. But if you eat healthy, you’re less likely to get sick and better able to concentrate. By filling your body with healthy foods, and not junk, you are going to get the nutrients and vitamins you need to fight off sickness and make sure your body and mind are functioning at their best. Sleep. While this may sound like a ridiculous notion for the hardest part of the semester, sleep is actually one of the best things you can do for your body. When you stay up too late and don’t get enough rest, your body is weaker and the quality of your work significantly decreases. Sleep helps keep your body energized and ready to go. You may even notice you get your work done faster when you’re well rested. Keep Moving. Gym breaks or taking a walk are the perfect study breaks and something healthy you can do to keep from getting sick. When you work out, you’re strengthening your whole body and putting it in defense mode against sickness. You sweat out toxins in your body and feel better from the endorphins your body releases during your workout. So not only are you less likely to get sick, but you’re going to feel good in general. Relax. You may now be thinking, “If I do that, I won’t have time to finish my work!” Luckily, there are plenty of relaxing things you can do that won’t take hours of your day up. Excessive stress increases your body’s likelihood of getting sick and interferes with learning and concentration. Try taking a few deep breaths, stretching, going for a walk or drawing a picture. Ideally, you should take a five-minute break every hour — you might be surprised by how recharged you’ll feel. If you feel you are struggling more than usual to stay well or keep getting sick, contact the Holzer Health Center at 321-674-8078. You can also drop by the center or visit their website at http://www.fit.edu/health/ for more information. The health center is located on Country Club Road, across the street from Skurla Hall. If you feel it’s not your physical health you’re having trouble with, don’t be afraid to ask for help by contacting Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)! To make an appointment, call 321-674-8050 or walk into the center, located next to the Holzer Health Center, on the corner of Country Club Road and University Boulevard. You can also visit CAPS’ website at www.fit.edu/caps where you will find anonymous screenings, brochures and helpful links on a variety of college issues. CAPS is just one of many resources at Florida Tech that supports maintaining a happy and healthy you!
Want to see More? Check us out on: twitter.com/ftcrimson Facebook.com/ftcrimson crimson.fit.edu
CAMPUS LIFE
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The Florida tech crimson
‘Religious Freedoms’ law sparks controversy, Florida Tech students react Ashley Montion Social Media Coordinator
Following a national outrage concerning the latest controversial religious freedoms laws, revisions are being made by Indiana lawmakers to address criticisms and concerns of protesters. Opponents of the law — expressing their disapproval via various social media platforms — condemned the legislation as anti-gay with the belief that it could promote discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. “It’s one thing to not approve of someone’s lifestyle, but it’s a completely different thing to not accept them for
their lifestyle,” said Rachel Pence, a sophomore in psychology and leader of a student-athlete bible study group on campus. The Religious Freedoms Restoration Act states the government cannot “substantially burden” a person practicing their religious beliefs unless it’s apparent the burden is “essential to further a compelling governmental interest” and “the least restrictive means of furthering the compelling governmental interest,” according to the Indiana General Assembly’s website. Although proponents of the law believe it will protect those practicing their religion freely, opponents say it will allow businesses and business owners to discriminate against LGBT members,
according to USA Today, “I feel that this is almost unconsitutional, and being homesexual is no different than anything else that defines me, such as the color of my skin,” said FIT alumnae Amanda Bueno, who considers herself a member of the LGBT community. “That’s who I am and I can’t help it, and that pisses me off knowing I couldn’t do something simple, like just walk into a CVS and buy gummy worms with my girlfriend.” Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who originally signed and passed the legislation, rushed to revise the legal definition of the new law this past week. According to USA TODAY, the proposed revisions were enacted to ease the rising concerns of business owners
in Indiana, who believe the original law would refrain potential employees from applying to work based on a fear that they would be discriminated against. The modified legislation will act as the first protections over sexual orientation to be recognized across the entire state of Indiana, according to CNN. “We as human beings have no right to discriminate against anyone, whether its gender, race or sexual preference,” said Kaleb Leach, a junior in environmental science. “Just like it says in the Constitution and in the Bible, all people are created equal. We have no final judgement over another person; therefore, it is our duty to treat everyone equally.” v
Jake Owen Foundation donates $25,000 to Scott Center in Vero Beach Press Release Florida Tech Newsroom The Jake Owen Foundation, established by country music star Jake Owen, has donated $25,000 to the Vero Beach location of Florida Institute of Technology’s Scott Center for Autism Treatment. Born and raised in Vero Beach and a product of Vero Beach High School, Owen still has family living in the Indian River County community. He returns every year to hold a concert there to benefit his foundation.
Established in 2010, Owen’s foundation is focused on assisting children in Indian River County and nationally who are battling cancer and other childhood diseases. Owen has been a supporter of Autism Speaks and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital as well as many other charitable causes impacting children. Funds raised in large part from Owen’s October 2014 concert are benefitting the university’s autism clinic in the Sunshine Physical Therapy Building, 1705
17th Ave. in Vero Beach. They will be used to cover the costs of diagnosing and treating children of families living in Indian River County who lack the financial resources to afford diagnostic and treatment services and who may be uninsured or underinsured. “We were thrilled to be able to bring our services to the families of Indian River County when we opened the facility last July,” said Scott Center Executive Director Michael E. Kelley. “Thanks to the generos-
ity of the Jake Owen Foundation, even more children will now be able to utilize our center. We look forward to welcoming them and their families.” The Scott Center facility in Vero Beach opened in July 2014 thanks to startup funding from Impact 100 of Indian River County. The clinic seeks to help mitigate the effects of autism on children and caregivers; offer nationally-recognized, state-ofthe art, evidence-based therapy; broadens community understanding about Autism Spectrum Dis-
orders (ASD); and offers a formal network of peer and other support for families whose children are affected by ASD. Services also include assessment and treatment of problem behaviors, pediatric feeding problems, toilet training, and other behavioral issues that are often experienced by children with autism and related disabilities. Families seeking diagnosis or treatment for their children should contact the Vero Beach clinic at 772-444-2674. v
A LOOK INTO THE NEW STUDENT GOVERNMENT:
Jessica Cushman voted SGA president after close election Rebekah Duntz Editor-in-Chief The election results are in, and it was a close race. Jessica Cushman, a senior in biomedical engineering and current vice president, has been elected Student Government president. The student body has elected Shelby Stansell, a junior in environmental science, as vice president and Jonathan Cirillo, a sophomore in pre-medical biology, as treasurer. A total of 991 people voted; 42 percent voted for Cushman, and 40 percent voted for Justin Blackman. “It was very close,” said Carla Deras, current president of SGA. “I think that’s a good perspective, something to take into
consideration for next year. People are getting interested in Student Government and people actually represent the student body.” Deras took it as a good sign that many people ran for positions. “In the past years, I think it’s been increasing, and that means the student body expects a lot from the student government.” Deras also said with she thinks either Cushman or Blackman could have made great leaders for SGA, but that ultimately she’s excited for the new year. “Jess, your new president, should feel proud that she has the opportunity to actually make a difference.” This year’s election is a great contrast from last year’s, mainly because of the many people running for vice president. Last year, Deras had only one opponent for the presidential vote, and Cushman ran unopposed.
“I think it’s really great that a lot of people went for vice president and to see a lot of people come out and be interested in the position,” said Shelby Stansell, current senator and newly elected vice president. “I’m really glad that a lot of people voted.” Jasmin Pimentel, SGA’s current secretary, was excited to be elected again. “I’m flattered that people around school think that I’m motivated enough to do the job and represent them, so I’m excited.” At the debates on March 25, projects on the agenda included improving SGA’s image, developing a GPS trolley app, improving sustainability and reducing student apathy on campus. Jessica Cushman, SGA’s new president, is in charge of the trolley app project. At the general meeting on April 8, she
announced that SGA needed help finding software majors that could help develop the app. “We need any software majors interested,” Cushman said. The app is SGA’s solution to the trolley system’s problems, such as not knowing its location or getting to business classes at Babcock Oaks on time. As for the management of funding, Jonathan Cirillo, newly elected treasurer, thinks he can bring something new to the position. “I think it’s awesome to see a new idea come to a position that’s very rooted in policy, and I look forward to making sure that all organizations can become successful,” Cirillo said. “And the position is very much technical, but I hope I can bring some life to it.” The Student Activities Funding Committee, which Cirillo
will manage next year, had about $40,000 left in its budget this year. The leftover money will go to supplies necessary for organizations, such as printing costs and tents with the SGA’s logo on them, which are made available for any organization to use. Deras, who has been president for two years and is now graduating, is happy for the new Student Government and is proud to see that SGA has retained many of this year’s members. “We have a lot of returners, which makes me feel satisfied. I feel my job here is done,” Deras said. “I would like to thank everyone for this fantastic opportunity,” Cushman said in an email. “For the next year, I look forward to working for our student body and improving our student experience.” v
Campus Life
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The Florida tech crimson
New Study Abroad program to expand students’ cultural experience Alex Coultrup Campus Life Editor Florida Tech students of any graduation year can choose to spend their summer break expanding their education at one of several available global destinations. This summer, Gordon Patterson, professor of history, is leading a 3-week trip to China, where students will observe daily life in a foreign environment. “What I hope they’ll get from it is an awareness of how complex China is,” Patterson said. A group of 11 students in a wide variety of majors will travel to Beijing with Patterson and Wanfa Zheng, professor of political science. This summer is the China Trip’s first incarnation. Patterson emphasized the importance of studying abroad as a way to make topics learned in the classroom more tangible and accessible to students. No one stereotype of China’s culture will serve to inform students adequately, he said. “There are 1.4 billion people in China. That means there are 1.4 million ways to do things,” he said,
and he hopes the students on the trip will gain an appreciation for the diversity China has to offer. Shelby Pearce is an engineering major on the swim team who will participate in the program this summer. She said this study abroad trip will provide good opportunities to learn about the future of her field of study. “China’s the second biggest economy behind the US, so it doesn’t really matter what industry you’re working in,” Pearce said. “What China does is going to impact what you do in whatever your career ends up being.” Student-athletes need time to train and stay in shape for their sport, even during the off-season, and Pearce will have to make time for training.“It’s only a three-week program, so I’ll still have the entire rest of the summer to train and work out and stuff,” Pearce said. She explained that she believes the tradeoff of time studying abroad against time swimming is worth it. While deciding to go on the trip, Pearce’s mother reminded her that the program would offer great opportunities that simply could not be learned at school. Florida Tech organizes several study abroad trips each year.
Twitter.com/FTCrimson
Photo Property of Florida Tech Eleven students have the opportunity to study abroad in China this summer. This summer is the first time a group of students will travel to Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai over the course of three weeks. Judith Strother, professor of communication, led a study abroad trip to the Netherlands
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last summer. “I think it broadens your horizons,” she said. “I think foreign travel changes who you are, really at a fundamental level. It changes who you are and how you see your place in the world.” Though the Netherlands trip
was cancelled this year because not enough students signed up, it’s on the schedule for next year. “The main thing is that I always want people to experience another culture,” Strother said. v
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SCI/TECH
The Florida tech crimson
Researcher says lab-grown beef may be practical
Credit: David Parry / PA Wire
Christopher Pangalos Staff Writer Mark Post, the developer of the first burger made of lab-grown beef, said in an interview on March 27 with ABC that mass produced, lab grown beef could be made practical for sale to the general public and we may be seeing it in
Burger made from cultured beef. 20-30 years. The research team at Maastricht University in the Netherlands said they believe this “Cultured Beef,” as it’s called, is a step toward sustainable beef production in the future. Back in late 2013, researchers at Maastricht University intro-
duced a proof of concept burger created using lab grown beef. At the time, the burger was considered impractical due largely to a cost of $273,000 to make one. According to Cnet, Post has since projected that, if mass produced, the beef could sell for about $30 per pound. While still expensive,
it might be worth it in the case of beef shortages. According to the Cultured Beef website of Maastricht University, the beef is created by harvesting muscle cells from cows, then nurturing them until they grow into beef. While the website says that the process of harvesting the cells is harmless to the cows, Cnet says the current production method uses a serum made from the blood of cow fetuses collected from abattoirs to grow the meat. The proof of concept burger, for which Post received the World Technology Award for the Environment, was called “in vitro meat.” According to Cnet, the process used to create the meat itself it has no fat cells, which can be an advantage or disadvantage for taste. The researchers are currently looking into a way to add fat cells to the meat. The first burger was tastetested by Josh Schonwald, a US food writer, and Hanni Rutzler, an Austrian food scientist. According to Cnet, Schonwald commented, “The absence is I feel like the fat, it’s a leanness to it. But the bite feels like a conventional hamburger... I think fat is a big part of what is right.”
According to News61, Rutler said, “The look was quite similar to meat … the surface of the meat was crunchy … the taste itself was as juicy as meat can be, but different.” The research team cites the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which estimates that demand for meat will increase by over two-thirds in the next 40 years. They believe that this will lead to beef and other foods becoming expensive luxury items, due to the high demand which will make the lab grown beef a viable alternative. In addition to its sustainability, the team mentioned several other advantages to Cultured Beef. The alternative source of beef would reduce the amount of livestock needed to supply the population and respectively the number being killed; it would also help to improve living conditions for the remaining livestock, since they would not be kept in as large a mass. The reduction in the amount of livestock would help to reduce their methane emissions. In addition, beef itself wouldn’t carry the same risk of disease and contaminants as beef from living cows. v
German robotic company develops autonomous insects Christopher Pangalos Staff Writer The German robotics company, Festo, which is known for creating robots modeled after living creatures, announced two new autonomous robots in March, ants and butterflies. Aside from the shared design, the robots are also able to mimic some of the behaviors of their natural counterparts. Past Festo robots include birds, fish and kangaroos, to name a few. According to Festo’s website, their BionicANTs are completely autonomous and use complicated algorithms to model the cooperative behavior of real ants. The “ANT” in the name stands for “autonomous networking technologies,” in addition to being the name of the insect they were based upon. Piezo-ceramic bending transducers are used for moving parts, such as the jaws and legs, while the ant bodies are created via 3D printing. Two Li-Po rechargeable batteries are used in the ants, which give them about 40 minutes of running time before having to recharge. Charging itself is done by the ants pressing their antennas against a power bar. The ants are roughly the size of a hand and are able to com-
municate with each other via a radio module. Each ant uses their own artificial intelligence to make decisions based on the current situations while still working with the others towards completing a common task, such as moving a larger object from one place to another. Through their communication, the ants are able to coordinate their movements and actions with each other. Festo hopes that the ants will be able show how independent units that make their own decision can still work together to form an effective and functional system. Festo’s other recent project known as eMotionButterflies are robotic butterflies designed to be extremely lightweight and fly in groups without collision. Festo say the butterflies were “designed with the smallest possible power units in the tightest space, as well as highly reduced use of materials.” According to Festo, the butterflies are able to fly autonomously, but are each guided through a central external system. Through coordination by this system, each butterfly is able to move in its own patterns without crashing into the others. The butterflies weigh 32 grams each and have a 50-centimeter wingspan. They can fly for one to 2.5 meters per second, but
Photo from festo Press RElease BionicAnts working together to move an object only have a battery life of about three or four minutes. The butterflies carry infrared markers that are monitored via 10 infrared cameras in the surrounding areas. The cameras transmit to the central computer, which determines the location of each but-
terfly and determines their flight paths. While the central computer transmits the flight path to each butterfly, the actual movements required to follow this path are determined by the butterfly itself. By detecting the location of all flying objects in the area 160
times per second, the system is able to quickly update all flight paths if any should stray out of line or conditions should change. Festo says the butterflies are intended to show how objects can be coordinated in 3D space to prevent collision. v
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The Florida tech crimson
Gadget Corner Joseph Stoltz Staff Writer First, the world was given the smartphone. Then, the floodgates opened with a smart gadget for almost everything; toilet paper dispensers to fashionable belts. Now the world is being blessed with yet another smart item, smart porcelain mugs and vases. While at initial glance, these gadgets seemed even more lame than many of the other smart devices and were nothing more than a cheap gimmick, but soon I was surprisingly proven wrong after I decided to investigate further. I was especially wrong about what these little items are capable of. Using Intel’s miniature Edison computer module in combination with Chinese ODM Thread Technology and the innate translucent properties of fine porcelain, developers were able to insert a 12 x 16-dot LED touchscreen underneath the inner wall of the ceramic. The developers also developed the mug to be charged by means of a charging plate in order to give the cup free motion. The power of the miniature computer allows the ceramics to display a range of apps from weather forecast, WeChat notification, roll dice (not sure why…), and even the ability to play the game Whac-A-Mole. These ceramics also come with a hidden built-in speaker and 4GB storage that can be used to play music. If you wish, the ceramics also have Bluetooth capabilities allowing for music to be streamed from your smartphone. However, probably the most important feature of the mug is its built in thermometer, allowing it to sense the temperature of the liquid placed in it and display it — now that is some advanced technology. While the mug may sound cool, the vase tops the mug with its built-in air quality sensors that provide readings of the room’s Particulate Matter levels along with “sulfur dioxide levels, carbon dioxide levels, humidity and more.” So essentially, if you’re paranoid about someone trying to gas you to death, then this is most definitely the item for you. While you may be interested in these gadgets, you should first know that these are not regular porcelain items, for they are from Auratic, and the mug will set you back about $320. Concerning the vase though, there is no set price as the manufacturer is still in negotiations with vendors, but Engadget stated an Intel rep reckoned that “it’ll cost a lot more than the mug, due to the expensive sensors, as well as the extra ceramic materials needed for the larger body.”
Photo property of Engadget.com
SPORTS the Florida tech crimson
APRIL 14, 2015
Women’s soccer coach hospitalized Andrew Shipotofsky Staff Writer Women’s Soccer head coach Fidgi Haig, 47, is currently in a coma after suffering a heart attack Sunday night. Haig has been coaching at Florida Tech for the last 10 seasons. He has recorded over 97 wins as head coach. Haig is also a former student-athlete at Florida Tech and was on the 1988 Florida Tech Men’s Soccer National Championship team. In the Championship, Haig scored winning the goal as a forward. Haig not only coaches at Florida Tech, but also is on staff for Florida’s Olympic Development Team and coaches two Space Coast United teams. He currently is ranked fourth in the nation in all-time high school wins.
News of Haig’s condition is surprising to many around the Florida Tech campus because it’s well-known that he’s a strong proponent for living a healthy lifestyle. This is something that he pushes his athletes to do as well. “It was a big shock,” said former teammate and fellow coach, Scott Armstrong. “We are wishing a speedy recovery.” Several women’s soccer players, both current and former, have expressed that they’re praying and have their coach in their thoughts on social media. Katie Stengel, former player and current player with the United States U-23 team responded on social media, “Please tell me this isn’t true.” Florida Tech is declining to comment on Haig’s condition and the family is asking for privacy during this time. This story is developing. v
Game e schedul April 14: Men’s and Women’s Golf, 8 a.m. Baseball, Barry, 4 p.m. April 16: Men’s & Women’s Track TBA Men’s Tennis, 2:30 p.m. April 17: Men’s & Women’s Track TBA Men’s Tennis, 2:30 p.m. Baseball, 6 p.m. Men’s Lacrosse, 7 p.m. April 18: Men’s Track & Women’s Track TBA Men’s Rowing TBA Baseball 12 p.m. Women’s Tennis. 1 p.m. Women’s Lacrosse 1 p.m. Softball, 2 p.m. Baseball, 2:30 p.m. Softball, 4:00 p.m.
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Women’s soccer head coach, Fidgi Haig
April 20: Men’s Rowing TBA Softball, 12 p.m.
Women’s rowing to start preparing for SSC Championship on April 24 Press Release Florida Tech Athletics Florida Tech concluded the Knecht Cup on Sunday with a fourth-place finish in the pair final and a fifth-place finish in the grand final of the club eight on Mercer Lake. “We ended up experiencing three of the four seasons in one weekend,” head coach Adam Thorstad said. “We had winter temperatures in the mornings, spring in the afternoon and fall
during practice on Friday. It was good for the team to row in other elements besides the Florida sunshine. They learned a little more about racing this weekend, how to handle the elements and adapt to the schedule after yesterday. They raced hard. We’re going to keep on making strides to get better. We’re excited for the next few weeks in anticipation for the SSC Championship and then Dad Vail.” Molly Kingston stroked the pair with Tania Kilcullen at bow in the Panthers’ first race of the day.
The duo turned in the fourth fastest time at 8:47.19. UMass Amherst ‘C’ beat out FIT for a third-place medal by just over one second. Nabbing first and second were UMass ‘A’ at 8:26.66 and UMass ‘B’ at 8:39.22. Coming in behind the Panthers were Army and Rutgers Camden. In the club eight grand final, the varsity eight of coxswain Sam McCuskey, stroke Jordan Ursch, Michaela Allen, Alex Coultrup, Taylor Troy, Samantha Martinez, Suzanne Beims, Jessica Bunting
and bow Morgan Billig nabbed fifth at 7:16.85. Barry held off Mercyhurst by 2.45 seconds to claim first place. Nova Southeastern was third and Philadelphia was fourth. Finishing 11.5 seconds behind the Panthers was Pittsburgh’s ‘A’ boat. After their heat was postponed due to windy conditions on Saturday, the varsity four placed fourth in the club four on Sunday. Its time of 8:12.43 was a full 30 seconds quicker than fifth place Penn State. Earning first was New Hampshire ‘A’ at 7:51.89. High
Point was the runner-up, with Franklin Pierce beating out FIT for third by just over two seconds. Racing for the Panthers in the varsity four were stroke Anastasia Stodolski, Jessica Weatherman, Natalie Miller, bow Abbie Stehno and coxswain Kayleigh Painter. FIT will race next in the Sunshine State Conference Championship on April 24 at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida. v