The Engineer
November 2001 Online
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Exodus into Cable & Wireless
30 Nov 2001
Exodus Communications today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell a substantial portion of its business and assets to Cable & Wireless for approximately US$575 million in cash.
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Ford and Cat form logistics alliance
30 Nov 2001
Ford and Caterpillar have entered into a software alliance to develop a logistics information system to increase the speed at which repair parts are delivered to the market.
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ISO 9000 charlatans
30 Nov 2001
ISO 9000 certification bodies and the accreditation bodies that approve them as competent need to do a better job of policing their community.
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Breakthrough for neural prosthetics
29 Nov 2001
The field of neural prosthetics may be significantly improved with scientists in the US demonstrating how damaged neural links can be bypassed.
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Dialling for dollars
29 Nov 2001
Meridea Financial Software has launched what it claims is the world's first multi-channel banking and financial software solution based on open standards.
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Muddying the waters
29 Nov 2001
The British Chambers of Commerce has launched an attack on the government's e-business strategy, condemning its 'distracting and irrelevant preoccupation' with meeting targets for internet connection.
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New device could aid production of electricity
29 Nov 2001
An MIT scientist and a colleague have invented a semiconductor technology that could allow efficient, affordable production of electricity from a variety of energy sources without a turbine or similar generator.
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VW sees clear road to B2B
29 Nov 2001
Volkswagen Group said its online business-to-business marketplace is on course to handle virtually all of its £31bn annual procurement volume.
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Boeing to explore electric airplane
28 Nov 2001
Boeing Commercial Airplanes will develop and test an electrically powered demonstrator airplane as part of a study to evaluate environmentally friendly fuel cell technology for future Boeing products.
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Doing it with e can save you money
28 Nov 2001
Cable & Wireless expects to save up to £25 million per year through the implementation of its eProcurement programme. eAuctions, a key component of the eProcurement programme, have already led to substantial savings, estimated at £2.5 million, from three recent auctions over a four month period.
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Gas goes mySAP
28 Nov 2001
Logica have signed a £2million contract with British Gas HRL, a subsidiary of Centrica, to implement mySAP.com, the e-business solution. The system will be based on the mySAP Oil and Gas business solution and will be integrated with other industry solutions. As well as streamlining the supply chain of HRL's upstream business, the system will also enable future e-business development through mySAP.com. The turnkey solution is to be completed in just nine months.
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Modified device identifies fake pharmaceuticals
27 Nov 2001
Scientists at the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have adapted a simple low-tech device normally used to examine urine specimens to test and detect counterfeit drugs.
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Motorola secures over $1 billion in design wins
27 Nov 2001
Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector has secured more than US$1 billion in design wins from global automotive customers over the next five years for its 16-bit HCS12 microcontroller family.
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Tubes yield billions of neutrons per second
27 Nov 2001
Scientists in the US have devised a series of neutron generators small enough to provide neutrons for brain-cancer therapy or to look inside airport luggage.
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Wake turbulence slashed by triangular wing flaps
27 Nov 2001
Research from the University of California suggests that adding triangular flaps to the design of aircraft wings dramatically cuts the strength of turbulence generated in a plane's wake.
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Hacking off hackers
26 Nov 2001
Amino's new Network Diversity increases security and removes performance loss associated with encryption.
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Encrypted ID that's hard to forge
23 Nov 2001
A new method for improving the security of identification cards or passports has been designed by researchers at Ben-Gurion University and the University of Connecticut.
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Small-scale sensor heading for the wrist
26 Nov 2001
Da-Ren Chen, Ph.D., a mechanical engineer at Washington University in St. Louis, is working on a bracelet-sized device that monitors the air quality around the wearer.
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High performance amplification
26 Nov 2001
Analog Devices has introduced a JFET operational amplifier for optical networking, wireless basestations, medical CT scanners and automatic test equipment applications.
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Lockheed Martin and TRW win $2.6 billion satellite contract
19 Nov 2001
Lockheed Martin and TRW have been awarded a $2.698 billion contract by the US Air Force to develop the US military's next-generation communications satellite system.
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Activcard acquires Ankari for $18 million
14 Nov 2001
ActivCard, a provider of smart card and digital identity products has acquired the American Biometric Company, a privately held, Ottawa, Canada-based company.
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Stopping internal bleeding without surgery
15 Nov 2001
Researchers at the University of Washington's Applied Physics Laboratory are working on a device that could find and stop internal bleeding, without surgery.
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Computer program puts brakes on accidents
13 Nov 2001
Researchers in the US say a computer program they developed could automatically adjust the brake forces of a heavy truck cab and prevent rollover accidents during cornering manoeuvres.
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New tool aids energy efficiency in buildings
14 Nov 2001
Scientists at Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation have unveiled a computer tool for the design of a new generation of energy-efficient buildings.
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Sainsbury announces £60 million manufacturing initiative
26 Nov 2001
Science Minister Lord Sainsbury today announced the creation of 12 'Innovative Manufacturing Research Centres' based in academic institutions across the UK and backed by £60 million government cash.
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ChemXL acquires chemB.com
15 Nov 2001
A newly launched e-commerce portal has bought an established online trading site to expand e-business opportunities in Asia.
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RF amplifiers up to 2.7GHz
16 Nov 2001
Two new RF amplifiers are suited for wireless applications such as transmit and receive amplification, power amplifier pre-amps and low-power antenna drivers.
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Scientists design molecules that mimic nanostructure of bone
23 Nov 2001
Scientists at Northwestern University in the US have become the first to design molecules that could lead to a breakthrough in bone repair.
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Australian surgeons trial new hi-tech training
23 Nov 2001
Virtual reality technology that will allow trainee surgeons to learn and practise on 'virtual patients' has been put on trial at Nepean Hospital in Sydney this week.
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Hub to Hub
22 Nov 2001
Elemica, a global integrated hub founded by 22 chemical companies, and Transwide, a European hub for transportation, are to create Europe's first operational hub-to-hub solution. Elemica will connect the ERP systems of chemical companies not only for order entry but also for order fulfilment. Transwide will connect logistics providers to its hub by integrating directly with their ERP systems, by connecting via their existing EDI network or by providing a web interface.
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HDTV over IP
22 Nov 2001
Tektronix has demonstrated the first transmission of uncompressed real-time gigabit high-definition television (HDTV) signals over an Internet Protocol (IP) optical network.
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Raytheon wins contract worth up to $350 million
14 Nov 2001
Raytheon has been awarded a $350 million contract from Science Applications International Corporation to provide spares, repairs, modifications, and support to the US Air Force's Air Logistics Centres.
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Yale team develops first protein analysis chip
14 Nov 2001
Yale University researcher Michael Snyder and his colleagues have created the first microchip able to analyse virtually all yeast proteins, the chemicals that carry out the activities necessary for life.
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Snorting over the LAN gets cracked
15 Nov 2001
Agere Systems has unvieled 'WEPplus', a security enhancement for it's ORiNOCO wireless LAN-based networks.
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Chep gets Savi
13 Nov 2001
Savi Technology's Asset Management software and SmartChain real-time data collection software platform is to be used by Chep, an international pallet and container pooling company.
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Hello boys!
23 Nov 2001
PDD, a UK-based design consultancy, has developed a 'wireless' bra that can monitor the heart rate.
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B2B exchanges not delivering - yet
22 Nov 2001
According to a joint study by Giga Information Group and Booz Allen Hamilton, most companies are disappointed with the performance of business-to-business exchanges.
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UK launches new projects to fight fraud and boost e-commerce confidence
22 Nov 2001
E-commerce Minister, Douglas Alexander, today announced the latest round of research into developing new technologies to fight fraud and increase e-commerce security.
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'Structural radar' monitors aircraft and vehicles
19 Nov 2001
Engineers are developing a system that uses radar-like signals to detect when structures and mechanical parts, such as those in aircraft, are about to fail.
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Photon 'switch' shines light on optical transistors
20 Nov 2001
Canadian researchers have taken a step closer to creating an optical transistor with the discovery of a 'switch' that manipulates the movement of photons.
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Broadband rescue communications
20 Nov 2001
Researchers in the US have developed a prototype wireless broadband communications network for rapid deployment in disaster response and recovery efforts.
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They both love it!
19 Nov 2001
Texas Instruments and Intersil both seem pleased with the new IEEE 802.11g wireless networking standard.
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Motorola to acquire Synchronous for $260 million
20 Nov 2001
Motorola has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire California-based Synchronous in a deal valued at $260 million.
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Tests demonstrate jet engine noise reduction
21 Nov 2001
Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Rolls-Royce Aero Engines have completed a noise reduction flight test program that promises to make jet engines quieter.
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New device points to carbon hot-spots
21 Nov 2001
Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed a portable instrument that uses a laser to measure changes in the amount of land-based carbon.
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Space saving combo to go
22 Nov 2001
San Diego, CA-based Pulse has introduced two new magnetic components for use with Linear Technology's LT1681/LTC1698 discrete components.
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Scientists create biological nanocomputer
22 Nov 2001
A group of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science have used biological molecules to create a tiny computer - a programmable two-state, two-symbol finite automaton - in a test tube.
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Royal Group Technologies to acquire Marley Mouldings
19 Nov 2001
Royal Group Technologies Limited has signed an Asset Purchase Agreement to acquire the assets and business of Marley Mouldings LLC.
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New material could double chip processing speed
12 Nov 2001
A scientist at Rensselaer Polytechnic has developed and patented a new insulating material that has the potential to double the processing speed of microchips.
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World's smallest transistor
9 Nov 2001
Scientists from Lucent Bell Labs have now fabricated an individually addressable transistor whose channel consists of just one molecule.
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Bigger than that one then
1 Nov 2001
ABB has won a $30 million order from Golden Valley Electric Association in Fairbanks, Alaska, for the supply, installation and project management of the world's largest Battery Energy Storage System.
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2002 marks the start of a chip recovery
1 Nov 2001
Worldwide semiconductor revenue is projected to reach $147 billion in 2001, a 35 percent decrease from 2000, according to the latest forecast by Dataquest.
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Joint Strike Fighter means lots of dosh for TRW
2 Nov 2001
TRW is to provide the integrated communications, navigation and identification (CNI) avionics to Lockheed Martin in support of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program.
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'Smart Bandage' diagnoses danger
5 Nov 2001
Researchers at the University of Rochester have taken a major step toward a bandage that will change colour depending on what kind of bacteria is present in a wound.
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Trainee surgeons given a guiding hand
5 Nov 2001
Researchers in the US plan to combine surgical robotic systems with telemedicine to allow highly skilled surgeons guide trainee surgeons through complex, minimally invasive procedures.
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DIN rail accessories for incremental encoders
5 Nov 2001
The Industrial Encoder Division of BEI Technologies has introduced a range of DIN rail mountable interface units for use with all types of incremental encoder.
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Trees form the core of radiation monitoring
6 Nov 2001
A study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill suggests that it may be possible to monitor radiation more cheaply by coring trees on potentially radioactive sites.
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Four-in-one probe keeps material data covered
6 Nov 2001
A researcher at the University of Warwick has designed a multi-function Tribological Probe Microscope (TPM) that can measure a material's hardness, elasticity and shape to levels of less than a nanometre.
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Got to 'ave some of this
6 Nov 2001
A new Web site for technology transfer allows developers to test drive promising software from both commercial and academic laboratories.
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Northrop Grumman awarded $49 million technical support contract
7 Nov 2001
A team led by Northrop Grumman Corporation has been selected to provide technical support for a messaging system used by the US intelligence community.
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UW-Madison receives $15 million for 'ice cube'
7 Nov 2001
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is to receive $15 million in federal funding for the first phase of an Antarctica-based neutrino telescope.
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Microsoft settles antitrust case with US Government
5 Nov 2001
Microsoft has reached a settlement with the United States government in its three-year antitrust case.
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Thales Instruments sold for £85 million
8 Nov 2001
Thales has completed the sale of Thales Instruments to a consortium comprising J.F. Lehman & Co. and Thomas Weisel Capital Partners for £85 million.
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CWRU improving design of artificial joint replacements
8 Nov 2001
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University and Exponent are working to improve the wear and performance of artificial joints made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.
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New sensor upgrades artificial bomb sniffers
9 Nov 2001
Researchers at Tufts University have developed a disposable plastic sensor to enhance efficiency of the artificial nose; a high-tech sniffing device they hope will improve detection of bombs and landmines.
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Northrop Grumman acquires Newport News Shipbuilding for $2.6 billion
9 Nov 2001
Northrop Grumman Corporation and Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. have announced that they have signed a definitive agreement under which Northrop Grumman will acquire Newport News Shipbuilding for approximately$2.6 billion.
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Northrop Grumman wins $702 million contract
12 Nov 2001
Northrop Grumman has won a contract worth up to $702 million to provide software and systems engineering support to the US Army's Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM).
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DNA microarray market worth billions
13 Nov 2001
The DNA microarray market is expected to reach $3.6 billion by 2006, driven largely by increasing adoption in the academic segment.
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Juniper Networks acquires Pacific Broadband for $200 million
13 Nov 2001
Juniper Networks has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Pacific Broadband Communications in a stock transaction totalling approximately $200 million.
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No Kray needed to crack crypto code
12 Nov 2001
Cambridge University researchers claim to have uncovered a serious weakness in the security systems that protect many banking and E-commerce transactions.
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IBM launches privacy, data protection initiatives
13 Nov 2001
IBM has formed a Privacy Management Council and a Privacy Institute to focus on privacy and data protection issues in the computer industry.
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NOx sensor helps make engines cleaner
2 Nov 2001
Delphi Automotive Systems and Electricore are developing a low cost, commercially viable automotive nitrogen oxide (NOx) sensor.
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Torqueing cables
5 Nov 2001
Laying today's subsea fibre optic telecommunications cables requires close control of torque and feed control. An integrated system of PLCs and electric drives provides the solution.
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Mature market maintains demand
5 Nov 2001
The European Scada market generated $766.5 million in revenues in 2000, an increase of 8.1% on the previous year, according to recent research by Frost & Sullivan.
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Follow that London cab
5 Nov 2001
Using a central data base, London Taxi International has made its manufacturing operation future proof.
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New XML web services spec
1 Nov 2001
Continuing their joint work to further the XML Web services family of interoperability specifications, IBM and Microsoft have released a Web Services Inspection specification.
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Joint venture to make piston rings
2 Nov 2001
Federal-Mogul and Teikoku Piston Ring have formed a joint venture to manufacture high performance steel piston rings.
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Getting down to business
5 Nov 2001
Doug Miles of infor:swan asks what the letters CRM actually stand for in manufacturing today.
