While TikTok was initially known for its dance challenges, the engineering community has increasingly flocked to the platform to show off its nifty hacks and innovations. If you haven’t scrolled through TikTok before, here’s five accounts guaranteed to give you a kick start.
1. The Hacksmith
James Hobson, otherwise known as the Hacksmith, is an engineer with a penchant for transforming fiction into reality.
As an avid comic, video game and film buff, Hobson uses his engineering prowess to bring our favourite science fiction weapons and gadgets to life, inspiring today’s youth to pursue a career in STEM.
When trawling through the Hacksmith’s TikTok profile, you can watch his Spooky Scary Ghost Rider helmet go up in flames, Marvel (pun intended) at his self-healing Wolverine claw ripping through a cinder block, or see him don Superman’s eye-controlled lasers.
Some creations also have practical applications, if you fancy your eggs fried courtesy of a mini lightsaber.
Many of his stunts are performed by professionals, so we wouldn’t recommend trying them at home.
But with a little out-of-the-box thinking, the Hacksmith shows how an engineer can transform into a skating legend rivalling Tony Hawk with this self-kick flipping skateboard.
2. Interesting Engineering
Interesting Engineering is the brainchild of a group of journalists, videographers and creators who unearth and curate content on the latest developments in engineering, science and technology.
Whatever area of engineering piques your interest, you will find it here – from smarter ways to level concrete, 3-D house printing in action, real-world applications for quantum processors or swimsuits inspired by an apex predator.
For football enthusiasts hanging out for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, check out how a professor of mechanical engineering figured out how to keep punters cool in the desert heat by creating a microclimate bubble.
Watch on TikTok
3. katvoltage
Electrical engineer Kat Echazarreta, the first Mexican-born woman to fly to space, is a bonafide celebrity.
Echazarreta gives fans a glimpse of her busy life through her TikTok account, katvoltage, where her videos show her gracing the cover of fashion magazines, including as Glamour Mexico’s Woman of the Year, hosting her own TV show Oddly Satisfying Science, and speaking out about gender equality at the Mexican Space Agency.
In one of her most popular videos, Echazarreta reveals she brought her grandfather’s ashes along with her to space after he passed away before learning of her mission.
Watch on TikTok
4. pandabionics
Ryan Saavedra, aka pandabionics, is on a mission to make artificial intelligence-enhanced bionic prosthetics at an affordable price.
Electrical engineer Saavedra is the founder and CEO of Alt-Bionics, which transformed from a university project between classmates into a fully-fledged startup.
He is also an avid content creator, chronicling the company’s journey to creating a bionic hand on his pandabionics TikTok account, including a 3:00 am prototype assembly and programming different grips such as a pinch and a peace sign.
For the Addams Family fans out there, watch how Saavedra programs the bionic hand to crawl just like Thing.
Watch on TikTok
5. b_turner50
If you’re partial to handy home improvement hacks, you can’t look past b_turner50. Canadian mechanical engineer turned content creator Brett Turner documents his quest to entirely automate his home on TikTok, with inventions such as budget-smart blinds and money-saving smart thermostats.
Turner is so committed to building a smart home, he is even planning to insert a microchip into his hand to better control the automated processes in his home.
But for those looking for less-extreme DIY ideas, watch how Turner hacks a touch sink to pour out certain volumes of water for under $10.
Watch on TikTok
Honourable mentions
spyropyro: this self-confessed “mad scientist” enjoys creating lasers and electronics out of scrap parts.
secengineer: with cyber attacks an ever-present danger these days, we could all use some safety tips from this cyber security engineer.
mo_t_ivate: peak into the life of this airport engineer as he roams around one of the world’s busiest airports – Heathrow.
