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Perpetual Motion Nov 2012 Page 4

MAE Games 2012 MAE Games provides a platform for all MAE students, staffs and professors to refresh, have fun and bond beyond classroom settings, free of charge. First held in 2011, MAE Games 2012 carries the momentum forward with more fun and games! More than 200 MAE students and faculty members swarmed in SRC’s indoor badminton court on a Friday afternoon, 19 October 2012. The place was filled with chatters as people mingled around.

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LDP Leadership Development Programme (LDP) organizes many activities outside the classroom to help students to develop leadership qualities. Commemorating 10 years of its existence, LDP embarked on a journey to Vietnam during the semester break to reach out to the less fortunate ones in Project L.O.V.E. LDP marked the new academic year with orientation camp and investiture, as well as launched an improved peer tutoring program. Check out the highlights of their recent activities.

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Editor’s Note President’s Note MAE Week Investiture Subcomm Bonding Session MAE Games Insyinyur 2012: Titans vs Olympians Leadership Development Programme Learning the Best of Both Worlds: Switzerland and Singapore A Cup of Coffee with the Swedes Foodelicious Invisible Breakthrough Of Monster and Men Faces of the World Red Bull Stratos: Behind the Scene Photographic Wallpaper Decals

PERPETUAL MOTION Red Bull Stratos: Behind the Scene “Sky is the limit”. Does it sound familiar to you? Well, Felix Baumgartner has just proven that it is wrong. Sponsored by the infamous energy drink brand, he was involved in a top project called “Red Bull Stratos”. After months of preparation, finally on Saturday, Oct 14 2012, Baumgartner successfully exceeded the sound barrier in a 128100 feet “space jump”. This jump was not only the viewed by almost 8 million people, it also breaks the world record of highest skydive which was previously held by Joe Kittinger.

Ida Bagus Editor-in-Chief

Ardi F. Assistant Managing Editor

Welcome to the All New PM !

Learning the Best of Both Worlds In this era of globalization, one’s knowledge should transcend regional borders and able to embrace different cultures around the world. Perpetual Motion gathered insights about education and mechanical engineering related issues from both the Western and Eastern sides of the world, represented by Professor Heinz Domeisen from Hochschule fur Technik Rapperswil in Switzerland, and Associate Professor Tai Kang from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

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Director: Ida Bagus Pradnyaparamitha M Ardi Firmansyah Publisher: NTU School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Editorial: Ayu Lestari Dharma Pranata Dylan Savio Rego Forlando Tambunan Guo Donglin Ramon Mitra Rijul Mediratta Teck Siang Design: Ida Bagus Pradnyaparamitha M Website: www.maeclub.com

Perpetual Motion magazine is especially dedicated to Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering student, sure it has been here for sometime. This year, we are making a breakthrough to PM. We alter from cover to cover, inside out everything is improved. We put our best in every aspects, both in layout content. Only the best stuff that is worth reading are here, so no time will be wasted. We strive to deliver the best story, concise, entertaining and informative, ensuring readers to have the best reading experiences. We’re really excited about this issue, we think the magazine looks terrific! But, we won’t stop here, we still improving. Let us know what you like, what you don’t and what you want to see on the next issue. Send your thoughts to publications@maeclub.com.


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President's Note Dear fellow MAE Students, On behalf of the 31st Management Committee of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Club, I would love to take this opportunity to convey my sincerest greeting to all of the MAE students. Without doubt, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Club is one of the largest from the many school clubs in NTU. Armed with 24 maincommittee members and 122 sub-committee members, we strive to our very best to cater and to serve the welfare and the excitement of all MAE students. In order to make university life as vibrant as it can be, the academic calendar is brimming with numerous number of exciting events. Spring Festival is one of such events, relieving students from the hectic study lifestyle, while taking them into the ambience of the Chinese New Year. MAE Sharing Night is an effort from the MAE Club to clear all of the doubts that MAE students have about the outside world. Alumni are invited to the event to provide golden advices to our students, giving them a better picture on what to face after graduation. We care much about the relationship between professors and students. Professors, staffs and students are given the chance to mingle around and sweat it out in our MAE Games. Organized for the second time this year, we plan to make it even better and grander compared to last year. Past Year Paper Solutions are our main focus as an academic constituent club. Higher quality of the solutions would be produced this year, so that students would be able to do better in their exams. PYP Solutions are also available online, on our club website (www.maeclub.com). We might even come up with an app for easy perusal, so do keep a lookout on that! We have not forgotten the welfare of MAE students. Birthday Giveaways and Exam Welfares are held exclusively to MAE students. Birthday Giveaways are held at certain intervals of the year, so that all MAE birthday babies have their share of the gifts that we specially prepare for them. We listen intently to what MAE students voice out. Feedbacks could be done via email (feedback@maeclub.com), or through the feedback board just outside of the MAE office. All feedbacks meant a lot to us, and we do take great steps and effort to solve all issues forwarded to us. With this, we’re off and running on what should be another great year for the 31st Management Committee of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Club! I’ll close this with two words: “GET INVOLVED!” Tai Chi Loong, Eric

31st Management Committee

Wira (VP), Eric (P) and Li Huey (VP) (On the right) All 31st Management Committee


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MAE Week 2012 MAE week 2012 made its fantabulous entry at the beginning of the academic year 2012/13. Themed “I’m MAEchined”, this event marked the last of many events organized by the 30th main committee and introduced freshmen and seniors alike to the fun side of MAE. Among the few winners of the games are Philip, a third year MAE student who won the “Draw Something” game, and Dharma, a freshman who joyfully walked home with a new set of speakers, after guessing most lyrics correctly in “Use Your Senses” game. Furthermore, MAE week also sported special game equipments, such as the Gladiator and the Hammer challenge. The Gladiator featured a huge air-bed with two mushroomshaped platforms where competitors stood on each, carrying what looked like barbells to knock each other out of the platform. The aim of the game is to be the last man standing. Cathay movie tickets were in high demand throughout the event The Hammer challenge featured a tall, calibrated metallic bar, and a hammer was provided to hit the base, which will drive a small metal ball to bounce up according to impact. It was not an easy task because the hammer was pretty heavy, but if you are really strong, you might be able to send the metal ball all the way to the top and hit the metal plate on top of the structure.

Jun, the proud winner of our grand prize !

In addition, movie junkies were delighted as they lined up for the Cathay movie ticket sale on the 2nd and 3rd day of MAE week. This special deal granted MAE students the opportunity to purchase two movie tickets for only $10. Thelastdayof MAE weekwasmarked with theanxiouslyawaited lucky draw as more attractive prizes were given out. Many students gathered around the stage, anticipating for their names to be called out.

Spread across three days from 27-29 September 2012, this event was filled with games, giveaways, lucky draw, and many more! Hundreds of MAE Undergraduates lined up outside LT1A on the first and second day of MAE week to get exclusive goodie bags, free lunch set, and limited edition of “I’m MAEchined” T-shirts. For each of these three days, many varieties of games were duly planned and executed by MAE club’s committees. Audiences watched amusingly as participants hastily peel and stuffed bananas into their mouths in the “Peel and Eat Bananas” competition. Participants were divided into pairs and competed against another pairs to find out who can finish the bananas in the shortest period of time. And if you thought you could be the next Van Gogh, “Draw Something” was the right place to show off your artistic side. Inspired by the popular online game, participants were asked to draw pictures according to instructions given, and guess other people’s drawings. Wii enthusiasts competed against each other in Raving Rabbids game on stage and to prove who is the best gamer of them all.

Jun, a freshman, was really thrilled to receive the 1st prize, a brand new iPad. He said, “I was very excited to experience MAE week for the first time and I tried to play all the games here. I am so happy that I got the iPad! It will definitely help me to study and to communicate with friends and family.” “I think MAE week is important for a freshman like me to know more about MAE club, and I am looking forward for next MAE club activities”, he added. Throughout the three fun-filled days in MAE week 2012, 1000 MAE T-shirts, 1200 exclusive goodie bags and a lot of attractive prizes were given out to MAE students. So don’t miss the chance to grab these benefits, stay tuned to our activities, and see you at the next MAE event!

Hammer challenge grabbed attention of many spectators

“I think MAE week is important for a freshman like me, and I am looking forward for next MAE club activities” The daily sight of MAE week 2012

Even our sponsor representatives enjoyed the games !


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Subcommittee Bonding Session 2012 Fantastic, is the only word that can describe the 31st committee’s Subcom Bonding Session on Saturday, 13 October 2012. Unlike the previous subcom nights, the venue of this year’s Subcom Bonding Session is NTU North Spine. All of the maincoms and more than 100 subcoms from MAE portfolio attended the event.

Investiture 2012 MAE Club Investiture 2012 marks the transition from the 30th Management Committee to the 31st. This year’s investiture ceremony took place in Tan Chin Tuan Lecture Theatre on 25 September 2012 and was attended by approximately 120 MAE students, including the incoming and outgoing committee members, as well as the Guest of Honor, A/P Lee Yong Tsui.

On Tuesday evening September 25th, the Tan Chin Tuan Lecture Theater was filled with chatters and occasional camera flashes as students gathered to witness the most important annual ceremony in MAE club. The Investiture signifies the passing down of responsibilities from the outgoing committee members to their successors. The ceremony started with arrival of the Guest of Honor, Associate Professor Lee Yong Tsui, who also happens to be the MAE club advisor and assistant chair of school of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Audiences then were treated with a thoughtfully made video, offering a glimpse of various MAE club activities that has been conducted throughout the year, such as Subcommittee Night, Exam Welfare Giveaway, MAE Sharing Night, Interschool Games, and many more. MAE club wins the reputation as one of the most vibrant school clubs in NTU as it hosts more than twenty activities annually, aimed to engage and encourage MAE students to know their faculty members and to ensure the welfare of its members. The incoming committees, donned in formal attires, marched into the room and proceeded to occupy the seats in front of the lecture theatre. They were selected through a rather grueling process consisted of rallying, interviewing, and gathering of votes during Union’s day. Tee Swee Lim, the outgoing president of MAE club, went up to the podium to give a heartfelt speech, in which he thanked the 30th main committees one-by-one for their hard work, dedication and contribution to MAE club for the past one year. His teammates, wearing main-committee’s special polo tshirts, occasionally cheered and applauded as they recalled the

time they worked together as a solid team. He also mentioned briefly records of activities they had undertaken and implementations of new ideas as well as improvements of existing programs. At the end of the speech, the newly elected president, Eric Tai Chi Loong, presented a token of appreciation to Tee Swee Lim with a warm handshake. Mr. Lee Yong Tsui continued by giving out certificates of appreciation to the outgoing committee members, who received the certificates with a great sense of satisfaction. Clearly, the time they spent serving in MAE club has given them invaluable lessons and unforgettable experiences. Attendees then took a short break as refreshment was being served. Light foods and beverages were displayed on buffet tables outside the lecture theatre and people start mingling around, chatting and getting to know each other as they enjoyed the refreshment. The event then resumed inside the lecture theatre as the handover ceremony took place. This marks the official passing of duties and responsibilities as the outgoing committee members were called one by one to receive tokens of appreciation from their successors of respective portfolios. As the investiture approached its end, the new president of MAE Club, Eric Tai Chi Loong, gave a speech to thank the outgoing committee members and to empower his teammates for the journey ahead. MAE club investiture was closed by photo taking sessions, in which people gathered in groups, cheerfully striking a pose as the camera flashed to preserve the moment, a moment in which MAE students felt the sense of togetherness as one family of MAE club.

They wore the white MAE subcommittee T-shirt, which is also different from the previous committee’s black T-Shirt. Taking the responsibility as the MC, Ida Bagus, the publication maincom, made this event interesting for both the subcoms and the maincoms. Most of the subcoms had gathered at Canopy K by 1 pm. In order to join the event, they had to pay the $4 Subcom tee. The subcoms were divided into two major groups, A and B. From each major group, they were divided again into 4 subgroups with 2 group leaders per subgroup. Cheers must be prepared by the subgroups since they would be required to present it on the first game. Moments later, the MC told them to gather to their respective group, and started to explain the rule of the first game: The Running Man. In the Running Man game, the objective was to get as many points as a major group. The only way to get points was by completing the tasks in the game posts. Each subgroup was required to visit 9 posts that were scattered around the North Spine. Everyone had to return to the Canopy K by 6 pm. Each major group were given 10 minutes to think about the strategy. At exactly 2 pm, the game started. Determined to win the prize, the subgroups rushed to the posts. The MAE maincoms stayed in each post and gave challenging and fun tasks, such as transferring ping pong ball game, song trivia, charade, and so many more. By 6 pm, all of the subgroups had finished every task and gathered at the Canopy K. Unexpectedly, the result was tie. To determine the winner, each major group sent 5 representatives to do rock-paper-scissors game, but this time each team must summon the same object. If any member of the teams summoned different object, the team points would be deducted by 2. Group A won the game because they reach 5 points first. Afterwards, there was a cheers battle, continued by goodie bags giveaway and dinner. Few minutes after dinner, the MC started to explain the rule of the second game: Station Game. The Station Game was quite similar to the Running Man game, but this time the subcoms were divided according to their portfolios. Each portfolio had to go the assigned stations and face another portfolio in funny and exciting games. The games consisted of The Hero, the Beauty, and the Beast; The Spaghetti Game; The Cicrcle of Trust; and the Bottle Ball. After the end of the station games, again, there was an unexpected result. Welfare and Business Manager obtained equal points in the station games. To decide the winner, the maincoms played the rock paper scissors game, whoever reach 3 points first will be the winner. At the end, Welfare portfolio won the station games. The MC then announced the winner of the Running man and the Station Games, also handed over the prizes to the winning teams. Finally, the night ended with a photo taking session of the 31st MAE Committee. Dharma Pranatha

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MAE Games Winners Basketball 1st Prize: Thong Jing Wei, Poh Yi Cheng, Lim Kim Hui 2nd Prize: Guo Pengsheng, Xu Jun Shi, Huang Shenran and Wang Haoran Badminton Men’s Single 1st Prize: Chong Woo Chung 2nd Prize: Hoong Sin Poh Women’s singles 1st Prize: Li Yu Hua 2nd Prize: Liu Yang Men’s Doubles 1st Prize: Tan Zi Jing Louis and Tan Zi Heng Aloysius 2nd Prize: Peh Song Wee Jonathan and Zhang Fan Mixed Doubles 1st Prize: Cherie Chua and Cavell Chua 2nd Prize: Lim Lee Hoon and Chen Ke Squash 1st Prize: Assoc Prof Yap Fook Fah 2nd Prize: Adrian Lim Eu Chun Table Tennis Men’s singles 1st Prize: Teddy 2nd Prize: Wong Yi Ben Women’s singles 1st Prize: Chen Xing Yu 2nd Prize: Yang Xi Men’s Double 1st Prize: Teddy and Ben 2nd Prize: Benedict Tay Tiong Chee and Qu Xingda Mixed Double 1st Prize: Benedict Tay Tiong Chee and Yang Xi 2nd Prize: Chen Xing Yu and Qu Xingda Scrabble 1st Prize: Assoc Prof Lee Yong Tsui 2nd Prize: Prof Tso Chih Ping

MAE Games 2012 MAE Games provides a platform for all MAE students, staffs and professors to refresh, have fun and bond beyond classroom settings, free of charge. First held in 2011, MAE Games 2012 carries the momentum forward with more fun and games! More than 200 MAE students and faculty members swarmed in SRC’s indoor badminton court on a Friday afternoon, 19 October 2012. The place was filled with chatters as people mingled around. It was a rare opportunity to see the professors not in their formal shirts and pants but in sport attires instead. Several colorful hampers and medals perched nicely atop a table at the corner of the room, ready to be taken home by the winners of the day. Cold canned 100plus drinks were stacked, ready to quench participants’ thirst and rehydrate them all day long. Bagus, the MC, announced the opening ceremony of MAE Games 2012, followed by a short speech by Prof Chua Chee Kai, the chair of school of MAE, who firstly greeted the assembly with a warm smile. He pointed out that he’s glad to see higher participation rate from faculty members. In his speech, he encouraged healthy balance between work and play, through recreation that benefits our health and refreshes our minds amidst the regular routine of work and study. A few matches were held shortly afterwards in various places. Basketball players headed outdoor to SRC’s basketball court, ready to challenge each other in 3versus3, half-court games of

red versus blue. Sports committees got themselves ready with whistle and score board. Squash players headed slightly further to the squash courts near Nanyang Executive Club (NEC).Meanwhile, in SRC’s Activity Room 3, the atmosphere was tense as duels of brainpower took place in Chinese Chess and Scrabble tournaments. The only voice that could be heard was the ticking of the timers as players took turns to make their moves. Badminton and table tennis players stayed put in the badminton court, rackets and ping pong bats clutched readily in their eager hands. Games of men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles took place in the hall, with occasional shouts of players trying to deliver their deadliest shots. The game eventually ceased in late afternoon, but some people continued to play just for fun.The closing ceremony took place at 6pm, in which Assoc Prof Lee Yong Tsui, Assistant Chair of Students, presented medals and hampers to the winners of the games. The title of champion for Chinese Chess was given to Yue Kin Chong. The Scrabble game was won by Assoc Prof Lee Yong Tsui himself. The first prize for Squash men’s single was given to Assoc Prof Yap Fook Fah

For 3v3 Basketball matches, the champion team comprised of Thong Jing Wei, Poh Yi Cheng, Lim Kim Hui, and Francis Young proudly wore their hard-earned medals after grueling matches against other teams in the outdoor basketball court, amidst occasional drizzle throughout the afternoon. The 1st prize for Table Tennis men’s single was given to Teddy. Assoc Prof Lee remarked that it was Ben’s initiative that see the birth of MAE Games event last year. For women’s single, the 1st prize was won by Chen Xing Yu. Table Tennis men’s double champion went to deadly duo of the champions Teddy and Ben, and second prize was given to Benedict Tay Tiong Chee and Qu Xingda. Benedict Tay Tiong Chee emerged again as 1st winner for mixed double with his partner, Yang Xi. Badminton men’s single 1st prize was won by Chong Woo Chung. Men’s double 1st winner title belonged to Tan Zi Jing Louis and Tan Zi Heng Aloysius. Women’s Single was won by Li Yu Hua, and mixed double was won by pair of Cherie Chua and Cavell Chua. After the prize giving ceremony ended, the crowd then proceeded to enjoy buffet dinner that has been prepared by MAE club’s welfare committee. There were plenty of delicious foods and drinks and everyone ate to their hearts’ fill. Although it was a tiring day, all who were involved in MAE games went home with smiles on their faces.


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Insinyur – from 2011 to 2012

Insinyur 2012: Titans VS Olympians Insinyur caters to engineering students and was attended by 180 freshmen across the schools of MAE, CEE and EEE. The Titans and The Olympians immersed themselves in awesome games and activities. Read on to find the reason behind the smiles in the pictures.

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nsinyur (pronounced “in-see-near”) stands for engineering in both Dutch and Indonesian language. It is the name of our Combined Engineering Camp, which is specially organized for freshmen from the schools of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE). Insinyur camp is an annual event held for incoming freshmen. The camp aims to orientate its participants around the campus and help them make a smooth transition into university life, while adding colours to their years ahead. This year’s camp followed the theme of Titans VS Olympians, where 180 freshmen from various engineering courses were divided into 10 Orientation Groups following names of specific Titans and Olympians. During Insinyur Camp 2012, the Amazing Race was one activity which fulfilled the goal of bonding a team while having fun. Every Orientation Group headed out from the campsite after deciphering their initial puzzle. Upon reaching the game stations, freshmen participated in games such as “100 Seconds No NG” where they had to successfully complete the mini tasks in less than two

minutes. Through these games, freshmen and seniors further understood each other as they were required to work closely together to complete the tasks. One of the most anticipated events during the camp was Beach Day, where we spent a day at Sentosa enjoying the sun, sand and sea while carrying out some games at Siloso Beach. Some of the games were modified beach volleyball. There were also traditional games of Insinyur, which are a must for Insinyur every year. Beach Day ended with a campfire at the same place where we all crowded around a campfire and danced to the mass dance which we learnt during the camp, choreographed by the senior’s pre-camp. All these games and activities allowed OG’s to compete and earn points, and subsequently to determine the best OG of the year. On our last day of camp, freshmen were paired up with their Secret Pals. During the day, the couple met and went on a short date, giving them quality time to know each other more. Lastly, all the couples arrived at NTU alumni clubhouse ballroom, where the Secret Pal Night is held. Fun and interacting games are conducted and the couples play against all other couples, in seek of the best duo.

Soon after that, Insinyur camp would seek the annual dance king and queen. Once we found our Dance King and Queen of the year 2012, they faced off with past kings and queens. We approached two of the freshmen from the camp and both of them felt that the camp was a good platform for them to begin their university lives. They did not regret signing up for the camp as they have met wonderful seniors and friends that will be with them for the life in NTU. As for the seniors, it was very satisfying when freshmen enjoyed their camp so much, they were all eager to join back for Insinyur camp 2013. With the new committee formed, our President hopes to uphold the traditions of Insinyur while seeking new ways to improve it even further. We envision making Insinyur a platform where lasting friendships are formed, and close family ties knitted, Most importantly, we want it to be an event which every alumni member, regardless of which years there were involved in, take pride to be a member of the Insinyur family. Signing off, YanZhi and Miao hui PNP 2012/2013

Camp Insinyur is the combined camp held annually for freshmen from the schools of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE). Themed “Cartoon Heroes-Retro vs The New” in 2011, this camp is the place where exciting activities are held and lasting friendships are forged. Students who attended the camp were seen leaving with smiles on their faces and memories to treasure for the years to come. Insinyur 2011 camp was bigger than before, with endless activities every day such as Telematch and Beach day. In 2012, the theme of the camp changed to Titans VS Olympians, but the objectives remained the same – to bond and orientate freshmen. Seniors put in a lot of effort to help make this event a success and they were overwhelmed by the amazing response. This year’s camp involved the fun inspired Insinyur games like Beach Day, Amazing Race, Secret Pal Night and many more. Such orientation camps are meant to familiarize the freshmen with university life and also with seniors. Hence, the events were organized keeping in mind how they would make full use of this opportunity by having fun and mixing among students of different cultures.


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14 individual, and was known for his love for photography. Priyanth loved to travel the world and share his experiences and touch people through his amazing photos; therefore, we held a photo competition in memory of him and his passion.

Leadership Development Programme (LDP) organizes many activities outside the classroom to help students to develop leadership qualities. Commemorating 10 years of its existence, LDP embarked on a journey to Vietnam during the semester break to reach out to the less fortunate ones in Project L.O.V.E. LDP marked the new academic year with orientation camp and investiture, as well as launched an improved peer tutoring program. Check out the highlights of their recent activities. teaching the students English. Although it was during their school holiday, many of the students showed up enthusiastic to learn. There was great interaction between the students and our members through songs and games. We even had Vietnamese names and picked up quite a few Vietnamese phrases ourselves! It was a heartbreaking moment on the last day when we had to say our goodbyes. Many of the children came running to us for autographs and in return we had them autograph on our t-shirts (and faces too). It was a great sense of satisfaction knowing that we had made a difference in these children’s lives. Our team also undertook several construction projects to help improve the standard of living of the villagers. One of which was the construction of a playground for the local children. We also supported the construction of water storage tanks for 3 underprivileged households. For many of our members, it was their first time mixing cement, laying bricks getting down and dirty doing actual construction. Despite the sweat and blisters that we endured, it was all worth it when we saw the children running around happily in their new playground and knowing that they now have a safe place to play. In appreciation of our contributions, the entire village treated us to a feast. The highlight of the night was the cultural exchange, where both the villagers and our team put up performances. Our team managed to pull off some songs such as Singapore town and Rasa Sayang, but paled in comparison to the ethnic dances and rich songs of the villagers.

After celebrating our 10th anniversary in the last academic year, LDP is re-energized and back stronger than ever! During the semester break, the Project L.O.V.E. 2012 team had a successful expedition to Vietnam. From the 22nd -31st July, our team of 11 spent an enriching week in Hoa Binh province, Vietnam. We were also joined by 5 Vietnamese youths from the collaborating organization, ChildFund Vietnam. We started off Day 1 with a “Science exhibition”, where we performed simple science experiments for the children. The children were all excited and highly engaged, especially when they had the chance to perform the experiments hands on! At the end the day, we gave out stationery packs to the students to encourage them in their studies. The next few mornings were spent in the Thu Phong School

Project L.O.V.E. 2012 was truly an enriching and humbling experience for the entire team, and a great way to kick start the new academic year.   The new academic year started with the induction of fresh blood into LDP, as we welcomed our new members into the LDP family with the Orientation Camp organised by the welfare department. The freshies headed to Sentosa Siloso Beach for a day of fun and games. Although we got lost on our way to the beach, the great company and beautiful views along the way made it a memorable experience for everyone. On 12th September, the LDP investiture 2012 marked the handing over from the 11th to 12th executive committee. The event was graced by our Guest-of-Honour MAE Chair Prof. Chua Chee Kai, our LDP advisor Assoc. Prof Sridhar Idapalapati and Assoc. Prof. Lee Yong Tsui. We started by mourning the loss of one of our dear LDP members, Priyanth Kumar Kittappa. He was a creative and outspoken

The evening carried on with a video showcasing past LDP activities and speeches by the professors. The outgoing President, Teddy Herianto shared his experiences leading LDP in the past year and highlighted many of LDP’s achievements and outstanding alumnus. The night ended with the official handing over ceremony, symbolizing the best wishes and high hopes for the incoming EXCO, and the appreciation of the past contributions of the outgoing EXCO. Through the years, LDP’s Academic Department has help many needy students in their studies through peer tutoring. This year, with the support of the school, peer tutoring has expanded with the recruitment of more capable tutors and the inclusion of more subjects! The peer tutoring program is now able to reach out to more needy students and help them in their studies. A new initiative is the set up of a facebook page where MAE students can post their questions online. This has been quite a hit with students as the page is buzzing with questions and helpful answers by fellow MAE students.

Check out the MAE LDP Academic Peer Tutoring 2012/2013 group on facebook now!

During recess week, the Training and Development Department held the first self-led Adventure Camp. The camp was both physically and mentally demanding, as members travelled around Singapore engaging in activities such as trekking at the Macritchie Treetop walk, Night Cycling along the PCN from East Coast Park to Changi, a 5km morning PT and Kayaking at Sembawang Water Venture to Seletar Island. It was a great bonding experience and a chance for the members to showcase their leadership skills as different members were given the opportunity to be ICs for certain legs of the camp. With 10 years of history behind us, LDP will no doubt continue to grow in strength. Look forward to our upcoming activities such as the Leadership Speech Series and Project Gratitude!

Jasmine Lim

“With 10 years of history behind us, LDP will no doubt continue to grow in strength. Look forward to our upcoming activities such as the Leadership Speech Series and Project Gratitude! ”


Interview

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Learning From the Best of Both Worlds In this era of globalization, one’s knowledge should transcend regional borders and able to embrace different cultures around the world. Perpetual Motion gathered insights about education and mechanical engineering related issues from both the Western and Eastern sides of the world, represented by Professor Heinz Domeisen from Hochschule fur Technik Rapperswil in Switzerland, and Associate Professor Tai Kang from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

How would you describe the tertiary education system in Switzerland/Singapore and how does it differ from other countries? HD: I think the system varies across universities. For example, in Europe and United States they have implied the Bachelor and Master system for a long time, whereas in Germany they just started using it. Every university is its own individual and each has special topics to focus on. Here in Rapperswil we have 7 institutions and study options such as mechanical, electric, civil engineering, etc. TK: Over the last 10-15 years, the university sector has improved, because there is more diversity of programs which makes more choices to fit more diverse talents of the students. The difference is that I think it is more competitive here because in Singapore the university sector has maintained a very high standard compared to other countries. Other countries might have wider range of tertiary educational institutions catering to different levels. For example is the US whose range spreads from community colleges to research-focused universities.

What is the best method of teaching and how do you engage your students and ignite their passion for the subjects that you are teaching? HD: We have lectures that give them the theory behind every different topic and exercises in the laboratory. We also have several kinds of research that the students can work on and different kind of topics for their bachelor thesis that can make them apply their knowledge, and all of them are suitable and comparable to what they are going to do in the industry later. TK: First is to focus on fundamentals and make sure that all of the students understand. These can be done by bringing suitable example that is simple enough that won’t give any distraction to student so they can focus only on the fundamentals. Then, I usually try to bring in some real life problems. But of course I try to strip away some of the details so that the problem is real life enough for them to appreciate but not too complex. If they can see that these problems are reasonably real world problems, I believe they will have some interest. I also try to introduce some humor to my classes.

What is expected from a graduate mechanical engineer? HD: A graduate bachelor degree from Rapperswil should be able to build a machine that not only does its function correctly, but Prof. Heinz Domeisen is the director of the IMA, Institute for Mechatronics and Automation Technology

A/P Tai Kang was recently voted as NTU’s Teacher of the Year 2011/2012 for final year students also have a certain safety specification that when one of the parts of the machine is not working properly, it will not damage the environment and the people. One more important point is that in mechatronics, a good combination of mechanical, electrical and IT skills will make a robot that works perfectly. Therefore it might be better for a mechanical engineer to also study about electrical and other fields of studies. TK: First of all, mechanical engineering is a broad field that changes a lot but it’s quite general, so our graduates can go to many different fields. For them, once they graduate, one of the challenges is to be able to apply what they have learned. If there is a complex problem, for example, they have to be able to break them into simpler parts, so that they can visualize and see those individual parts and then tackle the problem. The other important thing is to have good understanding of the fundamentals. If you have the fundamentals, then you can always try to pick up the details for yourself or look for materials to refresh your memories.

What is the prospect of mechanical engineering? HD: Mechanical Engineer is always important and relevant in our lives. We constantly need mechanical engineers to build and develop machines and devices which can help us to do certain works or accomplish certain actions, such as for transportation, and also to handle a lot of infrastructure in buildings like cooling and automation. TK: I think the prospects are good because there are lots of general fields in the companies that require mechanical engineers. There are also more specific types of job which still have very high demand nowadays such as offshore and marine sector. Both

high demand nowadays such as offshore and marine sector. Both definitely have good prospects for mechanical engineers because these are the areas that I think other engineers would not be able to compete with mechanical engineers. So offshore and marine engineering is one of the hot areas for Singapore, as far as Singapore is concerned. In addition, I think in the public sector and defense sector are also the areas that mechanical engineers definitely have a role to play in.

What is the favorite part of being a teacher and why? HD: I am fascinated by many different topics in mechanical engineering and the possibilities to use all of them, and I also enjoy sharing information and knowledge to the students. The other point is to do research and projects in which we can apply our knowledge. TK: My favorite part is to be able to interact with the students. It is a bit difficult to interact through lectures, but I try to make tutorial classes more fun by introducing more humor, and hopefully that will keep them motivated. We would like to thank both Prof Heinz Domeisen and A/P Tai Kang for setting aside some of their time to share their insights with Perpetual Motion. We hope the valuable information they have shared with us can enrich our knowledge for the journey towards becoming mechanical engineers of the world.

Ayu Lestari and Ramon Mitra


Interview 19

18 quite cold in Sweden compared to Singapore. So, less shorts, tshirts and slippers, but probably only because it would be too cold to wear them! Another difference, and this is quite a big difference, is the amount of respect you show your lecturer. During lectures here at NTU, there’s almost always someone talking to their friends. We’ve even seen people talking on the phone during lectures! This is something that never would happen, at least not to this extent, in Sweden!

How do you feel the study culture here? Back in Sweden we take our bachelor after three years of studies, as compared to four years in Singapore. Also, our master’s degree is five year (3+2) total. This probably makes for a somewhat higher pace of studies in Sweden, but the difference is not that big. Another thing is how you study. In Sweden, we almost always study together, often with other friends as well. We are discussing and solving problems together, as compared to the Singaporean study culture, which seems to be more individual studies. One example of this is the small cubicles in the LWN library. This is something you would never see at Linköping University. Instead, we have rooms where you sit down with your classmates/group members and discuss the problem.

What are the strangest/weirdest experiences you’ve had since you were here?

A Cup of Coffee with the Swedes Meet Max and Maria, two foreign students who live and learn here in Nanyang Technological University. They came directly from their hometown back in Sweden to study here for a year, they believe it is a great opportunity to be able to experience both living and learning in SIngapore. Together, they share with us their experiences so far, exclusively for us!

How are you getting along? So far, our time at NTU has been great! We arrived to Singapore one week before the school started so the initial chock of arriving to a foreign country had receded somewhat before the add/drop-period. The ISC have also been very helpful during our first few weeks at NTU, for which we are grateful! As I said, we are having a really good time here at NTU and we count ourselves lucky to both be able to study abroad at the same university! It’s an adventure we’re glad to be able to share with each other! Economically, it’s a different situation than in Sweden. On one hand, our rent here in Singapore is many times higher than in Sweden. We live six people in an apartment at The Lakeshore, right next to Lakeside MRT, and even though we share the rent it is still more expensive than in our hometown of Linköping, Sweden. Before we left Sweden, we were warned that it was expensive to rent a place here, but it was still quite a shock. On the

other hand, eating out is much cheaper here! In Linköping, you cook all your meals at home and bring lunch to school. Eating out every day is not really a viable option as a student in Sweden, as it would cost way too much. So while we miss eating food you cooked yourself, we also appreciate all the time saved by eating out every day! Another good thing about Singapore is the proximity to the rest of south-eastern Asia. The travel options you have here in Singapore are absolutely great if you want to explore Asia! Suddenly, it’s not at all a crazy idea to go to Malaysia for some snorkeling over the weekend! The flight prices in Asia are lower than most flights in Europe as well, which makes Singapore a great hub for traveling.

How do your school system works back home? We dress basically the same as the students at NTU, except a little warmer during the winter due to the fact that it’s

What is up with the plastic protection films that EVERYONE is leaving on their laptop screen? It’s supposed to be taken off once you unpack your laptop! Seriously! We’ve even seen people tape the plastic film into place once it starts to fall off.

Why? Why? WHY? Another thing is that Singaporeans always, at least what we’ve seen, ride on way too small bicycles! In two-and-a-half month we’ve yet to see an adult size bike (Yes, we’ve taken into consideration that Singaporeans are generally shorter than Swedes). But the strangest experience has to be that when the signs on the MRT stations say that the MRT will arrive in one minute, it arrives in one minute! In Sweden, more often than not, the trains are very late and it is far from always properly announced.

If you could tell us one thing about your culture, what would it be? In Sweden, a good leader is not necessarily a strong and dominant leader. More important is that a leader is humble and a good listener. From what we’ve seen, respect, authority and power are the characteristics of a good leader in Singapore. This would probably not have been an appreciated recipe in Sweden. In Sweden, being overly dominant and authorial will not gain you any respect, more likely the opposite!

What is the most interesting you’ve seen here? The great mix of different cultures that is Singapore is very interesting to see. It is great to be able to experience an Indian breakfast, Chinese lunch, study in an English speaking environment and end your day with Indonesian food and Swedish beer. Also, compared to Sweden, Singapore is very artificial. Just look at Sentosa! Something like Sentosa would probably never be possible to do in Sweden!


Health 20

Foodelicious Hokkien Mee The best pick for wet and gooey type is Geylang Lor 29 Hokkien Mee which is located in a newly refurbished coffeeshop along East Coast Road. This place still uses a charcoal stove to fry their Hokkien Mee which is quite rare nowadays. Many Wok Masters still regard the charcoal stove as the best way to heat a wok as the radiant heat ensures that the whole wok is evenly hot. With a gas stove, the bottom of the wok typically gets hotter than the sides.

Health

Crabs You cannot leave Singapore without tasting our Crabs. I am not just talking about Chilli Crabs, I am talking about Crabs from all round the world cooked in a myriad of ways! Should something happen to Chilli Crabs, Black Pepper Crabs will need to step in to wear the crown. You can find this dish in almost every Seafood restaurant but my favourite is Eng Seng Restaurant. However, be forewarned, you will have to book at lunchtime to reserve your crab, then come around 5pm to start lining up for a seat

Bak Kut Teh Char Kway Teow One of the most popular Char Kway Teow is Hillstreet Char Kway Teow. This Uncle’s mastery of the wok has made him Singapore’s Ambassador of Char Kway Teow! I am not kidding! The Singapore government has sent him on overseas missions to bring the flavours of home to our Singaporean diaspora! His stall is, however, a bit of a hike as you would have to get there by Taxi or by getting off at Bedok MRT and connecting on bus.

So since this is a dish born out of the docks, what better place to eat it then at the docks! My favourite place for Bak Kut Teh is at Outram Park Ya Hua located at the Port of Singapore Authority, near Tanjong Pagar. This is near the CBD area and is opened almost 24 hours a day. When you go, make sure you tell them you want to brew a pot of tea as well and order some You Char Kway (fried doughsticks) to dunk in the soup. Either Oolong or Pu Erh Tea is great with Bak Kut Teh.

Fish Head Curry Chicken Rice If you wish to experience what the traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice tastes like, then a visit to Yet Con along Purvis St is essential. Most of the Chicken Rice in Singapore has evolved by combining the Cantonese version of the dish. However, at Yet Con, time has stood still since the 1940s and the old man you see behind the counter has actually been a knee biter at the restaurant when it was new!

There are generally two types of Fish Head Curry. The Indian type, which is spicier and heavier, and the Chinese/Perankan type. For the Chinese style Fish Head Curry, you should head (pun intended) for the oldest surviving Fish Head Curry Restaurant in the world -- Soon Heng Restaurant. My pick for the Indian style Fish Head Curry is a bit off the tourist trail and gives you a chance to visit a more remote part of Singapore. Karu’s Banana Leaf Restaurant is testament that Singaporeans will travel anywhere for good food.

Laksa

Singapore’s Online Food Bible ieatishootipost.sg was started in 1 Aug 2006 as part of a desire to see a website which lists Singapore’s best hawker food with beautiful photos and a frank review. It has now grown to become the most read food blog in Singapore, currently getting around 14K hits per day from 7K+ unique visitors which translates to 90K unique visitors every month. The website clocked more than 15 million hits since inception and has been voted Best Food Blog in the 2009 Asia- Pacific Blog Awards as well as winning the Bloggies award for Best Asian Weblog 2010.

Traditionally, the Laksa gravy is slow cooked in an aluminum pot over a charcoal fire, but stalls still doing this are rarer than a sterile panda. If you really want to experience Laksa cooked over charcoal, then you have to head to the Flea Market area of Sungei Road for Sungei Road Laksa. (You can pick up some interesting antiques along the streets nearby at the same time!) This place is quite near town and also has many rustic hawker stalls in the area.

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Technology

Technology

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Invisible Breakthrough Home Grown Talent The ongoing quest for a material that allows us to appear invisible is greeted with promising results. Research using different methods and technologies are being conducted in various universities across the world. Would perfect invisibility benefit us or present a bigger threat than what’s it worth?

The “invisibility cloak” created by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) assistant professor Zhang Baile, 31, can bend light in a unique way and make tiny objects, disappear. For now, the cloak only works in a liquid called laser oil, but unlike previous cloaks made from expensive lab-produced materials, it is formed out of cheap natural mineral. For his breakthrough, the 31-yearold professor was named among the world’s top 35 innovators under 35 in MIT’s Technology Review, an honour previously bestowed on Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

UC Berkeley Researcher Jason Valentine’s team made a material that affects light near the visible spectrum, in a region used in fibre optics. Valentine’s team created their material by stacking silver and metal dielectric layers on top of each other and then punched through with holes. The other team used an oxide template and grew silver nanowires inside porous aluminum oxide at tiny distances apart, smaller than the wavelength of visible light. The invisibility cloak was minute, measuring 100 microns by 30 microns (one micron being one-thousandth of a millimetre) and the bump it hid was 10 times smaller, said Stenger. Of course, when it comes to path breaking technology, we should never rule out the Japanese. Scientists in Tokyo University, Japan, have invented a coat which makes those wearing it appear invisible. The

coat is made with a special type of “retroreflective material” that acts as a photographic screen. How would you use invisibility if you had the ability to just disappear? Imagine how great it would be to roam around wherever you wanted unnoticed, nobody to see you perform your embarrassing habits if you have any, and just to fool around with your friends. Sneaking in and out of places will be much more convenient too. Of course for the cons, Hide and Seek would no longer be a feasible game, and security systems for every home would have to be top notch to prevent burglars now equipped with the tool of invisibility! For me at least, mass invisibility seems like an extremely tricky situation, and if at all the technology does become feasible on a large scale basis, expect Governments to to regulate its usage. In all probability, it would be employed for soldiers to use in the field of battle. (Imagine beating a country at war with that kind of technology!) Now the value of such technologies can be seen clearly, and it’s no wonder Governments and Universities all over the world are allocating more and more money to see our comic book heroes become a reality.

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Invisibility in Popular Culture

Invisibility is a familiar occurrence in popular culture such as in literature , games and movies. We’re all familiar with Harry Potter’s Hogwarts’ Christmas birthday present, the “Invisibility Cloak”, his trusty companion throughout his adventures. Popular games such as Crysis enable you to take down your enemies while being invisible while movies like The Invisible Man (2000) explores the dark side of invisibility – how one man gets corrupted by his power to turn invisible.

Dylan Rego

Stealth Technology

Chroma Key Compositing

I In filmmaking, people, objects, or backgrounds can be made to look invisible on camera through a process known as chroma key compositing. It is commonly used for weather forecast broadcasts, wherein the news presenter appears to be standing in front of a large map during live television newscasts, though in actuality it is a large blue or green background. When using a blue screen, different weather maps are added on the parts of the image where the color is blue. If the news presenter wears blue clothes, his clothes will also be replaced with the background video! Chroma keying is also used in the entertainment industry for special effects in movies and videogames.

light, or be transparent. Xiang Zhang, a researcher at the University said: “In the case of invisibility cloaks or shields, the material would need to curve light waves completely around the object like a river flowing around a rock. An observer looking at the cloaked object would then see light from behind it, making it seem to disappear.”

f you could choose one superpower to have, which one would it be? If you thought of invisibility, you are among the 30% of people surveyed who were asked the same question (other choices included teleportation, flying, time travel, and blocking out annoying people). Of course, superpowers are just restricted to comic book heroes like Superman and Flash right? Wrong. With the advancements in Science and Technology, it’s becoming more and more of a possibility that certain superpowers can be implemented in reality, though admittedly, it may take a while for us mere mortals to experience. Currently, the most interesting advancements are being made in invisibility. Read more to find out. Invisibility, quite simply is the state of an object that cannot be seen. Invisibility is often considered the supreme form of camouflage, as it doesn’t show any kind

of vital, visual, or any of the frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum such as radio, infrared, ultraviolet, etc. Engineers and scientists have performed various kinds of research to investigate the possibility of finding ways to create real optical invisibility (cloaks) for objects. Two teams of scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, worked separately to create two “Invisibility Cloaks” from ‘metamaterials’ (artificially engineered materials generally with negative refractive index) engineered at the nanoscale level. The potential of metamaterials is the possibility to create a structure with a negative refractive index, since this property is not found in any non-synthetic material. Almost all materials encountered in optics, such as glass or water, have positive values for refractive index. Physicists have proved that such materials that have negative refractive index can transmit

Stealth technology is a sub-discipline of military tactics and passive electronic countermeasures which cover a range of techniques used with personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, and missiles, to make them less visible (ideally invisible) to radar, infrared, sonar and other detection methods. This concept was first explored through camouflage by blending into the background visual clutter. As the potency of detection and interception technologies have increased over time, so too has the extent to which the design and operation of military personnel and vehicles have been affected in response. Some military uniforms are treated with chemicals to reduce their infrared signature.


Alternative music

Alternative music 25

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Of Monsters and Men

My Head is An Animal

A young indie-folk band from Iceland who trium phantly strike the alternative music with a brand new trend, continue raising their flag of success as they tour around the world and introduce their recent album, My Head is an Animal, to their fans. Their singles have proven that they stand a great chance to have an austere career in this alternative thing.

T

keys) and Kristján (bass). Just like the goddess of fortune was on their side, they were directly invited to 2010 Iceland Airwaves festival, where they first started their music tour.

Following Músiktilraunir, two more members joined the band, Árni (accordion/

Unlike any other indie-folk band, Of Monsters and Men manage to bring the alternative music to another level. Their ultimate single “Little Talks” has topped the music charts in over 20 countries. This exultant folk pop-rock song which they present absolutely will chant everyone who hears them. The refreshing guitar rhythm played by Nanna and Raggi was incomparable to typical pop songs nowadays. Since Raggi is left handed, they create a

heir story began in 2009 when Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir was doing her first solo project called “Songbird”. She decided to add some members and boom, Of Monsters and Men was born. They once started as the quartet band consisted of Nanna (vocals, guitar), Raggi (vocals, guitar), Brynjar (guitar), and Arnar (drums, percussion, vocals). Such an excellent combination and the unique way of presenting folk rock music have guaranteed their victory in 2010 Músíktilraunir, the annual music festival in Iceland.

fascinating magic mirror effect when both of them perform live on stage. Brynjar casts the beautiful guitar melody. Vibrant trumpet sounds echoes along the songs. Last but not least, the enthralling percussion and the unique addition of accordion complete this extraordinary masterpiece. This new style of music is very favorable and enthused by not only teenagers, but also kids and adults. Since their musical tour in Iceland, now they have gone so much further in their musical career. They have reached crowds in other parts of Europe and America. As their popularity keeps increasing, the band was signed

to Universal for a worldwide release of their debut album. My Head is an Animal is their debut album. Consisting of the single “Little Talks”, it was released in the United States on 3 April 2012 after it was previously released in Iceland on September 2011. The key of success is innovation, and Of Monsters and Men has managed to make one through their music. Their songs are just a fresh rhapsody and an alternative interlude to common music in our playlist, literally.

Dharma Pranatha

length debut album My Head is an Animal is the first fullde. Featuring 12 of the band that is released worldwi “Little Talks” and les songs, this album accentuate the sing capping songs the as said “Mountain Sound”, which can be anded by the dem ly high is f of this band. The album itsel number six at es Stat ed Unit the in customers. Appeared were sold in its first on the Billboard 200, 55,000 units an Icelandic musical week (the best chart performance for artist in U.S. history). they cut out animal Celebrating the success of this album, ing them makeshift mak r, wea to masks for the attendees be a very isolated monster-men/women. “Iceland can music,” Nanna says, country and that translates to the ld”. adding,”We get stuck in our little wor having their European Currently, Of Monsters and Men are live on stage and let ic mus r tours, where they spread thei of this new album. s song ing trify the crowd feel the elec until the next FebThey have prepared their tour schedule be having a tour on ruary 2013. Next November, they will US and Canada. t achievement and My Head is an Animal has made a grea ther great album ano ase rele their fans expect them to soon.


Our town 26

Faces of The World Mike mike, a South African Photographer who lives in Istanbul travels to cities around the globe, he convince the first 100 people he met in each cities to take a photo of their faces, noting their nationality every time. He successfully obtained thousands photograph of people faces, later then he make use of computer program which carefully inspect every details, carefully laid each picture on top of each other, showing common regional features for each nationalities. The results is one portrait for each nationality, both man and woman and the biggest surprise is that “common” faces are all quite beautiful and handsome. The original project is called “The Face of Tomorrow”, come to his mind when he was studying at London’s Goldsmiths College. He was sitting on the underground trains and was intrigued by the diversity, he thought, “what is this place? What is a Londoner?”. As large metropolis attract migrants from all parts of the globe and resulting in new mixture of people. What will the people in that place will look like one or two hundreds year from now if they were become more integrated? In Turkey, situated as it is the crossroads of Europe and Asia, of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, you can see how this process worked in thousand years as waves of humanity from Central Asia, Arabia, Greece and Rome have been absorbed. Results is fairly uniform population, suggesting that if you could combine all the faces in a city right now you would be looking at the future face of that city. The Face of Tomorrow is project that attempts to take people in a common place and compositing their faces to create a typical face. What we get is a new person - a mix of all the people in that city. A face that doesn’t exist right now, but a face, most probably be, of someone quite real the Face of Tomorrow. Ardi Firmansyah

Our town 27


Science

“We exceeded our expectation, which was a nice thing to do. That was the plan.”, Thompson added. The data from this jump also contributes not only to the advertisement of Red Bull itself, but also the future space programs of NASA and the technology development of the Air Force. “We could be working on looking at how to communicate the data over the next year. The team is really excited at the reams of technical data that’s available, and how we look at how we’ll be able to apply it.”Art Thompson still has another great project to do, but he has to admit that this Red Bull Stratos space dive is the highlight project of the year.

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It has been 52 years since the last record of highest skydive ever and finally, it is broken. Humans successfully prove that they are able to conquer not only the sky, but also the space. And as an old saying, “Sometimes you have to go up really high to understand how small you are.”

“Sometimes you have to go up really high to understand how small you are”

Thompson with Felix after he landed safely on the ground

Redbull Stratos: Behind the Scene “Sky is the limit”. Does it sound familiar to you? Well, Felix Baumgartner has just proven that it is wrong. Sponsored by the infamous energy drink brand, he was involved in a top project called “Red Bull Stratos”. After months of preparation, finally on Saturday, Oct 14 2012, Baumgartner successfully exceeded the sound barrier in a 128100 feet “space jump”. This jump was not only the viewed by almost 8 million people, it also breaks the world record of highest skydive which was previously held by Joe Kittinger.

In order to take Felix over 120,000 feet above the ground, a normal airplane cannot be used. Art Thompson, the technical project director of Red Bull Stratos, managed to design a capsule along with the balloon for this breakthrough dive. Both of these equipments are highly engineered and the team had to overcome many issues. “There were so many technical things on this project, from dealing with life support systems, to the capsule,” he explains. “One of the things early on that surprised me was that we assumed space programs in the past had resolved issues with circuit breakers at high altitude, or vacuum conditions. In a vacuum, a conventional circuit breaker -- which measures heat across a load -- doesn’t work, because there, there’s less or no atmosphere there to draw the heat off, so a conventional circuit breaker would trip. We soon realized, with other space craft, they don’t need to worry about this because they always stay pressurized to 11.5 PSI.” For the balloon, the team built a massive one to provide enough energy for carrying the capsule. On the ground, the balloon has an initial height of 128 feet, almost the size of 55 storey building. However, this is still not big compared to its final size. When Baumgartner reached peak altitude, the balloon was found to be measured 334 feet tall and 424 feet in diameter, greater than the size of the statue of liberty.

When everything seems ready, yet there was still another issue that they cannot control, the weather. But again, Art Thompson asked an expert for assistance. “What we did was look at data supplied by Don Day (weather specialist) over a nine-year evaluation, and then pick out on the map and analyse which part of the year the winds are high and low, etc. Then from that we picked out weeks that were favourable, based on my best guess from the data,” Thompson said. Finally, the capsule was ready to launch. While Baumgartner was waiting for the capsule to reach the altitude, communication was very important. But it was not a problem because of the high-gain antennas and the radio installed on his chest. After confirming that everything was functioning, the only thing left was the moment when Baumgartner stepped out of the capsule. “We went ahead and started the live feed again. I handed back off to Joe [Kittinger] who’s really the focus of Capcom. I really am so amazingly impressed with Felix’s ability throughout the process. When he goes out onto that step, and disconnects the umbilical, this huge team of expertise that I’ve assembled, that all goes away,” Thompson said regarding the excitement he felt. Eventually, Fearless Felix Baumgartner landed safely on the ground, welcomed by the Red Bull team and Art Thompson himself.

Felix Baumgartner could be the hero, but there would be no record without Kittinger, Felix’s childhood hero, who was also the first man in space. “I could see for 450 miles and up to where the sky is black,” Joe Kittinger recalls of his mission in August 1960. Joe Kittinger was born in Florida in 1928. He was actually a fighter pilot in the US Air Force when he was asked to help test parachute systems. During his career, he was involved in Project Excelsior and Project Stargazer. In the Project Excelsior, he jumped from about 76,400 feet, but something went wrong. On December 11, 1959 (Excelsior II), he jumped again from about 74,700 feet (22,800 m) and set the world record. He could still remember that his right hand swelled up twice the normal size because there was something wrong with his right glove Kittinger reached the speed of 614mph in free-fall, and fell for four and a half minutes before pulling the parachute cord. Although there was a glitch in his glove equipment, he insisted on carrying out the mission. Just as his successor did, he landed in the New Mexico desert. The record would be his for more than 50 years. His hand turned back to normal again just as he arrived on the ground. “I was looking down on our planet. It was a very profound feeling that I had,” he said. But there was also an experience about Vietnam War that he can still remember. The Phantom fighter jet that he rid was shot down and fell northern Vietnam in 1972. Immediately, he ejected from the plan. Upon landing, he was captured and tortured in the infamous Hanoi Hilton prison. In Vietnam, it was all about combat for him. But in Skydiving, it was all about getting knowledge. After released from prison, he continued pursuing his passion in balloon and successfully flew over the Atlantic Sea. Though most of his records were broken by the recent red bull mission, he is content with one that he still retains – the longest freefall period. Dharma Pranata

“I was looking down on our planet. It was a very profound feeling that I had”

Black & white 29


Travel Arts

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Blue and green mixture of liquid flow

Gradient mixture of wall flower

Photographic Wallpaper Decals Wall decals, also known as a wall sticker, wall tattoo, or wall vinyl, is a vinyl sticker that is affixed to a wall or other smooth surface for decoration and informational purposes. Traditionally, only one color per decal is produced, but overtime as technology advances multicolor decals are made. Today, even the quality of details are so much better, its made from high-resolution photographs! Here we featured variety decals, they are enlarged to enormous propotyions and they served as a great alternative to wallpaper. They’re very durable that it won’t rip or fade, its go right on your walls like any self-adhesive decal. You can easily remove them and place them somewhere else, and do it over and over again. The adhesive lets you re-apply them hundreds of times so if you’re a renter or completely indecisive, these are made for you.

Blue butterfly enhancement


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