The Engineer
February 2012 Online
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Bacteria computers store data by altering their genetic code
12 Feb 2013
Engineers have found a way to create bacteria that act as tiny computers, processing signals and storing the results in their DNA.
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Siemens wins contract to supply 20 regional trains
29 Feb 2012
Siemens Infrastructure & Cities has won a contract to supply 20 Desiro UK electric regional multiple-unit trains.
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GKN reports sales increases of £683m during 2011
29 Feb 2012
GKN has announced its results for 2011, with all four divisions contributing to an increase in sales of £683m to £6.1bn.
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Medical diagnostic tool can analyse bitumen behaviour
29 Feb 2012
A tool more commonly used in medical diagnostics is being employed to analyse the behaviour of bitumen in reservoirs.
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Intelligent Energy raises £22m during latest round of funding
29 Feb 2012
Intelligent Energy has completed its latest round of funding, raising in excess of $35m (£22m) from existing and new institutional shareholders.
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DSM gets patent and IP rights for a new catalyst
29 Feb 2012
The University of Amsterdam has transferred the patent and all related Intellectual Property rights on a new catalyst to DSM.
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Lab on a chip looks set to aid the treatment of malaria
29 Feb 2012
A new lab-on-a-chip device is expected to help evaluate the efficacy of different compounds in treating malaria.
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Network Rail investigates some value-for-money alternatives
29 Feb 2012
Network Rail is to investigate alternative rail solutions as part of efforts to deliver a better-value-for-money railway.
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Birmingham University joins partnership for industry IP
28 Feb 2012
Birmingham University has recently become the first Midlands university to be part of the Easy Access Innovation Partnership, which promotes new ways of transferring intellectual property (IP) to industry.
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Bangladesh signs MoU with UK bodies for energy research
28 Feb 2012
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), the EPSRC and the government of Bangladesh have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on energy research today.
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US Army awards contract for Laser Target Locator Modules
28 Feb 2012
The US Army has awarded BAE Systems a $23m (£15m) contract to provide lightweight handheld Laser Target Locator Modules (LTLM).
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Nexans wins cable contract for Indian Air Force project
28 Feb 2012
Nexans has been awarded a €5m (£4.2m) contract by Tata Power’s Strategic Electronics Division to supply cabling to the Indian Air Force’s Modernization of the Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI) project.
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Engineering consultancies set for merger
28 Feb 2012
Engineering consultancies DHV and Royal Haskoning are to merge.
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Researchers develop laser light source for mobile projectors
28 Feb 2012
Researchers in Finland are developing a better laser light source for projectors that will be integrated into mobile phones.
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Design panel set for London commercial district
28 Feb 2012
Lend Lease and London and Continental Railways have appointed seven engineering consultants to join the design panel for The International Quarter, a new £1.3bn commercial district in Stratford City, London.
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Tracsis announces results
28 Feb 2012
Tracsis, a developer and aggregator of resource optimisation software, remote condition monitoring technology, and consultancy services to passenger transport industries has announced its interim results for the six months ended 31 January 2012.
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David Brown set to receive grant for wind-turbine gearbox
28 Feb 2012
David Brown Gear Systems has been awarded a £1.2m grant to help develop its 7MW offshore wind-turbine gearbox.
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Filter uses nano-antennas to precisely control colour output
28 Feb 2012
Engineers at Harvard University have demonstrated a new kind of tunable colour filter that uses optical nano-antennas to obtain precise control of colour output.
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Elevance and Arkema team up to produce speciality polymers
27 Feb 2012
Elevance Renewable Sciences and Arkema today announced a global partnership to develop and produce renewable speciality polymers.
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Highways Agency appoints Atkins and Skanska
27 Feb 2012
Atkins and Skanska have been appointed by the Highways Agency to maintain and operate the strategic road network in the UK’s South West region.
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ITM Power signs development contract with Boeing
27 Feb 2012
ITM Power has signed an equipment development and lease agreement with Boeing Research and Technology Europe for the development, assembly and field trials of a 1Nm3PEM electrolyser.
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Sellafield awards design and engineering contract
27 Feb 2012
The Progressive Alliance has been awarded a specialist design, engineering and safety case assessment contract of up to 15 years by Sellafield Ltd.
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International carbon emissions project opens its first UK office
27 Feb 2012
An international project giving the latest information on carbon emissions has opened its first UK office at the University of East Anglia (UEA).
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Firm wins Formula One contract for gearboxes
27 Feb 2012
A Stourbridge manufacturing firm has been awarded a prestigious contract with a Formula One team.
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Low carbon by road and sea
27 Feb 2012
Development of fuel cells, EV charging infrastructure and green ships are all under discussion in the UK this week, while the oil and gas sector focuses on collaborative projects in the Middle East
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UK manufacturers report improvement in orders
24 Feb 2012
UK manufacturers have reported an encouraging improvement in total and export order books in February, following a much weaker period over late 2011, the CBI said today.
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Could defence sector help avert GPS disaster?
24 Feb 2012
From ships colliding at sea to stock market crashes, the potential problems of GPS jamming seem to have barely crossed the authorities’ radar. But the technologies to prevent such catastrophes already exist.
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Researchers develop improved catalyst for car fuel cells
24 Feb 2012
Research from Berkeley University in the US could lead to the development of cheaper and more efficient catalysts for car fuel cells.
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Aircraft power needs could be met by landing-gear wheels
24 Feb 2012
Engineers at Lincoln University have confirmed the feasibility of employing regenerative braking in commercial aircraft
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Report: UK must dig deep to meet emissions targets
23 Feb 2012
Big decisions ahead for government and energy-intensive industries
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DSME set to build four tankers for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
23 Feb 2012
Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering has been selected to build four 37,000-tonne tankers for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in a deal worth £452m.
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SgurrEnergy becomes partner in wind-energy programme
23 Feb 2012
SgurrEnergy has been selected as a partner for the Wind Energy Preparation Programme (WEPP) as part of the larger Malawi Renewable Energy Acceleration Programme (M-REAP).
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Injectable gel could safely repair damaged heart tissue
23 Feb 2012
Researchers have developed an injectable hydrogel that could be an effective treatment for tissue damage caused by heart attacks.
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Power Felt can convert heat into an electrical current
23 Feb 2012
Researchers in the US have developed Power Felt, a thermoelectric device that converts heat into an electrical current for a range of applications.
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Gimv acquires majority interest in Oldelft Ultrasound
22 Feb 2012
Gimv has acquired a majority interest in Oldelft Ultrasound, a medical diagnostic company specialising in the development, manufacture and service of ultrasound transducers, from AlpInvest.
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New company set to focus on producing energy from waste
22 Feb 2012
A company that aims to develop a UK network of more than 40 anaerobic digestion plants was launched today with £65m worth of backing.
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A success story that can’t be told
22 Feb 2012
The ban on companies promoting their work on this summer’s Olympic games represents a huge missed opportunity for the UK economy
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Metso automation systems set to aid infrastructure projects
22 Feb 2012
Metso will deliver its automation technology to two major infrastructure projects currently under construction in South America.
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Mobile device could help drug users modify their behaviour
22 Feb 2012
A wearable device designed to help drug users to modify their behaviour has been developed in the US.
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Centrica acquires Central North Sea oil and gas assets
22 Feb 2012
Centrica has reached an agreement with Total E&P UK to acquire its non-operated portfolio of producing oil and gas assets and associated infrastructure in the Central North Sea.
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Siemens Energy receives order for steam turbine generator
22 Feb 2012
Siemens Energy has received an order for a steam turbine generator to be used in a waste-to-energy plant equipped with combined power and heat generation in Plymouth.
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Gold-coated nanowires provide low-cost gas detection method
22 Feb 2012
Researchers have applied gold onto nanowires in order to create a material for detecting poisonous gases.
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Projects looks at impact of new technology on power networks
22 Feb 2012
A £30m low-carbon network project has been launched to assess the way electricity networks react to decarbonisation.
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Siemens acquires a majority stake in tidal-power company
21 Feb 2012
Siemens has acquired the majority stake in Marine Current Turbines, a Bristol-based company that develops and builds tidal-power systems.
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Network Rail announces intention to sell subsidiary
21 Feb 2012
Network Rail Infrastructure Limited has announced it intends to sell its subsidiary, Network Rail (NDS-Plant) Limited.
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British companies share space development funding
21 Feb 2012
British companies are to share £2.5m of funding to enable them to develop commercial products and services using space technology or space-derived data.
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Tracsis receives large order for its data-logging equipment
21 Feb 2012
Tracsis has received an order worth £2.9m for its data-logging and condition-monitoring equipment.
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Europe Solar Utility sells solar PV assets to long-term investor
21 Feb 2012
Europe Solar Utility (ESU) has announced the sale to a long-term investor of 3.7MWp of operating solar PV assets built on land owned by Thames Water.
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Romax Technology announces new investment partnership
21 Feb 2012
Romax Technology has announced a new investment partnership with Moonray Investors, part of Fidelity International.
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Transistor comprises a single atom within a silicon crystal
21 Feb 2012
Physicists have created a working transistor consisting of a single atom placed in a silicon crystal.
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Palio launches debt-financing model for lower mid-market
20 Feb 2012
Palio is launching a debt-financing model in the UK for the lower mid-market where a significant credit supply gap has been created by the banks’ failure to lend to SMEs.
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Eyecare firm looks to Morgan Sindall for design services
20 Feb 2012
Morgan Sindall Professional Services has been appointed by Rayner Intraocular Lenses to provide multidisciplinary design services for the redevelopment of a major manufacturing facility that will allow the eyecare company to service growing demand from the Americas, Asia and mainland Europe.
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Oral device could give spinal patients more independence
20 Feb 2012
An assistive technology designed to give people with severe spinal injuries greater independence has undergone modifications that make it less conspicuous and more capable.
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Ramboll set to play advisory role in Poole development
20 Feb 2012
Ramboll has secured a key advisory role to the Poole harbour commissioners to help them finalise a long-term development plan for the port.
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Sensor offers diagnostic data on recent orthopaedic surgery
20 Feb 2012
A new implantable sensor is claimed to provide real-time information about a patient’s recent orthopaedic surgery.
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Focus falls on UK renewables technology
20 Feb 2012
Biofuels, marine energy and development of renewables technology are all under scrutiny this week, while Crossrail and care of the elderly are also on the agenda in London
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Adhesive material mimics the way geckos stick to surfaces
20 Feb 2012
Scientists from the University of Massachusetts Amherst have invented a Gecko-inspired adhesive material.
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Global-positioning system uses cameras instead of satellites
20 Feb 2012
Australian researchers have developed a global-positioning system (GPS) based on camera systems and database algorithms rather than satellites.
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Researchers trial microchip that administers drugs
17 Feb 2012
A wirelessly controlled microchip capable of releasing drugs into the body at any time has been tested on seven women with osteoporosis.
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British and French firms set to advance nuclear build in UK
17 Feb 2012
Companies from Britain and France today signed agreements likely to advance the next generation of nuclear plants in the UK.
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Siemens creates consolidated UK Water Sales Team
17 Feb 2012
Siemens Industry Automation & Drives Technologies has strengthened its offering to the UK water sector with the creation of a consolidated UK Water Sales Team to help fulfil the requirements of the water utility industry.
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Thai Airways signs contract with Airbus for A380 support
17 Feb 2012
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited has signed a ‘Flight Hour Services — Tailored Support Package’ contract with Airbus to provide aircraft inventory and maintenance support for its A380 fleet.
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An insight into driverless car technologies
17 Feb 2012
Many drivers might baulk at the idea of ’driverless’ cars, but in some conditions, they could both increase enjoyment of driving and ease congestion, argues Anthony Baxendale of MIRA in his first guest blog.
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BAE Systems reports drop in sales of 14 per cent for 2011
17 Feb 2012
Cuts in defence spending have had a negative impact on BAE Systems, which has reported a drop in sales of 14 per cent to £19.2bn.
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Brandauer announces contracts for automotive and security
17 Feb 2012
Brandauer, which makes precision pressings and stamping, has announced major contracts worth £3.5m.
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A realistic home of the future?
17 Feb 2012
A television version of the technologies we might use in our homes in 50 years’ time is likely to be wide of the mark. Predicting what the public will want — or need — is a tricky business.
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BAE Systems plans recruitment for its submarines section
16 Feb 2012
BAE Systems Maritime — Submarines has announced plans to recruit 280 permanent new employees
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Behind the scenes at Astrium Satellite's production line
16 Feb 2012
The Engineer discovers how a satellite wing is made on a behind the scenes tour of Astrium Satellite’s production line in Munich.
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Quicker thinking
15 Feb 2012
Motorsport is a vital and unique part of the UK engineering sector, but it needs to be imaginative in the way it transfers its expertise
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From illusion of design to finished product
14 Feb 2012
Excitement is mounting at Bloodhound headquarters as the final detail is filled in on the design of the car, and parts start to be delivered to the Bristol works where the car will be assembled.
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Photocatalysts could help to reduce groundwater pollution
14 Feb 2012
Engineers in the US are hoping to improve the use of light to reduce groundwater pollution from disease-causing nitrates.
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TRB Lightweight Structures extends its service offering
14 Feb 2012
TRB Lightweight Structures has completed a strategic investment programme, adding capacity and expanding its range of services to better serve its growing list of customers in the rail, defence, motorsport and marine industries.
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Jakarta-based Lion Air orders 230 aircraft from Boeing
14 Feb 2012
Boeing and Jakarta-based Lion Air have finalised a firm order for 201 737 MAX aircraft and 29 Next-Generation 737-900ER (extended-range) aircraft.
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Analysis technique could help to identify bodies more reliably
14 Feb 2012
A new corpse-analysis technique could help forensic scientists identify bodies more reliably and cheaply than with current methods.
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Researchers develop method of creating tissue scaffolds
13 Feb 2012
A new method for creating scaffolds for tissue engineering applications has been developed in the US.
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Electronic chequebook could assist internet transactions
13 Feb 2012
A new electronic chequebook could enable people to pay bills over the internet but keep a physical record of transactions.
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Three Scottish businesses win Shell Springboard awards
13 Feb 2012
Three Scottish businesses have won Shell Springboard awards worth a total of £110,000.
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UK announces schemes to boost apprenticeships
13 Feb 2012
Three schemes designed to boost the number of apprenticeships have been announced by UK prime minister David Cameron.
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Software measures online conversations for meaning
13 Feb 2012
TheySay, a company set up by Isis Innovation to develop a sentiment analysis tool for businesses, has received first-round investment of up to £500,000 from IP Group.
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Magnetic resonance imaging shows batteries' inner workings
13 Feb 2012
Researchers in England and the US are using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to non-destructively observe the inner workings of batteries.
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Getting there, going abroad and designing at home
13 Feb 2012
Electric vehicle infrastructure, the low-carbon transport challenge, showcases in Birmingham and Cambridge and the opportunity to relocate are all on the agenda this week.
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Rainham Industrial Services sells mechanical division
13 Feb 2012
Rainham Industrial Services (RIS) is to sell its mechanical division to the newly formed EFW Mechanical Services.
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EDF and AREVA agree uranium partnership principles
13 Feb 2012
EDF and AREVA have reached an agreement on the principles of a long-term partnership to supply natural uranium.
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Structural batteries could offer support to soldiers on front line
13 Feb 2012
Scientists at BAE Systems have demonstrated a method of storing electricity that could have initial applications on the battlefield.
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Government will provide £3m for CO2 emissions projects
10 Feb 2012
Grant funding of nearly £3m is being made available to four projects that will develop and demonstrate technologies to tackle CO2 emissions from power plants.
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And now for the good news about UK apprenticeships
10 Feb 2012
The news that Rolls Royce is planning to increase the number of apprentices it hires shows that the engineering sector still values traditional apprenticeships.
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MTI launches Orion Fund for university spin-outs
10 Feb 2012
MTI has launched the Orion Fund, an investment vehicle dedicated to university spin-outs.
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Energy secretary Ed Davey opens Walney wind farm
9 Feb 2012
The £1bn Walney wind farm, a joint venture between DONG Energy, SSE and OPW, has been opened by Ed Davey, the new secretary of state for energy and climate change.
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Government sets up offshore renewable energy centre
9 Feb 2012
The UK could gain a 12 per cent share of the global offshore wind market following the establishment of a centre designed to commercialise green technologies.
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Manufacturing study highlights value of UK-based production
9 Feb 2012
A study on modern manufacturing systems has highlighted the value associated with keeping production activities in the UK.
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A380 inspections will check for cracks in wing components
9 Feb 2012
All Airbus A380 aircraft are to be inspected following the discovery of cracks in wing components.
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Nanoparticle-infused oil could improve transformer cooling
9 Feb 2012
A new nanoparticle-infused oil could increase the heat-shedding efficiency of transformers and microelectronic components by 80 per cent.
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Remote control car paves the way for autonomous vehicles
9 Feb 2012
The Engineer paid a visit to automotive test specialist MIRA to see a new vehicle designed to put autonomous driving systems through their paces.
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Semi-autonomous robot could offer support to foot soldiers
9 Feb 2012
A robot that carries heavy loads, can see where its going and responds to commands has been developed for the military in the US.
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Spanish air travel will almost double by 2030, says Airbus
8 Feb 2012
Air traffic in Spain will almost double by 2030, according to Airbus’s Global Market Forecast.
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Intelligent Energy and Suzuki create fuel-cell joint venture
8 Feb 2012
Intelligent Energy and the Suzuki Motor Corporation have created SMILE FC System Corporation to develop and manufacture air-cooled fuel-cell systems.
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Heartbeat-powered pacemaker could prevent repeat surgery
8 Feb 2012
A pacemaker powered by chest-cavity vibrations from heartbeats could prevent the need for repeat surgery to replace batteries.
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NASA and Northrop Grumman plan to develop 'space tugboat'
8 Feb 2012
NASA and Northrop Grumman are developing a ‘space tugboat’ to ferry satellites from low-Earth orbit to geosynchronous Earth orbit.
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Plessey acquires Cambridge University spin-out CamGaN
8 Feb 2012
Plessey has acquired CamGaN, a Cambridge University spin-out formed to commercialise novel technologies for the growth of gallium nitride high-brightness LEDs on large-area silicon substrates.
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Magnetic recording method could speed up hard drives
8 Feb 2012
A new method of magnetic recording could allow computers to process information at hundreds of times the speed of current hard drives.
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Study shows how neuroscience could assist soldiers in future
7 Feb 2012
Future soldiers could control weapons and vehicles with their minds and use brain-stimulation techniques to improve their skills, according to the Royal Society.
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US researchers use light to weld meshes of nanowires
7 Feb 2012
A technique that uses light to weld nanowires together could be used in next generation electronics.
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Science, engineering and sport: what do we think?
7 Feb 2012
Steve Haake looks back at his first Olympic-themed science lecture of 2012, where the audience was asked their opinions on the morality of technology-based training — and how it compares with illegal performance aids such as doping.
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Unmanned aerial vehicles may improve wind-farm deployment
7 Feb 2012
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) designed to gather offshore turbulence data could optimise the deployment of wind-turbine farms.
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Dart-like bullet could hit laser targets more than a mile off
7 Feb 2012
A self-guided bullet has been developed in the US for small-calibre, smooth-bore firearms that could hit laser-designated targets at distances of more than a mile.
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Mitsubishi will not allocate new model at Netherlands Car site
6 Feb 2012
Mitsubishi Motors will not allocate a new model at its subsidiary European production site, Netherlands Car (NedCar), for production from 2013.
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Electricity Alliance Central wins a five-year contract extension
6 Feb 2012
National Grid’s Electricity Alliance Central has been awarded a five-year contract extension to deliver major enhancements to the UK’s electrical transmission infrastructure.
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Mobile energy firm secures machine power contract
6 Feb 2012
Mobile energy company Conductix-Wampfler UK has secured a six-figure contract to deliver a specialised system to power machinery at a factory in Tyneside.
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Schneider set to provide power unit for Asgard subsea station
6 Feb 2012
Schneider Electric has won an order from Aker Solutions to design and implement the seabed controls power distribution unit for the subsea compression station of Asgard, located off the coast of Norway at a depth of 300m.
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System uses photosynthesis to produce efficient solar energy
6 Feb 2012
Scientists have developed a system that taps into photosynthetic processes to produce efficient and inexpensive solar energy.
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Wireless system charges vehicles on the move
6 Feb 2012
Researchers have designed a system that could wirelessly charge electric vehicles whilst at cruising speed on the motorway.
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Sherborne Sensors announces record increases during 2011
6 Feb 2012
Sherborne Sensors today announced that 2011 marked a record year for the company, with a 15 per cent increase in turnover and 11 per cent more customers secured compared with the previous year.
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Air Namibia purchases two 112-seater Airbus aircraft
6 Feb 2012
Air Namibia, the national airline of the Republic of Namibia, has ordered two Airbus A319 aircraft designed to seat 112 passengers in a two-class layout.
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High-speed optical fibres could enable faster communication
6 Feb 2012
Faster telecommunications could be on the way thanks to UK scientists who have created optical fibres with the high speeds of microchips.
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Wind farms, female engineers and Thameslink under the spotlight
6 Feb 2012
The controversy that mires onshore wind continued over the weekend with a number of MPs writing to the PM arguing for a cut in wind farm subsidies.
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Artificial vision system locates pedestrians in front of vehicles
6 Feb 2012
Researchers in Europe have developed a system that uses artificial vision to locate pedestrians in front of a vehicle.
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Technique prevents the stalling of videos streaming to mobiles
3 Feb 2012
Researchers in Germany have found a way to prevent internet videos from stalling when streaming to mobile devices.
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Investments set to support further UK graphene research
3 Feb 2012
The EPSRC has revealed details of how an additional £50m will be spent to keep the UK at the forefront of research into graphene.
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Bladon Jets announces opening of Coventry engineering centre
3 Feb 2012
Bladon Jets has announced the opening of its Engineering Centre in Coventry.
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Frazer-Nash set to produce military airworthiness criteria
3 Feb 2012
Engineering consultancy Frazer-Nash, working with Marshall Aerospace, has been awarded a contract by the European Defence Agency (EDA) to produce a harmonised set of European Military Airworthiness Certification Criteria (EMACC).
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Aker signs deal to provide well intervention services off Ghana
3 Feb 2012
Aker Solutions has signed a frame agreement with Tullow Ghana to provide well intervention services for the oil company’s Jubilee and Tano deepwater fields off shore of Ghana, West Africa.
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Mind over matter
3 Feb 2012
Machine-brain interfaces are becoming ever more complex and no longer limited to the basic movement of neuroprosthetics but cognitive functions like language and music.
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From the track to the air
3 Feb 2012
In a new series of guest blogs from motorsport and composites specialist Lola, commercial director Paul Jackson explains why multi-discipline adaptability is so important for SMEs, and how it is contributing to Lola’s performance.
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Consortium set to build eight additional satellites for Galileo
2 Feb 2012
A consortium led by OHB System and Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) will build a further eight satellites for the European Union’s Galileo satellite navigation programme.
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Metso set to supply pellet-fired heating plant to Finland
2 Feb 2012
Metso will supply a pellet-fired heating plant to Tampereen Energiantuotanto Oy in the city of Tampere, Finland.
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Jaguar Land Rover seeks its apprenticeship intake for 2012
2 Feb 2012
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is set to launch a search for its largest-ever intake of apprentices to join its 2012 training programme.
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Motion capture technology used to analyse pianists
1 Feb 2012
Southampton University researchers are pioneering a new way to use motion-capture technology in order to analyse the way the piano is played.
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The child, in time
1 Feb 2012
The furore over the government’s downgrading of the engineering diploma raises some interesting questions over the value we place on engineering knowledge.
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Brain signal analysis could allow paralysed to ‘speak’
1 Feb 2012
Conversations heard by paralyzed patients can be decoded by processing signals from electrodes placed directly on the brain.
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US Army awards Saab contract for laser training system
1 Feb 2012
Swedish aerospace and defence company Saab has been awarded a $17.2m (£10.9m) contract for the next generation of laser-based training systems for US Army’s armoured combat vehicles.
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City University team aims to develop portable drug sensors
1 Feb 2012
Scientists at City University are working in collaboration with the Home Office to develop portable drug sensors.
