The Engineer
June 2011 Online
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MuteButton receives funding to trial tinnitus treatment device
1 Jul 2011
Irish start-up MuteButton has secured a €200,000 investment from Enterprise Ireland to accelerate large-scale clinical trials of its tinnitus treatment device.
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Free app detects spam and malware on Facebook profiles
1 Jul 2011
A free Facebook application developed by students at the University of California, Riverside detects spam and malware posted on users’ walls and news feeds.
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Report encourages EV owners to charge at home
30 Jun 2011
Electric vehicle owners are being encouraged to charge their cars at home and during work rather than at public street points as part of the government’s ‘vision for electric vehicle infrastructure’.
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iPhone app could assess severity of Parkinson's tremors
30 Jun 2011
An iPhone application may enable people with Parkinson’s disease and certain other neurological conditions to collect data on hand and arm tremors and relay the results to medical personnel.
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Balfour Beatty Construction US to acquire Howard S Wright
30 Jun 2011
Texas-based Balfour Beatty Construction US (BBC) has agreed to acquire Howard S Wright (HSW) for an estimated net cash consideration of $93m (£58m) for a zero net assets balance sheet.The earn-out is estimated to be $23m and is capped at $40m.
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Schlumberger acquires equity shares in Framo Engineering
30 Jun 2011
Oilfield services company Schlumberger has acquired the remaining equity shares from Frank Mohn in Framo Engineering — a privately owned Norwegian company that develops, manufactures and sells products and services relating to multiphase pumps, subsea pump systems, multiphase metering systems and marine systems to the oil and gas industry.The closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval.
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Body scanning technology helps style-conscious shoppers
30 Jun 2011
A 3D body scanning system will help shoppers find better-fitting clothes easily and quickly, as well as assess their overall fitness.
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Spanish island to be powered solely by renewable energy
30 Jun 2011
A Spanish island in the Atlantic Ocean is set to become the first island in the world to be powered solely by renewable energy.
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Material handling equipment to benefit from Cyclone engine
30 Jun 2011
Cyclone Power Technologies has signed a letter of intent with Combilift to develop and sell industrial material handling and lift equipment based on its Cyclone engines.
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LCIF invests in fuel-efficient automotive technologies
30 Jun 2011
The Low Carbon Innovation Fund has invested £400,000 in new automotive technologies designed to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
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Toyota to conduct voluntary recall on 82,000 vehicles
30 Jun 2011
Motor company Toyota is to conduct a voluntary safety recall involving approximately 45,500 Highlander Hybrid and 36,700 Lexus RX 400h vehicles sold in the US.
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NASA awards LMSSC Hubble Space Telescope contract
30 Jun 2011
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Corporation (LMSSC) has been awarded a follow-on contract from NASA for the Mission Operations, Systems Engineering and Software (MOSES-II) for the Hubble Space Telescope.
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'Super sand' could help purify water in developing countries
30 Jun 2011
A low-cost coating applied to sand could provide a means to purify water, saving millions of people’s lives in developing countries each year.
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White space shown to provide broadband to rural areas
30 Jun 2011
Engineers at Cambridge Consultants have designed a system to demonstrate that the unused spectrum between TV channels called white space can provide broadband services to rural areas.
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US Army awards Raytheon Excalibur Ib contract
29 Jun 2011
US defence contractor Raytheon has been awarded a $36m (£22.5m) contract by the US Army for the final phase of the Excalibur Ib development programme, which concludes with warfighter tests and will qualify Excalibur Ib for fielding.The Excalibur Ib is a long-range, precision-guided artillery projectile that features a non-spinning fixed base and requires fewer parts, as well as simpler manufacturing, than Excalibur Ia, resulting in better performance and a reduced cost.
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Saab to acquire air traffic management company Sensis
29 Jun 2011
Swedish aerospace and defence company Saab has signed an agreement to acquire US company Sensis, a provider of air traffic management (ATM) and surveillance technologies, for approximately $155m (£97m).The parties have agreed on a potential earn-out payment of maximum $40m by 2014.
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Wärtsilä establishes joint venture with Jiangsu CuiXing
29 Jun 2011
Finnish power systems provider Wärtsilä and Jiangsu CuiXing Marine Offshore Engineering have agreed to establish a joint venture for manufacturing Wärtsilä 26 and Wärtsilä 32 medium-speed marine engines in China.The value of Wärtsilä’s investment in the joint venture is €16m and its share 49 per cent.
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Singapore Airlines orders Trent 700 engines from Rolls-Royce
29 Jun 2011
Power systems provider Rolls-Royce has won a $1bn (£662m) order from Singapore Airlines to supply Trent 700 engines to power 15 Airbus A330 aircraft, along with TotalCare services support.The airline already operates 19 Trent 700-powered A330s, the first of which was delivered in 2009.
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Gordon Murray Design unveils ultra-compact electric city car
29 Jun 2011
Gordon Murray Design has today unveiled the T.27, the company’s latest ultra-compact city vehicle that is claimed to be the world’s most efficient electric car.
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Implant reduces risk of blood infection in dialysis patients
29 Jun 2011
Graduate students have invented a device to reduce the risk of the infection, clotting and narrowing of blood vessels in patients who need dialysis because of kidney failure.
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Inkjet method could lower cost of producing solar energy cells
29 Jun 2011
Engineers have discovered a way to create solar devices with inkjet printers — a move that could lower the cost of producing solar energy cells.
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Researchers gain funding for wind turbine drivetrain work
29 Jun 2011
Six projects have been selected to receive nearly $7.5m in funding to design and test novel wind turbine drivetrains.
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University initiative offers 'easy access' to IP portfolio
29 Jun 2011
A portfolio of innovations and intellectual property developed by Bristol University can now be accessed free of charge.
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Building the Big Society
29 Jun 2011
The trees in my garden always produce a lot of apples in the autumn — so many, in fact, that it’s difficult to know what to do with them all.
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Inside view
29 Jun 2011
A new initiative to show teachers, careers advisors and students what the engineering sector has to offer begins today, but the industry needs to keep public engagement at the top of its agenda across all its sectors
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ThyssenKrupp Elevator to supply lifts for Bulgarian metro
29 Jun 2011
ThyssenKrupp Elevator has won its second contract in connection with Bulgaria’s biggest current infrastructure project, for which, this time, it will manufacture and install a further 19 lifts and 31 escalators for the expansion of Sofia’s metro system.
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SSE sells interest in Braes of Doune onshore wind farm
29 Jun 2011
Perth-based Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has agreed to sell its 50 per cent interest of 36MW in the Braes of Doune onshore wind farm to a fund managed by Climate Change Capital, for a total cash consideration of £61.3m excluding working capital.
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Repsol Nuevas Energias acquires SERL from SeaEnergy
29 Jun 2011
Offshore wind development company SeaEnergy has completed the disposal of its entire interest in SeaEnergy Renewables Limited (SERL) to Spain’s Repsol Nuevas Energias.
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New imaging method helps scientists understand cells
29 Jun 2011
Researchers at Gothenburg University in Sweden have further developed a new method for imaging individual cells.
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Elster adds chromatography assets from SLS
28 Jun 2011
Elster, a provider of measurement and control for electricity, gas and water, has acquired the gas chromatography assets, including proprietary intellectual property, from SLS Micro Technology (SLS), a private company based in Hamburg, Germany.
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Holographic radar may allow for wind turbines near airport
28 Jun 2011
Holographic technology at an airport in Scotland could enable development of wind turbines nearby that would otherwise interfere with radar systems.
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Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems wins Oman contract
28 Jun 2011
Security company Northrop Grumman’s Europe-based air-traffic management subsidiary, Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems, is providing Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems (A-SMGCS) for Muscat International and Salalah International airports in the Sultanate of Oman.
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UK government looks to fund new marine power technology
28 Jun 2011
Up to £20m of government money will go to funding new marine power technology, the climate change minister announced today.
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Technip wins EPCI contract for East Rochelle development
27 Jun 2011
Electricity infrastructure company Endeavour Energy UK has awarded Technip an EPCI lump-sum contract, worth around €70m (£62.2m), for the East Rochelle development in the North Sea.
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Solar cell could turn building materials into generators
27 Jun 2011
A new kind of solar cell could turn building materials into generators that produce electricity at much higher efficiencies than existing technology.
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Join the debate on The Engineer’s new forum site
27 Jun 2011
Swap ideas, seek technical advice, or discuss the big industrial issues of the day on our new forum site
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Medical manufacturing, motoring and driving quickly up a hill backwards
27 Jun 2011
The UK’s burgeoning medical manufacturing industry and its resurgent automotive sector both feature prominently in an event-packed week ahead
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Solar-powered business park now connected to National Grid
27 Jun 2011
The UK’s first solar-powered business park has been connected to the National Grid.
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Tennis engineering
27 Jun 2011
In his first guest blog for The Engineer, Prof Steve Haake explains how engineering has been brought to bear on tennis to showcase the players’ range of skills and abilities.
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Ultrasound techniques allow astronauts to become doctors
27 Jun 2011
Researchers in the US have developed tools that expand the use of ultrasound during spaceflight and in remote locations on Earth.
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Polymer-based device could improve washing machines
24 Jun 2011
A new polymer-based drum support unit for washing machines is claimed to offer an alternative to aluminium or cast-iron solutions, bringing cost and energy savings to washing-machine manufacturers.
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New collective aims to spur on development of UK smart grid
24 Jun 2011
A new cross-industry body for promoting a UK smart energy grid aims to accelerate the development and delivery of the technology.
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New Breed opens Bombardier CSeries support facility
24 Jun 2011
Third-party logistics company New Breed is opening a manufacturing support facility in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to support assembly of the advanced composite wings for Bombardier’s new CSeries aircraft.
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Plant Barry gains 'world's largest' carbon capture facility
24 Jun 2011
Atlanta-based Southern Company announced this month that carbon dioxide is now being captured from Alabama Power’s coal-fired Plant Barry power plant.
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3M collects TechAmerica award for cut and grind material
24 Jun 2011
Engineers at 3M have picked up the TechAmerica Foundation’s American Technology Award in the manufacturing category for the development of the company’s Cubitron II cutting and grinding material.
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Rise of the cyber attacks
24 Jun 2011
It seems with each passing week another cyber scalp is claimed by hacktivist groups – but to what extend are engineering firms vulnerable and what should they be doing to protect themselves.
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Birmingham hospital to receive two radiotherapy machines
24 Jun 2011
Shropshire-based Oncology Systems is to install two TomoHD radiotherapy treatment machines at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, using funds raised by a capital appeal by the hospital’s official charity and provided by the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
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Industry bodies welcome government's energy plans
24 Jun 2011
Industry bodies have welcomed the government’s roadmap for future energy infrastructure, which includes plans for eight new nuclear power plants.
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New alloy turns waste heat into electricity, say US engineers
24 Jun 2011
Researchers in the US have demonstrated that a new alloy can be used to convert heat directly into electricity.
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Rogers gains exclusive rights to Himag's planar transformers
23 Jun 2011
Speciality materials manufacturer Rogers has entered into a strategic alliance with Himag Solutions, a UK-based technology company that provides custom planar magnetic products.
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Airbus 'sets new world record' by selling 730 aircraft in Paris
23 Jun 2011
Airbus claims to have set a new world record by winning around $72.2bn worth of business selling 730 aircraft at the Paris Air Show this week.
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US Army awards BAE Systems Iraqi fielding vehicles contract
23 Jun 2011
UK-based defence and security company BAE Systems has been awarded a $14.2m (£8.8m) contract to provide field service representatives to support the transition activities of 1,026 refurbished M113A2s and 21 refurbished M88A1s to the Iraqi Army.
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Upfront costs mean tidal power scheme unlikely to go ahead
23 Jun 2011
A tidal power scheme in the Mersey Estuary could deliver enough electricity to meet the average needs of more than 200,000 homes, but the high construction costs mean that it is unlikely to go ahead.
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American Airlines is first to test Boeing's ecoDemonstrator
23 Jun 2011
Boeing and American Airlines have teamed up to demonstrate technology for reducing aviation fuel consumption, carbon emissions and noise.
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Creators of cost-saving radio tagging system pick up award
23 Jun 2011
A radio-tagging system that could save airlines and retailers millions of pounds has won its Cambridge University creators a leading engineering award.
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New synthetic surgical sealant reduces the risk of infection
23 Jun 2011
Researchers in Australia have developed a new surgical sealant that is easier for surgeons to manipulate and reduces the risk of infection.
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Composite Technology supplies ACCC Oslo conductor to SHETL
23 Jun 2011
Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission (SHETL) has installed ACCC Oslo conductor from Composite Technology for a new line between St Fergus and Peterhead in the northeast of Scotland.
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Split-cycle combustion system could reduce vehicle emissions
23 Jun 2011
UK engineering company Ricardo is researching a split-cycle combustion system aimed at reducing the carbon emissions of heavy-duty vehicles.
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Dialog Devices wins prize for its blocked arteries detector
22 Jun 2011
The company behind a device for detecting blocked arteries has won an NHS competition to find new ways to combat long-term medical conditions.
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Boeing receives 737-800s order from Malaysia Airlines
22 Jun 2011
Kuala Lumpur-based Malaysia Airlines has exercised an option to purchase 10 additional Next-Generation 737-800s from Boeing, in an order valued at more than $800m (£493.3m) at current list prices.
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UK network operators can now trade rights to radio spectrum
22 Jun 2011
The UK’s mobile network capacity could increase following Ofcom’s decision this week to allow operators to trade their rights to the radio spectrum.
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ESA and EDA to co-ordinate space and defence activities
22 Jun 2011
Europe’s space and defence agencies have signed a deal to work more closely together.
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Koso Kent Introl opens third valve factory in Brighouse
22 Jun 2011
Yorkshire-based valve manufacturer Koso Kent Introl (KKI), is making a seven-figure investment in its business to increase manufacturing capacity, improve process efficiencies and maintain quality.
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Aerojet, QinetiQ and EADS enter ion-thruster joint venture
22 Jun 2011
Aerojet, an aerospace and defence-focused GenCorp company, along with QinetiQ and EADS Astrium Crisa, have entered into a joint agreement to supply the XENITH (Xenon Ion Thruster) ion propulsion system to the worldwide commercial spacecraft market.
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Elbit Systems wins missile countermeasures contract
22 Jun 2011
Defence electronics manufacturer Elbit Systems has won a contract valued in excess of $15m (£9.2m) by Elettronica to participate in a programme to supply the ELT/572 DIRCM (directed infrared countermeasures) system for installation on various platforms of the Italian Air Force, including the C130J, C27J and AW101.
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AxleTech to provide axles for armoured security vehicles
22 Jun 2011
AxleTech International, a General Dynamics company, was recently awarded a contract from Textron Marine and Land Systems to produce independent suspension axle systems for the Medium Armoured Security Vehicle (MASV) programme.
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Cervical cancer device wins One to Watch award
22 Jun 2011
A new device for diagnosing cervical cancer has won its creator a One to Watch award from Enterprise Ireland.
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GECAS orders 747-8 freighters and 777-300ERs from Boeing
21 Jun 2011
Aerospace and defence company Boeing announced at the Paris Air Show that GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of General Electric (GE), will purchase two 747-8 freighters and eight 777-300ERs (extended range).
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EADS biofuel airliner could fly four times speed of sound
21 Jun 2011
EADS has unveiled plans for a biofuel-powered commercial airliner that the company claims could travel at over four times the speed of sound.
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Brazil's TAM Airlines orders Trent engines from Rolls-Royce
21 Jun 2011
Power systems provider Rolls-Royce has concluded a contract worth up to $2.2bn (£1.4bn) with TAM Airlines of Brazil, to provide Trent XWB engines for 27 Airbus A350-XWB aircraft.
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GE wins wind turbines contract for Mumbida Wind Farm
21 Jun 2011
A consortium including US conglomerate General Electric (GE) and Australian company Leighton Contractors has received a contract, worth $130m (£80.4m), to supply and install 22 GE 2.5-100 wind turbines for the Mumbida Wind Farm, located 40km south east of Geraldton, Western Australia.
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Raytheon to supply MSSR systems to Romanian airports
21 Jun 2011
Defence contractor Raytheon UK has been selected to supply Mode S Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR) systems to the Romanian Air Traffic Services Administration, ROMATSA.
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UK and Ireland team up to tap renewable energy resources
21 Jun 2011
Electricity demand from the UK could boost Ireland’s renewable energy industry following a government deal between the two countries.
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Prime time manufacturing
21 Jun 2011
Following Alan Sugar’s now-infamous dig at engineers, the BBC was back on more industry-friendly ground this week with the first episode of “Made In Britain”, a documentary which attempted to debunk the notion that British manufacturing is dead.
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CBI survey reports healthy order books for manufacturers
21 Jun 2011
UK manufacturers continue to report healthy order books but expect slightly slower growth in the coming quarter, according to the CBI.
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Closet uses solar heat collector to dry clothes without electricity
21 Jun 2011
Engineering students in the US are to develop a new clothes-drying system that uses solar energy and warm air from houses.
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Part-biofuel Boeing freighter arrives at the Paris Air Show
21 Jun 2011
Boeing has completed what it said was the first transatlantic flight by a commercial aircraft powered partly by biofuel.
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Technology could predict yield of cereal plants in Australia
21 Jun 2011
Australian computer scientists plan to develop technology that can accurately estimate the yield of cereal plants.
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Facility to test offshore wind condition monitoring systems
21 Jun 2011
A new centre for the development and testing of offshore wind condition monitoring technologies will open at Strathclyde University in Scotland later this year.
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Polymer protein templates pave way for new drugs study
21 Jun 2011
Scientists hoping to discover new drugs have found a way to study proteins from the body using polymer templates of the molecules.
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Rolls-Royce to develop higher-thrust Trent XWB engine
20 Jun 2011
Rolls-Royce is to redevelop the engines for the largest of Airbus’s new composite-based airliners, which aim to slash fuel use and CO2 emissions.
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Space-delivery truck set to test 'black box' flight recorder
20 Jun 2011
Europe’s space-delivery truck will test out a prototype ‘black-box’-style flight recorder when it burns up re-entering the atmosphere tomorrow.
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Inventors say implant could 'revolutionise' knee surgery
20 Jun 2011
A new medical screw implant could ‘revolutionise’ major knee surgery, according to its inventors at Aberdeen University.
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Could you be a winner?
20 Jun 2011
Are you involved in a groundbreaking technology-led project? If so, you could be joining the winners at the Engineer’s Technology and Innovation awards 2011
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Hydrogen-powered unmanned aircraft completes set of tests
20 Jun 2011
Boeing’s Phantom Eye, a hydrogen-powered high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aircraft, has completed a set of ground vibration and structural tests.
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Daewoo awards Aker Solutions drilling equipment contract
17 Jun 2011
Norwegian construction company Aker Solutions has won a contract, worth about NOK540m (£60.2m), from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Equipment, to supply a complete drilling equipment package for a new deep-water drill ship.The drill ship will be owned and operated by Tungsten Explorer Company, a subsidiary of offshore drilling company Vantage.
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Brain implant could be used in reactivating paralysed limbs
17 Jun 2011
A brain implant developed in the US may one day be used to reactivate paralysed limbs.
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Balfour Beatty acquires Fru-Con Construction
17 Jun 2011
The US Construction Services division of UK-based engineering company Balfour Beatty has acquired Fru-Con Construction, a water and wastewater infrastructure contractor, for a net cash consideration of $20m (£12.4m).
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Landing craft set to deliver exploration robot to the Moon
17 Jun 2011
Private-sector space exploration is a step closer following completion of the structural assembly of a landing craft that will deliver a rover robot to the Moon.
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Self-healing sensor measures strain in structural materials
17 Jun 2011
A sensor has been designed that can measure strain in structural materials and is capable of healing itself.
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Tool assesses sustainability of biofuel production
17 Jun 2011
An online tool to assess the sustainability of biofuel production has been developed by researchers in Switzerland and Germany.
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Boeing report predicts $4 trillion market for new aircraft
17 Jun 2011
The market for new aircraft is expected to be worth around $4 trillion over the next 20 years, according to Boeing’s 2011 Current Market Outlook.
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A day in the museum
17 Jun 2011
National Instruments’ Aerospace and Defence Forum at the Royal Air Force Museum in London provided a valuable insight into the lifecycle issues involved in developing sophisticated test systems.
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Rolls-Royce receives orders for drilling-ship thrusters
17 Jun 2011
Power systems provider Rolls-Royce has announced orders worth more than £100m to supply propulsion systems for offshore construction and drilling vessels.
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Cebu Pacific purchases 30 A321neo aircraft from Airbus
17 Jun 2011
Philippines-based airline Cebu Pacific has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for the purchase of 30 A321neo aircraft.The carrier has also exercised existing options for seven more standard A320s, increasing to 41 its total firm orders for the Airbus single-aisle product line.
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Renault selects British Gas to provide vehicle charging points
17 Jun 2011
French automotive company Renault has selected British Gas to be its preferred supplier of vehicle charging points for its new range of 100 per cent electric cars and vans in the UK.The deal builds on British Gas’s agreement with Renault’s Alliance partner, Nissan, to be the preferred supplier of charge points to its electric car in the UK.
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Atkins announces substantial rise in regional profits
17 Jun 2011
UK engineering and design consultancy Atkins has announced financial results for the year ended 31 March 2011, in which dividend increased by 5.5 per cent.
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Boeing jetliner crosses Atlantic with biofuel and kerosene
17 Jun 2011
Boeing is to make the world’s first transatlantic crossing with a commercial jetliner fuelled with a blend of biofuel and kerosene.
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Lord Sugar. You're fired
16 Jun 2011
Alan Sugar’s claim on TV show The Apprentice that engineers aren’t cut out for business has, rightly, provoked a storm of outrage from the UK’s technology community
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Report calls for clear supply chain for offshore wind
16 Jun 2011
Experts have called for the UK to establish a clear supply chain for the offshore wind industry, which is expected to see a 10-fold increase in capacity by 2020.
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Rolls-Royce to design offshore vessels for Brasil Supply
16 Jun 2011
Rolls-Royce has won a £15m order to design and equip two offshore service vessels for ship owner Brasil Supply.
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Arkema and CFI to develop fluorspar mine in Canada
16 Jun 2011
Arkema and Canada Fluorspar Incorporated (CFI) have signed a memorandum of understanding that will enable both groups to develop a fluorspar mine in St Lawrence, Canada.
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Altor Fund III set to acquire Orchid Orthopedic Solutions
16 Jun 2011
Altor Fund III is to acquire Orchid Orthopedic Solutions, a supplier of design and manufacturing services of implants and instruments for the orthopedic and dental markets.
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Pavegen floor tiles recognised at Ethical Business Awards
16 Jun 2011
A flooring system developed by a graduate from Loughborough University’s design school has received a top award at the UK’s leading ethical business awards.
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Researchers to develop pipe material to improve water flow
16 Jun 2011
Researchers are planning to develop a material that could be coated onto pipes to enable water to flow more efficiently through them.
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Diabetes software available free to UK practitioners
16 Jun 2011
A new software tool designed to help clinicians prescribe appropriate treatment for Type 2 diabetes in adults is now available free to UK healthcare professionals.
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Sellafield reactor reaches end of decommissioning project
16 Jun 2011
The iconic Sellafield nuclear power reactor has finally reached the end of its 20-year decommissioning programme.
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Bombardier to upgrade the signalling on four Tube lines
16 Jun 2011
London Underground has awarded Bombardier Transportation a contract valued at approximately £354m to upgrade the signalling on four lines.
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Wind farm set to be built off Barrow-in-Furness coastline
16 Jun 2011
Approval has been given for a 389MW wind farm to be built off the coast of Barrow-in-Furness at a cost of up to £1.6bn.
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Report lists UK universities' triumphs in medical research
16 Jun 2011
The wealth of research taking place in universities across the UK has been revealed today in a new report.
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Cartridge to reduce pain of dental injections wins award
16 Jun 2011
An invention that promises to reduce the pain of dental injections has won a national innovation award for its Newcastle University creators.
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Made in China
16 Jun 2011
The design engineering team at the multinational conglomerate was justifiably proud of its new electronic subsystem. Having taken it from a concept through an exhausting prototyping and testing phase, the new product was now ready to start rolling off the production line in volume at its Eastern European manufacturing facility.
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Marine turbine manufacturer plans recruitment drive
16 Jun 2011
OpenHydro, the Irish designer and manufacturer of marine turbines, plans to recruit a number of additional positions over the next 12–18 months.
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Robot inspects structural damage in nuclear reactors
16 Jun 2011
The Welding Institute has designed a prototype inspection robot to detect structural damage in ageing nuclear reactors.
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New wireless broadband targets hard-to-reach places
16 Jun 2011
BT engineers have been trialling a new wireless broadband technology on the Isle of Bute.
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Sensata Technologies acquires Sensor-NITE from Elex Group
16 Jun 2011
Sensata Technologies has reached an agreement to acquire Sensor-NITE from the Elex Group for approximately $325m (£199m).
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Airbus unveils radical vision of future aircraft design
15 Jun 2011
In advance of the Paris Air Show, aircraft manufacturer Airbus has unveiled a vision of what the company feels its aircraft might look like in 2050.
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Boeing increases production rate for Next-Generation 737
15 Jun 2011
Boeing is to increase the production rate for its Next-Generation 737 to 42 aircraft per month.
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Palm kernel oil could be used to insulate transformers
15 Jun 2011
Specially adapted palm kernel oil could be used to insulate electrical transformers, thereby proving a more environmentally sound alternative to current silicone-based oils.
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Improved water supply system could also produce electricity
15 Jun 2011
Experts from Bangor University and Trinity College Dublin are to investigate ways of making water supply infrastructure more energy efficient.
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Tool predicts player behaviour in online role-playing games
15 Jun 2011
Researchers have developed a new method that can accurately predict the behaviour of players in online role-playing games.
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Jamming transmitter protects medical implants from hackers
15 Jun 2011
A system to prevent devices such as pacemakers from unauthorised attacks has been developed in the US.
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New Patents County Court law set to benefit SMEs
15 Jun 2011
A new law comes into force this week that will give SMEs easier access to justice to protect their patent and design rights.
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Škoda Power wins contract to modernise turbo generators
15 Jun 2011
Škoda Power, part of Doosan Power Systems, has been awarded a contract for the major modernisation of turbo generators in the Salmisaari B power plant in Helsinki, Finland.
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Iraq-based SRC awards GSA refinery upgrade contract
15 Jun 2011
Grimley Smith Associates (GSA) Consultant Process Engineers in North Lincolnshire has won a contract to engineer, procure and construct site utilities at an existing refinery in Basra, Southern Iraq, over a two-year period.The South Refineries Company (SRC) of Iraq, part of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, awarded GSA the circa $50m (£30.5m) contract with an operable Letter of Credit in May 2011.
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Endress+Hauser opens new temperature production facility
15 Jun 2011
Swiss instrumentation and process automation company Endress+Hauser has officially opened a new temperature production facility in Greenwood, Indiana.
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Smaller energy suppliers to benefit from cut in red tape
15 Jun 2011
From next year, smaller energy suppliers will not have to take part in either the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target scheme or the Community Energy Saving Programme.
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Artificial pancreas could help manage Type 1 diabetes
15 Jun 2011
Engineers have created an artificial pancreas that will automatically monitor blood-sugar levels and administer insulin to patients with Type 1 diabetes.
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Centre set to help companies adopt lean approaches
15 Jun 2011
A new research centre has been established at Nottingham Trent University that will focus on improving efficiency in the design and construction sectors.
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Dental device identifies early-stage plaque and tiny cavities
15 Jun 2011
A team of scientists from Liverpool University has helped to develop a device that can identify early tooth decay and plaque before it is visible to the human eye.
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Nokia and Apple agreement settles patent dispute
15 Jun 2011
Nokia has signed a patent license agreement with Apple that settles all patent litigation between the companies.
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Communication software could enhance rescue operations
15 Jun 2011
Kingston University researchers have developed a software application to ensure that breakdowns in communication are a thing of the past for emergency workers responding to disasters.
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Spin-out receives investment for carbon-capture technology
15 Jun 2011
A Leeds University spin-out company that aims to reduce the UK’s carbon-dioxide emissions has received seed capital totalling £160,500.
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Student designs sunglasses with a built-in UV indicator
15 Jun 2011
Brunel University design student Bradley Wherry has created a pair of sunglasses with a built-in UV indicator, as part of a sun-awareness campaign.
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Study considers impact of bioenergy crops on emissions
15 Jun 2011
A seven-member consortium led by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology is to study the impact of bioenergy crop land-use changes on greenhouse-gas emissions.
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Group fabricates quantum dot laser on silicon substrate
15 Jun 2011
Engineers at UCL have succeeded in fabricating a quantum dot laser directly on a silicon substrate.
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Grimley Smith Associates to design TTC research facility
14 Jun 2011
Engineering consultancy Grimley Smith Associates (GSA), based in North Lincolnshire, has won a contract with the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) and Tata Steel to design and construct a new national research facility at Tata Steel’s Teesside Technology Centre (TTC) in Middlesbrough.
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New imaging method maps the brain's electrical conductivity
14 Jun 2011
Researchers have demonstrated a new brain scanner that can produce ‘3D movies of the brain’ at 100 frames per second.
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System could help cricketers cope better with fast bowlers
14 Jun 2011
Researchers at Brighton University are developing a system to help cricket batsmen cope better with fast bowlers.
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RSM Tenon helps sell Applied Cooling Technology to STT
14 Jun 2011
Applied Cooling Technology (ACT), along with its subsidiary Britannia Heatex, has been bought out by Buckinghamshire-based Sterling Thermal Technologies (STT), which specialises in combustion and heat-transfer technology.
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Report urges fast action on 'short-lived climate forcers'
14 Jun 2011
Taking fast action on pollutants such as black carbon, ground-level ozone and methane may help limit near-term global temperature rise.
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Fund could aid competitiveness of electronic design in Scotland
14 Jun 2011
Engineers at Glasgow and Edinburgh universities have secured £470,000 in funding for a project to improve the competitiveness of the Scottish electronic-design industry.
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Saipem wins offshore contracts in Russia, Egypt and North Sea
14 Jun 2011
Italian oil and gas industry contractor Saipem has been awarded new E&C Offshore contracts in Russia, Egypt and the North Sea, worth in excess of $1bn (£614m).
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ACAL secures investments of £6.1m in fundraising round
14 Jun 2011
The developer of platinum-free cathode technology for fuel cells has secured investments totalling £6.1m following its latest round of fundraising.
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Stena to deploy 40 GE wind turbines in southern Sweden
14 Jun 2011
Stena Renewable Wind Energy has signed a contract to deploy 40 GE 2.5-100 wind turbines for installation at wind farms in southern Sweden.
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Westinghouse and Bulgarian Energy sign nuclear agreement
14 Jun 2011
Westinghouse and Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD have signed an agreement to discuss co-operation on a range of nuclear energy projects.
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Electrolytic method could fulfil carbon nanotube potential
14 Jun 2011
A new method for producing carbon nanotubes quickly and cheaply could finally help deliver on the commercial promises of the material.
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Sellafield awards BBNS silo doors project
14 Jun 2011
Bechtel Babcock Nuclear Solutions (BBNS), a joint venture between engineering services companies Babcock and Bechtel, has been awarded the contract for the Pile Fuel Cladding Silo Retrieval Project, Silo Doors & Retrieval Modules (SDRM) by Sellafield, the company responsible for safely delivering decommissioning, reprocessing, nuclear waste management and fuel manufacturing activities on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
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Rolls-Royce opens Marine Service Centre in Poland
14 Jun 2011
Power systems provider Rolls-Royce has opened a new Marine Service Centre in the Port of Gdynia, Poland.
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Siemens creates new Energy Service division for the UK
14 Jun 2011
German engineering company Siemens has created a newly integrated Energy Service division for the UK, which brings together the businesses responsible for servicing conventional power plants and wind farms.The new division, Siemens Energy Service UK and Ireland, based in Newcastle, is intended to provide for customers’ long-term service and maintenance needs.
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CPV Sentinel power plant to be built in California
14 Jun 2011
Competitive Power Ventures, GE Energy Financial Services and Diamond Generating Corporation (DGC), co-owners of the planned $900m (£553m) CPV Sentinel power plant, have closed the largest project financing in the US thermal power industry this year, for the facility to be built in Riverside County, California.
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NHS competition honours sleep apnoea and diabetic solutions
14 Jun 2011
A service to test for sleep apnoea and a device to check for blocked leg arteries in diabetic patients are among the winners of an NHS competition.
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MIT study calls for international increase in shale gas research
13 Jun 2011
Research into tapping shale gas should be substantially increased because of its potential role in cutting carbon dioxide emissions, a new report says.
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Ultrasonic scalpel could boost success rate of eye operations
13 Jun 2011
A student at Brunel University is developing a dynamic, ultrasonic scalpel that will help opthalmic surgeons to improve the accuracy and success rate of complex procedures.
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X-ray imaging specialist Dexela sold to PerkinElmer
13 Jun 2011
Albion Ventures and the London Technology Fund have sold London-based X-ray imaging specialist Dexela to US Healthcare company PerkinElmer.
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TSB funds study into disruptive low-carbon vehicle technology
13 Jun 2011
Fourteen UK companies have received funding to carry out studies into the development of disruptive low-carbon vehicle technology.
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Banishing manufacturing stereotypes
13 Jun 2011
Assessing the impact of innovation, doing business with India and banishing outdated stereotypes of modern manufacturing form the backbone of this week’s Briefing.
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Imaging technology could improve disease diagnosis
13 Jun 2011
The diagnosis of cardiovascular disease or diabetes could be improved with a new imaging technique developed in the US.
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F1 technology to help improve nuclear pump monitoring
13 Jun 2011
Technology originally developed for Formula 1 motor racing is to be employed in improving the operational monitoring of nuclear pumping equipment.
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Project simulates human brain to enhance computer power
10 Jun 2011
A new project to simulate the human brain could make computers more powerful and less energy-hungry, researchers claim.
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Proton beam therapy could embrace more patients
10 Jun 2011
Proton beam therapy could be made available to a wider group of patients with the help of research focused on accelerating ions with high-powered lasers.
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Research explores conductive nanocoatings on textiles
10 Jun 2011
A procedure to quantify the electrical conductivity of conductive coatings on textiles has been developed in the US.
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A compelling glimpse of a complex future
10 Jun 2011
Often vague, sometimes noncommittal and frequently contradictory, auto industry crystal-ball gazing isn’t always particularly helpful. But this week in Germany Bosch Automotive set out a technology roadmap that was both comprehensive, compelling and complex.
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Supreme Court rules against Microsoft in patent lawsuit
10 Jun 2011
The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled unanimously in favour of i4i in the long-running i4i versus Microsoft patent infringement lawsuit.
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Facility will help businesses to harness 3D printing technique
10 Jun 2011
Exeter University has taken delivery of a machine that will place its Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing at the forefront of 3D printing.
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Sales boost for UK civil and defence aerospace markets
9 Jun 2011
Sales in the UK’s civil and defence aerospace markets were up 2.1 per cent to £23.1bn in 2010, according to a report released today.
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Lung-imaging system wins medical innovation award
9 Jun 2011
A medical-imaging technology that enables earlier diagnoses of lung diseases has won a major medical innovation award.
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Wood-digesting enzyme could boost biofuel production
9 Jun 2011
A wood-digesting enzyme found in bacteria could boost biofuel production without competing with food production.
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'Green' power installations will see changes in FIT subsidies
9 Jun 2011
From August of this year, solar-power installations will see a marked reduction in feed-in-tariff subsidies, while energy-from-waste plants that use anaerobic digestion will see a small increase.
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Vattenfall sells Helsingør CHP plant to Forsyning Helsingør
9 Jun 2011
Swedish power company Vattenfall has agreed to the sale of Helsingør Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant, Denmark, to Danish utilities company Forsyning Helsingør.
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Modelling technique assesses the impact of dam collapse
9 Jun 2011
Chinese and Australian scientists have developed modelling techniques to help understand the full impact of flooding that occurs when dams collapse.
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Report stresses importance of vehicles' whole-life emissions
9 Jun 2011
A study has confirmed that electric and hybrid cars have a lower overall carbon footprint than standard vehicles but create more emissions during their production.
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Levelling the playing field
9 Jun 2011
The young student truly believed that the more qualifications he obtained, the more successful he would be in life.
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Costain-Hochtief JV selected to rebuild Reading station
9 Jun 2011
A joint venture between engineering group Costain and German construction company Hochtief has been named preferred contractor for Network Rail’s rebuild of Reading station.
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Metso to supply automation for Dalkia biomass power plants
9 Jun 2011
Metso, a Finnish supplier of process-industry machinery, will supply automation and environmental technology to control five biomass power plants to be built by Dalkia in France.The investments are part of France’s national green energy programme aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions and curbing climate change.
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BMW to invest an extra £500m in its UK production network
9 Jun 2011
More than 5,000 manufacturing jobs are to be safeguarded following an announcement today from BMW that it will invest an extra £500m in its UK production network.
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Professor deploys magnetic fields to thin human blood
9 Jun 2011
A professor of physics who pioneered the use of magnetic fields to decrease the viscosity of oil in pipelines is now deploying them to thin blood in the human circulation system.
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Aston Martin to move Rapide production to its Gaydon HQ
8 Jun 2011
Aston Martin is to move production of its four-door Rapide model to the company’s Gaydon headquarters in Warwickshire in the second half of 2012.
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USB device provides access to potentially life-saving data
8 Jun 2011
A working prototype of a credit-card-style device that can store personal medical data has been developed by researchers at City University London and Coventry University.
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Keppel Singmarine awards Wärtsilä DSCV contract
8 Jun 2011
Finnish power sources company Wärtsilä has been awarded the contract to supply an integrated solution for power generation, power distribution and propulsion for a new Diving Support & Construction Vessel (DSCV) currently under construction in Singapore.
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Nissan's next Qashqai car to be manufactured in the UK
8 Jun 2011
Nissan has revealed that the next version of the company’s Qashqai will be designed, engineered and built in the UK, safeguarding 6,000 jobs.
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Siemens seeks staff for its new renewable energy facility
8 Jun 2011
Siemens is to recruit 340 individuals to support its efforts designing and building transmission systems to connect the UK’s power networks to new energy sources.
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BinCam project encourages students to recycle
8 Jun 2011
Computer scientists at Newcastle University have come up with a novel system to encourage students to recycle, using a camera phone and Facebook.
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New test assesses effects of polluted soil on human body
8 Jun 2011
Experts from Reading University have developed a new method of testing for pollution in soil that could enable more brownfield land to be used for housing development.
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Regrowing our economy is more than just a game
8 Jun 2011
Britain’s involvement in ground-breaking technology highlights the need to be more positive about our economic recovery.
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Hybrid technology could break into heavy-duty machines
8 Jun 2011
Hybrid technology could start to find its way into a range of heavy-duty machines after a test of the technology almost halved fuel consumption and cut carbon emissions.
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Programme looks forward to automated factories in space
8 Jun 2011
Future space equipment could one day be built in off-planet automated factories, following a new programme by UK firm Magna Parva.
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Emcor announces positive financial results for 2010
7 Jun 2011
The UK branch of construction contractor Emcor, which provides facilities management and engineering services to a range of private and public-sector organisations, has announced increased profitability from its operations and a substantial improvement in its balance sheet position for the year ended 31 December 2010.
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Statoil to supply natural gas to SSE's Peterhead power station
7 Jun 2011
Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) and Statoil have entered into a 10-year contract for the annual supply of 500 million cubic metres of natural gas, to be delivered to SSE’s Peterhead power station via the St Fergus gas terminal.
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Hyundai awards ABB contract for power plant in Bangladesh
7 Jun 2011
Swiss-Swedish power and automation company ABB has won an order from the Hyundai engineering and construction company to supply a turnkey electrical balance of plant solution, including a 132kV substation that will support a 360MW power plant in Bangladesh.
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International Power transfers TNP assets to Glow Energy
7 Jun 2011
International Power has commenced a process to transfer its Thai National Power (TNP) assets to Glow Energy, a Thai energy and utilities company.
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RSC president warns UK not to shut down nuclear industry
7 Jun 2011
The president of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has warned the UK government not to follow Germany and shut down its entire nuclear industry.
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Researcher develops wearable ultrasound device for horses
7 Jun 2011
A Cornell medical ultrasound researcher has developed what is claimed to be the first wearable, therapeutic ultrasound device for the equine market.
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Start-up company creates true 3D hologram of proteins
7 Jun 2011
A start-up company has created a true 3D hologram of a protein structure that biomedical researchers can view from multiple angles to peel away certain domains.
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Students, lecturers give views on future of UK engineering
7 Jun 2011
A new report based on a major survey commissioned by GE of nearly 1,000 engineering students and lecturers details their views about the current state of the engineering technology sector.
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Researchers develop a 'greener' type of cat litter
7 Jun 2011
A new type of ’greener’ cat litter has been developed by researchers at Imperial College London in partnership with a leading supplier of pet products.
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Toyota to reduce emissions by installing large solar array
7 Jun 2011
Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK is to install a solar array at its plant in Derbyshire that will generate enough energy to build approximately 7,000 cars a year.
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Global Tech wins contract to install submarine array cables
7 Jun 2011
A consortium comprising Norddeutsche Seekabelwerke (NSW) and Global Marine Systems (GMSL) has awarded Global Tech a contract to deliver and install more than 100km of medium-voltage submarine array cables for the Global Tech I offshore wind farm.
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EIC wins second contract from Nuffield Health Hospital
7 Jun 2011
Building services provider EIC has won a £1m mechanical and electrical contract at Nuffield Health Hospital in Tunbridge Wells.
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Vattenfall plans to develop hydropower in France
7 Jun 2011
Swedish power company Vattenfall is prepared to invest up to €1bn in renewable energy in France when the country offers hydropower concessions later this year.As a further demonstration of its interest in the country, Vattenfall opened a new office in Paris at the beginning of June.
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SeaEnergy Renewables sold for £50m
7 Jun 2011
SeaEnergy is to sell its entire interest in SeaEnergy Renewables to Repsol Nuevas Energias in a deal worth approximately £50m.
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Highways Agency upgrades its traffic information service
7 Jun 2011
Thales UK and its joint venture partner Mouchel have today been awarded a £57m, seven-year contract by the Highways Agency (HA) to provide traffic information to millions of road users every day.
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Image Scan receives FlatScan orders from the Middle East
7 Jun 2011
Image Scan, which does real-time 3D and 2D X-ray imaging for the Homeland Security and Industrial Inspection markets, has announced recent new contracts totalling £405,000.
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British Kinect developers win RAE's highest innovation award
7 Jun 2011
British researchers who helped develop Microsoft’s motion-capture games controller, Kinect, have won the Royal Academy of Engineering’s highest innovation award.
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US military seeks collaborators to create next-generation UAVs
6 Jun 2011
The US military has issued an open call to engineers and innovators to collaborate in the creation of next-generation UAVs.
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Stem cell bandage treatment undergoes clinical trial
6 Jun 2011
A new type of stem cell bandage treatment could bring relief to people with knee injuries.
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Transformable smart materials move closer to realisation
6 Jun 2011
The promise of smart materials whose mechanical properties can be changed on demand is a step closer to realisation, following work by German and Chinese scientists.
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Survey points to underlying strength in UK manufacturing
6 Jun 2011
Manufacturing firms are driving overall economic growth in the UK with strong export orders leading to a sixth-successive quarter of growth for the sector.
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Rise to the challenges
6 Jun 2011
Inventors are urged to read on as Briefing outlines two calls for ideas that could see entrants’ innovations save lives or appear on national TV.
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Brain implants could be used to treat epileptic patients
6 Jun 2011
Brain implants that detect neurological symptoms and automatically release drugs to treat them could one day be used to treat patients suffering from epileptic seizures.
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Experiments demonstrate the efficacy of dazzle camouflage
3 Jun 2011
Military vehicles painted with high-contrast geometric patterns can perturb enemy combatants’ perception of the vehicle’s speed and therefore the accuracy of any attack.
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St Andrew's University plans to build wind farm at Kenly
3 Jun 2011
St Andrew’s University is aiming to generate all of its energy with a planned 12MW off-site wind farm comprising six medium-sized turbines.
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Bombardier announces results for first quarter of 2011
3 Jun 2011
Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier has released its financial results for the first quarter ended 30 April 2011, in which revenues reached $4.7bn (£2.9m) — a nine per cent increase, compared with $4.3bn last fiscal year.
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Royal Thai Navy awards Saab frigate upgrade contract
3 Jun 2011
Defence and security company Saab has received two orders from the Royal Thai Navy for the upgrading of combat management and fire control systems on two frigates of the Naresuan class.
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Wärtsilä and VPS combine their fuel-cell technologies
3 Jun 2011
Finnish power sources provider Wärtsilä and Versa Power Systems (VPS), a developer of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), have announced a co-operative agreement to develop and integrate Versa Power’s SOFC technology into Wärtsilä products.
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Turn over a new leaf for using CO2
3 Jun 2011
Should industry focus on using carbon dioxide instead of finding ways to reduce and store it?
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DigiScope could improve diagnosis of heart conditions
3 Jun 2011
GPs are testing a new digital stethoscope that analyses the various sounds from the heart to create a digital output.
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Qinetiq to provide protection for Cairn India pipeline
3 Jun 2011
Qinetiq’s OptaSense technology has been chosen as the security system for the 670km Mangala Development Pipeline (MDP) in India following successful field trials last year.
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Electricity North West opens grid to independent providers
2 Jun 2011
Blackpool is trialling a new approach to electricity connections by offering customers more choice when connecting to the local network.
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NASA spacecraft to collect samples from asteroid
2 Jun 2011
In 2016, NASA plans to launch a spacecraft to an asteroid, pluck samples from it using a robotic arm and then return the samples to Earth.
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Cisco invests in developing Egypt's economy
2 Jun 2011
US electronics company Cisco has announced that it will invest $10m (£6.1m) in developing a sustainable model of job-creation and economic development in Egypt, which will be targeted at small businesses that provide innovative products and services.Cisco also intends to engage in a multi-stakeholder collaboration to encourage further investment into the Egyptian economy from local, regional and global organisations.
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Report names Glasgow and Bristol economic 'super-cities'
2 Jun 2011
A new report produced by HSBC claims that Glasgow and Bristol will play an increasingly prominent role on the national and international economic stage, thanks to their strengths in key growth industries.
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Newcastle geothermal energy project nears final phase
2 Jun 2011
A pioneering project to drill deep under the heart of Newcastle in search of geothermal energy is about to enter its final phase.
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Sensor warns medical staff of urinary catheter blockage
2 Jun 2011
Cardiff scientists have developed a sensor that warns when a catheter has become blocked.
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Business Air awards Boeing maintenance contract
2 Jun 2011
Boeing Shanghai has signed a five-year contract with Thai airline Business Air to supply heavy maintenance and engineering services to support its growing fleet of Boeing 767s.The agreement, which came during a signing ceremony at Business Air headquarters in Bangkok, is an expansion of an earlier contract with the airline for 767 maintenance checks.
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Air-monitoring nanosensor installed on university roof
2 Jun 2011
A solar-powered station that uses a nanosensor to monitor the concentration of air pollutants has been installed on a roof at the Queensland University of Technology as part of an international study.
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Funding to help develop iron deficiency anaemia treatment
1 Jun 2011
Shield Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical company that develops and commercialises late-stage hospital pharmaceuticals, has raised €8.2m from Inventages Venture Capital.
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RWO to supply ballast water treatment systems to SHI-ME
1 Jun 2011
RWO Marine Water Technology has received an order for three of its CleanBallast ballast water treatment systems from Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine and Engineering (SHI-ME).
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Funding to help develop deep brain simulation system
1 Jun 2011
A German spin-off from Philips Research, called Sapiens Steering Brain Stimulation, has raised €13m in a funding round led by Wellington Partners and Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners.
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BAE Systems sells commercial aircraft-lease portfolio
1 Jun 2011
British defence, security and aerospace company BAE Systems is to sell its commercial aircraft-lease portfolio and Asset Management business to investment affiliates of Fortress Investment Group.The sale, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2011, is for a cash consideration of $187m (£113.4m), subject to certain post-completion adjustments.
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Acoustics researchers aim to make wind turbines quieter
1 Jun 2011
Acoustics researchers at Adelaide University are investigating the causes of wind turbine noise with the aim of making them quieter.
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Pilot website allows the public to examine patent applications
1 Jun 2011
The UK Intellectual Property Office has today launched the nation’s first ‘Peer to Patent’ pilot website that will provide an online hub for members of the public to search and examine pending patent applications.
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Sumitomo Seika to expand its superabsorbent facility
1 Jun 2011
Japanese chemicals company Sumitomo Seika has announced a project to add a new train to the existing superabsorbent production facility at Arkema’s Carling acrylics platform in Moselle, France.Start up of the new plant is scheduled for spring 2013.
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Cover-crop seeder could help farmers save time and money
1 Jun 2011
Farmers using a new cover-crop seeder may eventually need only a single trip across the field to accomplish what today takes them three passes and several pieces of equipment.
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PKP Intercity awards Alstom high-speed trains contract
1 Jun 2011
The Polish operator PKP Intercity, which is in charge of long-distance passenger transport, has awarded Alstom, a French company involved in power generation and transport, a contract worth €665m to supply 20 high-speed trains, their full maintenance up to 17 years and the construction of a new maintenance depot.The first trains are scheduled for delivery in 2014.
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Making switches
1 Jun 2011
The large automation equipment supplier had built an enviable reputation in the marketplace supporting its OEM customers. But things changed when it decided to refocus its marketing efforts…
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Biodegradable products 'harm environment' during disposal
1 Jun 2011
Research has found that so-called biodegradable products are likely doing more harm than good in landfills, because they are releasing a greenhouse gas as they break down.
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Robot scans and solves Rubik's Cube in around 10 seconds
1 Jun 2011
Students at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, have developed what they claim is the world’s fastest Rubik’s Cube-solving robot.
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Clyde wind turbine exports electricity to National Grid
1 Jun 2011
The first turbine at the Clyde onshore wind farm has exported electricity to the National Grid for the first time.
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Ricardo to help Lifan develop fuel-efficient petrol engines
1 Jun 2011
Ricardo is to assist China’s Lifan Automobile Group in developing a range of petrol engines capable of meeting Chinese and international fuel economy and emissions regulations.
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Funding to help Lumora enter molecular diagnostics market
1 Jun 2011
Lumora has secured £1.5m from the completion of the company’s latest funding round, led by Catapult Venture Managers.
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Will nuclear U-turn leave an energy gap?
1 Jun 2011
Germany’s announcement that it is to abandon nuclear power and pursue renewable technologies to meet its energy generating needs isn’t a surprise.
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New award honours businesses selling UK products abroad
1 Jun 2011
Businesses that are helping to lead the economic recovery by selling UK products and services overseas are to be honoured with a new award.
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CVT technology set for key role in Volvo flywheel evaluation
1 Jun 2011
Torotrak’s continuously variable transmission technology will form part of the Volvo Car Corporation’s evaluation of flywheel technology this autumn.
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Bubble curtains could contain oil spills in harsh conditions
1 Jun 2011
Offshore oil spills could be contained using curtains of air bubbles that are effective even in the face of gale-force winds and strong tidal currents.
