The 'Contactless Automated Crack Extension Measurement' (ACEM) system, invented by Dr. Pritam Chakraborty and Mr. Vipin Chandra from the Department of Aerospace Engineering, is a simple yet effective tool designed to measure the growth of cracks in materials. 

The system eliminates the need for direct contact with the material, preventing any potential disruption to the material's integrity or distortion of the measurement. The tool can track how cracks extend or change shape under different stress conditions, which is crucial for understanding material behavior under repeated loading cycles or during long-term wear. ACEM provides immediate and precise measurements of crack extension, enabling engineers and researchers to monitor material degradation continuously. 

This method is invaluable for studying the failure mechanisms of materials in various industries, especially aerospace, automotive, and civil engineering, where structural integrity is critical. ACEM can be applied to a wide range of materials to study how they break down over time when subjected to stress or repeated loads, making it useful for designing more #durable and reliable materials. 

This innovation allows for better decision-making in material design, helping predict the life cycle of materials under various operational conditions and improving safety in critical applications.