Load Cells 2021 round-up
This year has seen a bumper crop of great news stories about how load cells are playing a crucial role in tackling climate change, improving sports performance, exploring space and building new ecosystems!
Here are just some of our favourites from 2021: enjoy!
Climate change
As a business based in southern England, we’re always keen to highlight local businesses that use load cells in one of the greatest global challenges of all: climate change.
It’s hard to believe that the first wind turbine was erected in 1887. Created by Prof James Blyth of Anderson’s College, Glasgow, the:
“10m high, cloth-sailed wind turbine was installed in the garden of his holiday cottage in Kincardineshire and was used to charge accumulators … to power the lighting in the cottage … Blyth offered the surplus electricity to the people of Marykirk for lighting the main street, however, they turned down the offer as they thought electricity was ‘the work of the devil.’ “
This year, we discovered how a company making turbines based on the Isle of Wight shipped their turbine blades across the Solent to be tested on ”the mainland” at Fawley, near Southampton.
We were also thrilled to see how a company we dealt with back in 2018 continue to be at the cutting edge of Airborne Wind Energy (AWE) production.
Is there life on Mars?
If there is, NASA is determined to find it!
Back in May, the Mars Curiosity rover was trundling around the surface collecting samples with a little help from its robotic drilling arm and “donut’ load cell.
Curiosity is no longer on its own on Mars since the Mars Perseverance Rover joined it on 2021 when it touched down in the Jerezo Crater.
Want the latest update on festive holidays preparations on NASA’s Mars mission? See here:
And no, it doesn’t involve tinsel or mince pies.
Moving house
Probably one of our favourite stories of all from 2021. When Tim Brown decided to move house, he literally uprooted and transported his entire house six blocks through the streets of San Fransisco. The resulting time lapse video is a wonderful testimony of the skill of the engineers and drivers who took on the responsibility of moving a 139-year-old home past modern obstacles from trees to traffic lights.
Eurovision and shows
We love a good theatre story here at the Load cell Shop, and despite the lock-down there were still some stage extravaganzas to report on, including the arrival of “Frozen: the musical” in London, and the annual kitch-fest that is Eurovision!
Sports
In the dark and cold of December, it’s hard to remember that 2021 saw the delayed summer Olympics finally take place. We had a look at the role load cells play in various sports. We’r’ll also be looking forward to the Winter Olympics 2022, due to start on 4th February 2022 in Beijing.
And there’s more…
Check out all our 2021 blogs at this page, news, and discover more stories about bees, running blades, and terraforming.
