You hear a lot about carbon fiber these days. It’s difficult to find another substance that delivers so much strength while being so light. Those characteristics make it an important material in automotive, aerospace, and other industries, because it enables us to make vehicles lighter but no less strong. The lighter the vehicle, the less fuel it requires. The less fuel it consumes, the lower the emissions. That’s the good news. But carbon fiber has a few drawbacks, as we learn from Andrew Maxey, founder of Vartega Carbon Recycling LLC, in the latest Innovation Zone presentation from AU 2016.... READ MORE >

Have 10 minutes and want to learn something about technology and where it’s headed? Want a mind snack instead of a full AU class mind meal? You’re in luck. Introducing: the Innovation Zone. At AU Las Vegas 2016, in addition to 700+ classes, panels, and workshops, we also tried something a little different. We set up a stage and invited diverse experts and innovators to share bite-sized bits of thought leadership. READ MORE >

SPOILER ALERT: technology is changing rapidly! That’s right—you heard it here first: the worlds of AEC, manufacturing, and media & entertainment are evolving as new tools create new design possibilities and enable new ways of working. This shouldn’t be news to anyone who works in these industries. This rapid evolution has been going on for decades. And the pace of change is showing no signs of slowing down. If anything, it’s accelerating, and the changes that lie ahead over the next decade could be as great (or, let’s face it, greater) than the changes the past decade has brought. READ MORE >

Core77.com recently featured a story on AU speaker, professional drone pilot, and AI enthusiast Eli D’Elia, who envisions a drone that’s “AI-grown and AI-flown” —that is, both designed and flown by computers. And he thinks it will appear in the not-too-distant future. While autonomous drones may sound like something out of the next Star Wars installment, the idea is actually not that far-fetched. Several companies, including D’Elia’s Eagle Eye Metrics, are already dipping their toes into this pond. D’Elia has partnered with Autodesk to design the Hooligan 1000 racing drone, using the Autodesk... READ MORE >

We can hardly believe it’s the holidays again, but here we are. While you’re relaxing and making memories with your loved ones, we hope you’ll take a moment to pat yourself on the back for all your hard work this year, and maybe set yourself some professional goals for the year to come. As our fearless leader Carl Bass has pointed out, ongoing learning is the key to success. So what do you want to learn next year? If you’re looking for inspiration (or escape), head to AU online to explore hundreds of new classes in every area of interest, from 3D printing to generative design and everything in... READ MORE >