The Engineer
Siobhan Wagner Editorial

Siobhan Wagner is chief reporter for The Engineer

  • The Atkins project

    3 Dec 2010

    Led by Loughborough University, the Atkins project has helped push additive manufacturing closer to the manufacturing mainstream

  • Blood test device produces results in less than an hour

    3 Dec 2010

    Avacta has commercially launched a point-of-care diagnostic instrument that can produce blood test results within 15 minutes to an hour.

  • Stimulation technique could speed stroke patient recovery

    1 Dec 2010

    Researchers at Southampton University are developing electrical stimulation techniques that could help stroke patients regain the use of their arms and hands faster and more effectively. 

  • Future LPG vehicles could run on algae-derived fuel

    30 Nov 2010

    Future liquefied propane gas (LPG) vehicles could run on fuel derived from algae, according to researchers involved in a four-year €3.7m EU-funded project.

  • Scientists unveil method for 3D molecular structures

    24 Nov 2010

    Scientists at Nottingham University have demonstrated, for the first time, a method for building 3D molecular structures on a surface.

  • Air hybrid system will allow buses to recharge by braking

    24 Nov 2010

    A regenerative braking concept that uses the energy created when a vehicle decelerates to compress air is being developed for a new breed of bus.

  • Caregiver software to guide mentally impaired patients

    22 Nov 2010

    Researchers in Scotland are developing software that verbally prompts people with cognitive impairments on how to do everyday tasks.

  • EEF report notes flaws in Britain's supply base

    22 Nov 2010

    Britain risks losing its supply base if the percentage of its large manufacturers continues to lag behind those of close competitors.

  • Neural probe targets individual brain cells

    19 Nov 2010

    Neurosurgeons may be able to perform safer and less invasive brain procedures on epileptic patients with a new neural probe that can pinpoint exactly where seizures are generated.

  • Anti-cybercrime software mimics DNA matching process

    18 Nov 2010

    A Scottish university spin-out has attracted £170,000 of funding to commercialise an anti-cybercrime software based on the same algorithms for DNA sequence analysis.

  • City University and Sencon to develop quality control tool

    17 Nov 2010

    Sencon has entered into a £200,000 Knowledge Transfer Partnership with City University London to develop a new measurement tool for improving the quality control of canned food, drink and aerosol products.

  • NASA to reveal planetary mystery

    15 Nov 2010

    Astronomers and UFO bloggers alike have been waiting in anticipation for NASA’s press conference today on the discovery of ’an exceptional object in our cosmic neighborhood’.

  • Q-Flo and Plasan to craft body armour from 'elastic smoke'

    9 Nov 2010

    University of Cambridge spin-out Q-Flo announced it will commercialise its process for making super-strong carbon nanotube fibre.

  • Imec leads development of stretchable electronic fabrics

    8 Nov 2010

    Belgian research institute Imec is leading a €9m project aimed at developing smart textiles that can be manufactured in high volume.

  • Anti-piracy technology to study cinemagoers

    3 Nov 2010

    Cinemagoers may one day be recorded for market research using 2D and 3D imaging technology.

  • Experts say cargo bombs expose gaps in air security

    1 Nov 2010

    The bombs found on board two US-bound cargo aircraft this weekend demonstrate that current freight-screening technology still cannot guarantee air security, according to experts.

  • Body-to-body networks could be future of mobile internet

    29 Oct 2010

    The future ultra-high-bandwidth mobile internet infrastructure could rely on signals being passed from person to person through novel sensors.

  • Membrane designed to insulate attached houses

    28 Oct 2010

    Engineers in Scotland have developed a thin membrane insulation specifically for reducing heat loss in attached houses.

  • NPL develops speedy radiation detector

    28 Oct 2010

    The NPL has developed a portable radiation detector that is said to assess the safety of potentially contaminated areas faster than current methods.

  • LED technology detects driver fatigue

    28 Oct 2010

    New infrared light-emitting diode technology aims to keep motorists alert when they’re driving.

  • Miniature tracking chip features high accuracy

    27 Oct 2010

    Irish start-up DecaWave has developed a tracking chip claimed to be more accurate and cost competitive than other comparable technologies such as RFID and Wi-Fi.

  • ERI investigates renewable possibilities in Scotland

    25 Oct 2010

    A new study based in Scotland’s Pentland Firth will estimate the ability for offshore renewable energy sources to meet future electricity demand.

  • Electric vehicle design focuses on cutting-edge technology

    25 Oct 2010

    Electric cars that meet the same design and performance standards expected by the ‘iPod generation’ will be the focus of a new vehicle development programme at MIRA.

  • Spending review quells green technology sector anxieties

    20 Oct 2010

    Some of the green sector’s worst fears were set aside today as the chancellor’s spending review revealed funding for upgrades to the UK’s ports and feed-in tariff rates would be maintained.

  • British Gas leads electricity smart meter project

    20 Oct 2010

    British Gas is leading a £54m project that will install smart meters in 14,000 homes in the north east of England and test how micro-generation and electric vehicles impact upon the electricity grid.

  • Declaration calls for higher emissions-reduction targets

    15 Oct 2010

    Many of Europe’s largest businesses have urged EU ministers to take stronger action against climate change by raising emissions-reduction targets for 2020 to 30 per cent against 1990 levels.

  • RCUK report warns of university research cutbacks

    15 Oct 2010

    A £1bn cut to government funding for university research could lead to a 10 times reduction in the UK’s GDP.

  • Image software identifies people by their ears

    13 Oct 2010

    Researchers at Southampton University have developed a new image software program that can be used to identify people by their ears.

  • Nanotechnology may provide antibacterial breakthrough

    12 Oct 2010

    Contracting hospital-acquired infections through catheter or IV lines could be avoided with a new nanoparticle-based technology currently used in large-scale chemical processes.

  • 3D modelling may help improve mobiles' sound

    11 Oct 2010

    Mobile phones may be designed with better sound consistency as scientists are using 3D modelling to develop a new measurement standard.

  • Technology enables heart monitoring via mobile phone

    11 Oct 2010

    A new mobile phone technology that monitors a user’s heart could potentially allow doctors to keep an eye on patients with cardiac abnormalities remotely.

  • An ill wind

    8 Oct 2010

    The government should be cautious about cutting investment in upgrading port facilities to handle offshore wind turbine construction: it could endanger an industry with vast potential to create jobs and contribute to the UK’s renewables capacity

  • Nanotherics wins funding for cell alteration device

    5 Oct 2010

    Nanotherics has received £1.1m to market a product for genetically altering cells using oscillating magnetic fields and nanoparticles.

  • Building a supergrid for Europe

    4 October 2010

    Could a superconducing grid connecting solar concentrators in North Africa to wind farms in northern Europe help the EU meet its green energy targets?

  • Orteq develops biodegradable scaffold for meniscus surgery

    30 Sep 2010

    Doctors can give athletes who undergo meniscus surgery the ability to return to their active life faster with much less pain using a biodegradable scaffold in the knee.

  • Power operators on alert to new computer virus

    29 Sep 2010

    Power station and electricity grid operators around the world are on alert to a new type of computer virus capable of attacking critical industrial process equipment.

  • Titanium bone implant could immediately bear loads

    29 Sep 2010

    A new kind of titanium foam implant that resembles the inside of a bone could be integrated into the human skeleton and immediately bear loads.

  • Smart camera system could enhance stadium security

    29 Sep 2010

    Stadium security cameras that distinguish jubilant football supporters from hooligans on the rampage could be possible with technology developed through the EU-funded SEARISE project.

  • 3D imager could improve wound treatment process

    28 Sep 2010

    Doctors may be able to heal wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers faster with a handheld 3D imaging system that can model the progress of healthy tissue forming in deep sores.

  • Software-based service could identify cancerous moles

    24 Sep 2010

    Sunbathers worried about potentially cancerous moles on their skin may have a remote assessment in 24 hours using a new software-based online tele-dermatology service developed at the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT).

  • Will transparent aircraft take off?

    24 Sep 2010

    Aeroplanes made of transparent materials, giving passengers unparalleled views of local landmarks, could be a reality by 2050.

  • SPADnet looks to improve PET imaging

    20 Sep 2010

    Technology commonly used to fabricate microchips could be employed to make medical-imaging devices that expose patients to less radiation.

  • Space technology finds use in mining application

    16 Sep 2010

    Technology developed for space applications is being employed to improve safety at mines.

  • Carbon Trust backs plastic solar cell development

    15 Sep 2010

    The Carbon Trust is launching a new company to develop and manufacture the world’s most efficient and low-cost plastic solar cells.

  • Surgical system may extend life of shoulder implant

    15 Sep 2010

    A Nottingham University surgeon believes to have found a solution for extending the life of an advanced shoulder implant designed for patients with torn rotator cuffs.

  • Adapter reduces chargers' wasted energy emissions

    14 Sep 2010

    A power adapter designed at City University London is said to reduce the amount of energy wasted when the recharging devices are left plugged into household mains outlets.

  • Advanced acoustic monitor detects breathing difficulties

    14 Sep 2010

    Epilepsy sufferers who risk suffocation during a seizure could be saved with a new small acoustic detector worn on the neck.

  • Could technology help thwart mobile thieves?

    10 Sep 2010

    It was a distressing day for a fellow reporter at The Engineer a few weeks ago when he discovered his brand new mobile phone – the sleek HTC Legend – had mysteriously disappeared from his pocket.

  • Robots could be used in earthquake rescue missions

    1 Sep 2010

    Rescue robots that understand the changing and unpredictable environment of disaster scenarios may be deployed to search for survivors after earthquakes.

  • Statoil looks to develop first floating offshore wind farm

    31 Aug 2010

    Statoil is considering developing the world’s first floating offshore wind farm in Scotland following early success with a full-scale prototype in Norway.

  • ICL project supplies solar power system to Rwandans

    31 Aug 2010

    A UK student engineering project is providing an electricity system to rural Rwandan communities using a centralised solar-energy charging station and portable battery boxes.

  • Eye of the beholder

    27 Aug 2010

    Rejecting wind turbines on aesthetic grounds may be rooted more in NIMBYism than in actual evidence that they have a detrimental effect on landscapes.

  • 'Unconventional' drilling could free trapped Chilean miners

    26 Aug 2010

    An ‘unconventional’ drilling method is expected to bore the escape hole for the 33 miners trapped in a San Jose copper mine in northern Chile, according to an industry expert.

  • Process reduces waste in titanium manufacture

    23 Aug 2010

    Manufacturing large titanium parts can waste 95 per cent of raw material, but a new technique promises little or no scrap.

  • Bicycle race

    20 Aug 2010

    With the rise in popularity of urban cycling, engineers in the UK and US are promoting new bike concepts they say are better equipped for navigating city streets.

  • Motion sensors to aid stroke victim treatment

    20 Aug 2010

    Many stroke survivors who have lost the ability to communicate verbally and physically could re-learn subtle gestures people make to indicate words with the help of motion sensing technologies such as those used in the Wii console.

  • Collision spotlights risks being taken at level crossings

    18 Aug 2010

    Statistics indicate that drivers are still taking risks on level crossings, despite the efforts of engineers to improve safety.

  • Philips to commercialise digital pathology technology

    17 Aug 2010

    Philips has announced plans for commercialising a digital technology that will ease the workload of pathologists detecting cancer in tissue cells.

  • Ultra-small transducers produce ultra-high frequencies

    17 Aug 2010

    Patients with suspected cases of bone cancer may one day be injected with nano-sized transducers that will help doctors ultrasonically detect the earliest indications of the disease.

  • Wireless sensors could reduce aircraft maintenance costs

    13 Aug 2010

    Aircraft fuselages may one day be fitted with wireless sensors that transmit crucial information on factors such as stress endured during flight.

  • Oxy-fuel concept sustains electricity grid demand

    12 Aug 2010

    Researchers at Leeds University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have found a way to manage short-lived draws on the electricity grid with half the fuel usually needed.

  • Technology could transform windows into generators

    12 Aug 2010

    Transparent solar cells fabricated with gold nanoparticles could potentially turn windows into energy-generating machines and achieve efficiencies as high as 80 per cent, claim developers of the technology.

  • Imaging technique speeds autism diagnoses

    11 Aug 2010

    Doctors could diagnose autism in adults within 15 minutes using a new method that finds distinctive patterns in the brain with MRI scans and 3D computer imaging.

  • Aston University develops bio-oil technology

    11 Aug 2010

    Drivers in the UK may be filling their tanks with biofuel derived from the spruce and pine trees of Norway by 2020. 

  • Scientists study carbon-capture control systems

    10 Aug 2010

    Researchers in Scotland are investigating methods for controlling carbon dioxide capture equipment on fossil power plants.

  • Human waste powers VW Beetle

    6 Aug 2010

    A Volkswagen Beetle that runs on methane produced from human waste in sewage sludge has been unveiled in Bristol.

  • Biosensor to aid battle against cancer

    5 Aug 2010

    A nano-sensor that detects biomarkers in urine or saliva samples could detect cancer at the earliest possible stage and save millions of lives.

  • Small businesses query bank profits in light of lending levels

    4 Aug 2010

    The billions of pounds worth of profits posted by banks this week have been viewed as ‘galling’ by the UK’s small business services provider in light of figures showing decreased lending.

  • Hydrogen embrittlement could lead to failure of fuel-cell cars

    4 Aug 2010

    Fuel-cell cars may suffer from sudden failure of parts and components because of the little-known effect hydrogen can have on the metals used in vehicle engineering.

  • Report confirms strong UK manufacturing growth

    3 Aug 2010

    The UK manufacturing sector is on track to post the strongest growth in a sixth-month period since 1994, according to recently released statistics.

  • Cool trains, climate change and Blackberry black-outs

    2 Aug 2010

    London commuters not tempted to hop onto a “Boris bike” will be pleased to hear that their underground travels may soon become a less sweaty affair.

  • MOD may have to consider cheaper alternative to Trident

    2 Aug 2010

    The Chancellor’s pledge not to make treasury funds available for the Trident nuclear deterrent could spell ’the begining of the end’ for the system.

  • Intel light-beam technology moves data at 50Gbps

    29 Jul 2010

    Intel has developed a prototype computing technology that moves data at up to 50 gigabits per second with light beams.

  • Scientists develop nasal-based communication device

    27 Jul 2010

    A new communication device controlled by sniffing is allowing victims of strokes and other severely debilitating trauma to write letters to family and express everyday thoughts.

  • Willetts casts doubts over nanotechnology centres

    23 Jul 2010

    Science minister David Willetts told MPs yesterday it is ‘most unlikely’ the UK’s 24 nanotechnology centres will still be in existence in 18 months time.

  • Fraunhofer scientists develop gesture recognition system

    22 Jul 2010

    A non-contact gesture and finger recognition system developed in Germany could be the basis for a handy business meeting tool.

  • Shock absorber could reduce helicopter fatalities

    22 Jul 2010

    The loss of life resulting from helicopter crashes may be prevented with a new inflatable shock-absorption system.

  • Optoelectronics research inspired by stained glass

    22 Jul 2010

    The colour effects of metal nanoparticles in stained glass has inspired new research into optoelectronics for faster computing and high-capacity optical-data storage media.

  • EADS aircraft runs on algae biofuel

    21 Jul 2010

    EADS demonstrated the flight of an aircraft powered by biofuel made from algae at the Farnborough Airshow yesterday.

  • Turbine to produce electricity from river or tidal streams

    19 Jul 2010

    A UK clean-tech start-up is designing a new turbine for generating electricity from river or tidal streams.

  • Particle injection could abate climate change

    16 Jul 2010

    A 20km pipe designed to spray a shield of sulphate particles into the stratosphere could be deployed to mitigate the potentially devastating effects of climate change.  

  • Airport expansion ban could damage UK's prosperity

    14 Jul 2010

    A new report has warned the coalition government’s ban on airport expansion in the UK undermines the country’s global connectivity and competitiveness.

  • BP oil spill costs rise to $3.5bn

    12 Jul 2010

    BP has announced the cost of the oil spill clean up in the Gulf of Mexico has risen to $3.5bn as efforts continue to cap the leaking well 5,000ft below the surface.

  • Engineering community supports climate scientists

    9 Jul 2010

    Members of the engineering community have come out in support of climate scientists cleared of accusations of doctoring results and silencing critics.

  • OSPRAG approves well capping and containment study

    8 Jul 2010

    The UK offshore oil and gas advisory group has commissioned an engineering study to develop new design concepts for well capping.

  • 'Toolbox' could improve deep-sea inspection of oil pipelines

    8 Jul 2010

    The oil industry could benefit from a new deep-sea underwater inspection technology developed through an EU-funded research programme.

  • Siemens tests biomass in energy study

    8 Jul 2010

    The energy from coal-fired power plants in the future may be partially derived from the combustion of biomass. 

  • Autonomous cars could let drivers check email

    7 Jul 2010

    Autonomous vehicle technology being developed by UK researchers could let car commuters check emails or watch TV during their journey into work.

  • Thorn to produce first printed PLED luminaire

    6 Jul 2010

    A British lighting business is aiming to produce the country’s first printed ultra-high-efficiency polymer light-emitting diode (PLED) luminaire.

  • EyeTechCare trials ultrasound glaucoma procedure

    2 Jul 2010

    People suffering with glaucoma may benefit from a new, non-invasive procedure that directs high-intensity-focused ultrasound into the eye.

  • Where's my jetpack?

    2 Jul 2010

    The technological achievements over the last hundred years have created the modern, comfortable life we know, but many of us wonder what happened to the more exciting sci-fi future we were promised.  

  • Terrafugia flying car cleared for take-off

    1 Jul 2010

    It’s not quite George Jetson’s flying car, but a new roadworthy vehicle capable of deploying wings and taking off down the airport runway will bring to mind the familiar cartoon jingle. 

  • Proposed green investment bank elicits mixed reaction

    30 Jun 2010

    Reaction to the proposed creation of a green investment bank has been largely positive despite some in the green-tech sector issuing caveats.

  • Flying robots could monitor forest-fire effects

    28 Jun 2010

    Swarms of flying robots may one day soar into blazing forest fires, cling to undamaged trees and deploy crucial sensors and tools to track the inferno and its effects.

  • Referee mistake raises debate for goal-line technology

    28 Jun 2010

    The widely perceived refereeing error that denied Frank Lampard’s goal in the England v Germany match yesterday has raised the debate on implementing goal-line technology.

  • Queen Mary researchers develop nanogel-based targeted drugs

    24 Jun 2010

    Targeted drugs may soon day be delivered to the body using nanogels that disassemble when they reach their destination

  • Nottingham engineers develop super batteries

    24 Jun 2010

    Engineers at Nottingham University are developing technology that bridges the intermittency gap inherent in energy generated from renewable sources.

  • TSB backs converter development for hybrid cars

    24 Jun 2010

    The Technology Strategy Board is backing a three-year project to develop a single DC-to-DC converter for future hybrid vehicles.

  • New materials improve solar air conditioning

    23 Jun 2010

    Solar air conditioning could be more efficient and less expensive following new research being conducted in the UK and Australia.

  • Algorithms aid prosthetics development

    21 Jun 2010

    A transatlantic research team is developing advanced algorithms for decoding neural activity into physical commands, such as parameters for controlling a robotic arm.

  • Paralysed patients could benefit from robotic aids

    18 Jun 2010

    Patients with spinal cord injuries could one day move paralysed parts of their bodies with a wearable robotic device controlled by a wireless chip implanted in the brain.

  • Government cancels Forgemasters' nuclear press loan

    17 Jun 2010

    The coalition government today cancelled an £80m loan to Sheffield Forgemasters for the purchase and installation of a 15,000-tonne forging press.

  • ICE urges UK energy infrastructure investment

    17 Jun 2010

    The UK energy infrastructure is on the brink of collapse and will not be sustainable past 2015 unless billions of pounds are invested to ensure that future electricity generation meets demand.

  • Saft launches Li-ion battery for military engines

    16 Jun 2010

    Saft has unveiled a prototype 28V Lithium-ion battery system for starting up military vehicle engines.

  • World Cup ball designers respond to critics

    15 Jun 2010

    The UK team behind the Adidas Jabulani World Cup football has defended itself against criticisms that its hi-tech design produces unpredictable movements.

  • OptiNose attracts $48.5m

    14 Jun 2010

    OptiNose has received $48.5 million to take its breath-actuated nasal delivery device through its final trial.

  • Google chips and the future of cheese

    11 Jun 2010

    With the answer to any question now the touch of a button away are we in danger of devolving our intelligence to the world wide web?

  • Vehicles to map battle environments

    10 Jun 2010

    Swarms of autonomous military vehicles capable of sharing and overlapping video images to create high-resolution 3D panoramic scenes may one day be deployed on battlefields.

  • Atom-thick aircraft components

    10 Jun 2010

    Aircraft components could be built using a super-thin material just one atom thick, according to new research conducted at Manchester University.

  • Engineers build 3D printer for making plastic parts

    10 Jun 2010

    Engineers at De Montfort University (DMU) in Leicester are building what is hoped to be the world’s fastest 3D printer for manufacturing high-performance plastic components. 

  • Hydrogen-fuelled London taxi unveiled

    8 Jun 2010

    Visitors to London’s 2012 Olympics may travel to the games in taxis powered by hydrogen following the unveiling of a new prototype fuel cell black cab at City Hall yesterday.

  • Qinetiq unveils high voltage fighting vehicle

    7 Jun 2010

    UK engineers have developed a prototype armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) with a new system for generating and distributing electrical power at 610V

  • The future of sailing

    4 Jun 2010

    Siobhan Wagner takes a nautical magic carpet ride on board Alain Thébault’s L’Hydroptere.

  • Robots to emulate human vision

    1 Jun 2010

    Robots with human-like vision may one day be deployed to perform maintenance inside nuclear fusion reactors or carry out duties in other areas too dangerous for any person to operate in. 

  • Electric car completes M25 challenge

    28 May 2010

    A new kind of electric car has completed a record-breaking drive around the M25 twice on one charge.

  • Enhanced FES system could aid MS sufferers

    28 May 2010

    People in the UK who suffer with multiple sclerosis could benefit from improvements being made to a technology that eases mobility by electrically stimulating improperly functioning muscles and nerves.

  • Offshore industry silent as BP leak efforts fail

    26 May 2010

    The numerous failed attempts to stop oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico are becoming a massive embarrassment for the UK’s largest company

  • Cost cuts and quango culls

    24 May 2010

    The first wave of cuts from the Treasury team of George Osborne and David Laws will trim admin and staffing costs.

  • Babcock develops inspection technique for naval ships

    21 May 2010

    Babcock International has developed a new non-destructive testing (NDT) technique for naval ship tailshafts that could reduce assessment time from 18 weeks to one month.

  • Oxford research could lead to biological motors

    21 May 2010

    A new biological approach for power generation of extremely small mechanical components is being investigated by a UK and European consortium.

  • Air compressor could help industry slash energy costs

    19 May 2010

    Clean-tech startup Lontra joins forces with Ford and Ricardo to demonstrate innovative compressor on downsized engine

  • Future stem cell research could use lasers like syringes

    18 May 2010

    Major breakthroughs in stem cell science and the genetic modification of food could be made possible with a technique that uses lasers like a syringe to inject compounds into cells. 

  • Efforts continue on Gulf spill

    17 May 2010

    BP is continuing to deploy new technologies to contain the spill from the Deepwater Horizon explosion and to seal the oil well.

  • Cobham develops more accurate landmine detector

    17 May 2010

    The UK-designed Minehound system can detect deadly explosive items with fewer false alarms than existing technology

  • Third runway or kangaroo farm? You decide

    14 May 2010

    There’s an argument that the UK’s new coalition government picked the wrong fight this week in the battle against climate change when it announced plans to cancel a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

  • Insects inspire new acoustic sensors

    13 May 2010

    The way a male mosquito senses the flapping wings of a potential mate is inspiring researchers in Scotland to develop new types of acoustic sensors.

  • Conservatives and Lib Dems unveil environmental agreement

    13 May 2010

    The UK’s new coalition government has pledged continued support for green energy and cancelled new UK airport runways

  • Researchers hope to sniff out homemade bomb factories

    12 May 2010

    Terrorists attempting to make homemade explosives could be sniffed out by law enforcement officials with a new mobile detection system being developed through an EU-funded research programme.

  • Toyota posts more than £1bn profit

    11 May 2010

    Toyota announced today a more than £1bn annual profit for the business year that ended March 31 despite a global recession and a massive worldwide recall of vehicles due to ‘sticky’ pedals.

  • Fern inspires new stent

    26 Apr 2010

    A new fern-inspired stent for treatment of brain aneurysms is promising to remove the need for open-brain surgeries and reduce the time needed to perform minimally invasive procedures. 

  • Isis innovation investigates sand-powered fuel cells

    26 Apr 2010

    A new method that combines silicon and water to produce hydrogen could serve as a source of emergency gas for future fuel cell vehicles.

  • Faster drug development

    22 Apr 2010

    Drugs for diseases such as cancer, autoimmunity and diabetes could make it to market faster using a new spectrometry method developed for analysing and interpreting cell signalling pathways.

  • Financing for precious metal recovery

    22 Apr 2010

    A UK-based clean-technology company has received £3.5m in financing to further develop its technology for recovering precious metals from process, waste and effluent streams.

  • Rolling wheels for forklift trucks

    21 Apr 2010

    A steering design concept that allows wheels to roll forwards, backwards and sideways is being proposed for use on forklift trucks.

  • Parahydrogen puts new spin on medical imaging

    21 Apr 2010

    Medical imaging based on a new method for transferring magnetic spin could show biological processes in the body without exposing patients to harmful radiation.

  • Semta report warns of engineering skills shortage

    20 Apr 2010

    An engineering skills council has warned growing UK industries like nuclear will lack a sufficient amount of technically capable workers to fill jobs in the future without urgent action.

  • Ash clouds continue to affect flights

    20 Apr 2010

    Airlines including KLM have stepped up the pressure to lift flight restrictions across Europe after operating a total of ten test flights this weekend, including a flight from Düsseldorf to Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport.

  • Sensors monitor freshness of food

    20 Apr 2010

    Shoppers may one day know the quality of fruit and vegetables in the supermarket with smart plastic food packages that use integrated sensors to detect ripeness.  

  • Solar electricity for all markets

    20 Apr 2010

    A new London-based photovoltaics company is preparing the commercial roll-out of low-cost solar-energy technology, which could be integrated into off-grid applications.

  • Hybrid materials for automotive safety

    19 April 2010

    Smart car panels that spring back to shape after being dented or stiffen up when an impact is imminent could be possible with a new plastic and metal hybrid material.

  • Porous pine suits tidal turbine

    19 April 2010

    A Norwegian company has begun installing a 1.5MW prototype tidal-energy plant featuring turbines constructed with wooden blades.

  • Volcanoes - future power stations?

    16 Apr 2010

    While Iceland’s volcanic activity grounds planes across Northern Europe, hot magma could also provide an increasingly significant chunk of the country’s electricity – and other countries could also benefit.

  • Obama will announce new strategy for human spaceflight

    14 Apr 2010

    President Barack Obama will announce tomorrow a new strategy for human spaceflight that increases the NASA budget by $6bn over the next five years.

  • Engineers create safer medical imaging technique

    12 Apr 2010

    A medical imaging technique based on a new method for transferring magnetic spin could potentially reveal biological processes in the body without exposing patients to harmful radiation.

  • Marine microbes beat plastic pollution

    9 Apr 2010

    Marine life could be protected from the lethal effects of plastic pollution, according to new research that has hailed coastal microbes as a potential clean-up solution.

  • EEG device spells words and phrases

    9 Apr 2010

    A new EEG (electro-encephalogram)-based device that interprets brain waves to spell words and phrases could help people with speech disorders and motor disabilities to communicate better.

  • Researchers investigate fuel-cell catalysts

    8 Apr 2010

    A more thorough understanding of the catalyst layer of a polymer-electrolyte-membrane (PEM) fuel cell could be revealed through a new Manchester University research programme.

  • Alternative asphalt production

    8 Apr 2010

    The country’s asphalt industry could cut its carbon emissions by almost 40 per cent before 2020, thanks to new technology currently under development through an industrial and government collaboration.

  • Conference considers rail stations of the future

    7 Apr 2010

    While the design of trains has come a long way since the steam locomotive, there has been little focus on making stations more technologically advanced and environmentally friendly.

  • Ultrasound metal forming

    7 Apr 2010

    It may or may not be used to find life on Mars, but technology developed for a space mission could soon be used to make drinks cans.

  • Catalysts from nanoporous molecular crystals

    7 Apr 2010

    Engineers have found inspiration for a new class of industrial catalysts from enzymes – the proteins responsible for biological tasks such as speeding up chemical reactions within the body.

  • Hydrogel bridges gap in cleft palate surgery

    6 Apr 2010

    Babies born with cleft palates could be treated with a new surgical reconstructive procedure that relies on using a material made of the same polymeric components used in contact lenses.

  • 3D retinal imaging system

    06 April 2010

    People with undiagnosed eye disease could have earlier assessments and treatment with new retinal imaging techniques normally used in scientific laboratories.

  • Mobile airport study receives £2m

    1 Apr 2010

    A £2m privately-funded study is looking into the feasibility of mobile airports, a concept in which aeroplanes could take off and land on aircraft carrier-like runways travelling on the motorway.

  • Future of privacy

    26 Mar 2010

    With all the recent privacy concerns surrounding the expansion of CCTV or airport body scanners, one might think society is united in its stance against personal intrusion.

  • Modern banking for older people

    25 Mar 2010

    New user-friendly technology needs to be developed to help older people access modern banking methods, argue the researchers behind a new government-sponsored project.

  • Clean combustion for turbines

    25 Mar 2010

    Siemens has begun research into clean combustion processes for future hydrogen-fired gas turbines.

  • Gold nanoparticles for memory storage

    25 Mar 2010

    Nano-sized particles of gold could be the basis for foldable, rollable or even wearable plastic electronics in the future.

  • Budget aims to boost innovation

    24 Mar 2010

    Alistair Darling has delivered a politically minded budget aimed at boosting start-up technology and innovation businesses and curbing earnings of the wealthy with targeted taxes.

  • Heating the headlines

    24 Mar 2010

    Municipal and wood waste could be transformed into transport biofuel with enhancements to a process that chemically decomposes substances by heating.

  • Conveyor takes cue from nature

    23 Mar 2010

    Future factory conveyor belts could sense, sort and move objects on the correct travel path with massive arrays of micro-actuators that work like cilia in the human body.

  • Picture of health

    23 Mar 2010

    Computed tomography (CT) scans could be faster and expose patients to less radiation with new image reconstruction techniques inspired by the JPEG format.

  • What's in the bag?

    22 Mar 2010

    What Alistair Darling carries in his red briefcase is on the minds of many in the engineering community as the chancellor prepares to deliver his Budget statement. 

  • Glucose takes the pace

    22 Mar 2010

    Glucose in the blood could power a pacemaker in such a way that it would work continuously in the patient’s body for their entire life.

  • Acting on impulse

    22 Mar 2010

    Aircraft made of a higher proportion of carbon-fibre composite (CFC) materials could be more vulnerable to damage from lightning strikes.

  • High speed rail tracks cause concern

    12 Mar 2010

    Industry experts have warned that a UK high speed rail network will require a radical new approach to track design

  • Combining cartoons with reality

    12 Mar 2010

    Mobile phones will soon be able to integrate 3D animation into live video in real time, using new software created at the University of Oxford’s Department of Engineering Science.

  • Prosthesis work has good chemistry

    11 Mar 2010

    Patients with hip implants will be less likely to need replacements with prosthesis design guidelines developed from research into the properties of ’synovial fluid’.

  • Liquids take heat off power systems

    11 Mar 2010

    The European Commission has invested £5.5m in UK-led research on nanoparticle-containing liquids that could improve the cooling capabilities of power systems without adding new components to existing system designs.

  • Wireless sensor harvests vibrations

    11 Mar 2010

    Siemens has developed wireless sensors that use piezoelectrics and solar cells to draw energy from the environment in the form of light or vibrations.

  • Sight of the navigator

    9 Mar 2010

    An ESA-sponsored research programme is attempting to make satellite navigation available both outdoors and inside buildings.

  • Weight off the pack

    8 Mar 2010

    Future battlefield soldiers could be issued with conductive uniforms that will power up their GPS, night vision and other electronic equipment.

  • Sustainable process could address biofuel concerns

    8 Mar 2010

    An EU-funded project aimed at designing ’sustainable’ biomass processing is underway despite claims from environmental groups and charities that increased biofuels consumption will contribute to food and hunger crises.

  • Organ player

    26 Feb 2010

    The introduction of a biological 3D printer could save lives, but what will be its effect on our behaviour?

  • Building for a better future

    26 Feb 2010

    Future homes may be able to ’tell’ homeowners when insulation needs replacing and estimate the amount of money wasted each day because of escaped heat.

  • UK investment concerns academics

    25 Feb 2010

    The government has announced £200m to support science and engineering businesses, amid criticism that its plans for cutting funds for pioneering academic research will stifle future UK innovation.

  • Let there be more light

    25 Feb 2010

    Light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which are brighter and longer lasting than conventional light bulbs, have been made twice as efficient thanks to a processing technique developed in Sheffield.

  • Vulnerable GPS puts sat-nav at risk

    24 Feb 2010

    The vulnerability of GPS signals means the UK population is at constant risk of losing satellite navigation or possibly the ability to make an emergency call from a mobile phone.

  • Imaging an earlier disease diagnosis

    24 Feb 2010

    Earlier detection of cancer, neurological or cardiovascular diseases could be made possible by combining data from medical imaging techniques.

  • Marine medicine

    24 Feb 2010

    A common corrosion problem that has baffled the marine industry for hundreds of years could be re-applied for destroying gall, bladder and kidney stones.

  • Flying out of a tight spot

    23 Feb 2010

    An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can take off vertically and manoeuvre around the tops of buildings has been proposed for security monitoring at the London Olympics.

  • Sharpening the edge of wind turbines

    23 Feb 2010

    Controlled rubber flaps could help make wind turbines less noisy and generate more energy.

  • Amputee mobility fix is socket science

    22 Feb 2010

    Amputee soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are presenting challenges for prosthesis developers aiming to help service personnel regain normality.

  • Wind industry training beckons for Corus cast-offs

    22 Feb 2010

    The mothballing of Corus’ Teesside Cast Products plant last Friday is being viewed as another indication that manufacturing must innovate and move beyond traditional industries to survive. 

  • Future of crime fighting

    12 Feb 2010

    Chief ReporterThe Engineer

  • Space industry key to UK economy

    11 Feb 2010

    The UK economy risks losing more manufacturing business overseas if it does not seize opportunities in the space industry.

  • Heart set on screening

    9 Feb 2010

    A portable device designed to measure the heart’s magnetic fluctuations is set to enhance screening for a number of cardiac conditions and dramatically improve diagnosis.

  • Bacteria grown for gas generation

    9 Feb 2010

    Future demand for hydrogen could be met by producing it from bacteria grown in biomass, say technologists at Belgian research organisation VITO.

  • 'Reminding device' aids autonomy

    9 Feb 2010

    Elderly people suffering from mild dementia may be able to live more autonomously in their home with new technology developed through a European-funded research programme.

  • Remote rehabilitation

    9 Feb 2010

    Patients with mobility problems would receive more efficient care if they were monitored at home instead of in hospitals, according to the backers of a new body-worn wireless sensor.

  • High tide for world's largest turbine

    08 February 2010

    The world’s largest operational tidal turbine, rated at 1MW, has received £1.9m from the UK government’s Carbon Trust to further improve its design.

  • Route to safer circuits

    08 February 2010

    Future electricity supplies could be more reliable following research at Southampton University, where engineers are studying the effects of oil contamination on transformers.

  • Investigating sudden infant deaths

    08 February 2010

    A biological assay being developed at Lancaster University could help to explain why nearly 300 young infants die inexplicably each year in the UK.

  • Sensing system is key to plants' steely issue

    08 February 2010

    The introduction of more efficient coal-fuelled power stations running at high temperatures requires more robust in-situ monitoring of steel structures, engineers warn.

  • The future of film

    5 Feb 2010

    Chief reporterThe Engineer

  • Report highlights energy challenges

    4 Feb 2010

    The UK could face widespread and frequent power outages following 2020 without drastic government intervention in the energy market.

  • Syringe has gentle touch

    27 Jan 2010

    Patients may feel less of a pinch when getting their next injection with the use of a new syringe developed by UK and Swiss medical device specialists.

  • Growing graphene

    25 Jan 2010

    A material that could replace silicon and lead to higher-speed electronics has for the first time been produced to a size and quality where it can be practically developed.

  • Scanners shed light on terrorists

    25 Jan 2010

    The government’s decision to raise the UK threat level to severe this weekend has once again raised concerns about the risk terrorists pose to air travel.

  • Green Monday

    25 Jan 2010

    The UK’s independent watchdog on sustainable development released a report today claiming information technology could play key role in making travel easier, safer and greener.

  • Landing a new role in power generation

    25 January 2010

    Aircraft landing on runways across the UK could feed electricity into the National Grid by converting braking energy into electricity.

  • Project tackles current affairs

    25 January 2010

    A €2.3m research project to improve the stability and security of electricity supplies in south-east Europe is being led by City University London.

  • Data travels via speed of white light

    25 January 2010

    Researchers in Germany have demonstrated an ability to wirelessly transfer data at rates of 500 megabits per second (Mbit/s) using white LED light.

  • Sound judgement

    25 January 2010

    Homeland security officials may be able to quickly separate and detect deadly biological weapons such as anthrax from samples using a microscopic tweezer-like device that relies on the power of ultrasound.

  • Storage method comes out of thin air

    25 January 2010

    A method of storing electricity in large quantities using compressed air has received backing from RWE, General Electric, Zueblin and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR).

  • RAE raises renewable-energy debate

    21 Jan 2010

    The latest Royal Academy of Engineering report has raised a debate over whether renewable energy should lead the way to achieve a low-carbon Britain.

  • The future of money

    15 Jan 2010

    It’s looking more and more like paper money and coins are becoming redundant. For many carrying cold hard cash on them is far less convenient than slipping a slim bank card in their pocket.

  • Haiti needs seismic-resistant buildings

    14 Jan 2010

    The massive earthquake that hit Haiti on Tuesday could have resulted in less fatalities and destruction with better-engineered buildings and structures.

  • Further A400M contributions needed

    12 Jan 2010

    The chief executives of Airbus and EADS have warned they may cancel the development of the A400M if the military transport’s customers do not make further contributions to the programme.

  • Rethinking ultrasonics

    11 January 2010

    A new type of ultrasound detector that relies on optical sensors instead of piezoelectric transducers is being developed at University College London for use in the medical and industrial sectors.

  • Humber rides the wave

    11 January 2010

    A full-scale demonstrator of what is claimed to be the first tidal-stream-energy device for estuaries is to be deployed in the Humber Estuary.

  • Brighter future for UK streets

    11 January 2010

    A lighting system developed by a Yorkshire company could one day replace traditional sodium street lights across the UK.

  • Hydrogen hopes for EHG technology

    11 January 2010

    Cars could increase their fuel efficiency by producing their own hydrogen and burning it with normal petrol or diesel.

  • Crown Estate announces wind bidders

    8 Jan 2010

    The Crown Estate has announced the successful bidders for the nine Round 3 offshore-wind zones, a development that could give the UK an extra 32.2GW of offshore capacity.

  • Alternative energy storage

    6 Jan 2010

    Future hybrid cars may no longer need large batteries to store the kinetic energy created by braking with several new alternative technologies being developed in Britain.

  • Reaching new heights

    4 Jan 2010

    Engineers have much to cheer about in the first week of this new decade. The week starts off with the public unveiling of a civil engineering marvel, the world’s tallest building in Dubai.

  • Station to station

    14 Dec 2009

    Chief reporterThe Engineer

  • Climate change negotiations continue

    14 Dec 2009

    Climate change negotiations are wrapping up in Copenhagen this week and world leaders including prime minister Gordon Brown and US president Barack Obama are expected to be in attendance. The Prince of Wales will deliver a speech tomorrow at the conference and meet with global business leaders to lobby for measures to reduce deforestation.

  • Vehicle tracking is on the buses

    8 Dec 2009

    A vehicle-tracking technology developed at Sunderland University will be used by Arriva buses in Scotland to help regulate services.

  • Tracing Arctic meltdown

    7 Dec 2009

    A fibre-optic cable-based technique will be used for the first time to monitor the effect the warming climate is having on permafrost in the Arctic region.

  • Sense of integrity

    7 December 2009

    Satellite imagery could one day be used to continuously monitor ground displacements over vast areas - helping engineers ensure the integrity of infrastructure such as railways and highways.

  • A spectrum of opportunities

    7 December 2009

    The digital switchover offers possibilities for technology developers. Siobhan Wagner reports

  • Battery packs a punch

    7 December 2009

    Battery operated devices will run longer between charges with greater amounts of stored energy using a new lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery based on silicon anodes, its developers claim.

  • Engine is on the pulse

    7 December 2009

    The developers of an engine that relies on electrical pulses from a battery to produce mechanical potential energy claim that it could replace traditional internal-combustion engines (ICEs).

  • Forces are hard at work with fast-growing algae

    7 December 2009

    Siemens researchers have developed a way to harvest algae with magnets, making it easier to exploit the raw material for biogas plants.

  • Method cuts MEMS inspection times

    7 December 2009

    A team of European researchers has developed a way to test hundreds of MEMS structures at once to reduce inspection time from 20 minutes to less than 30 seconds.

  • Floods and warnings

    30 Nov 2009

    A temporary railway station opened today in flood-ravaged Workington. The idea for the station was conceived under a week ago and demonstrates once more how engineering provides solutions in adversity.

  • King of the swingers

    27 Nov 2009

    Chief ReporterThe Engineer

  • Firm gets animated for print

    26 Nov 2009

    A company in Belgium aims to commercialise large area screen-printed electronics for the advertising and packaging industries.

  • Study focuses on airborne particles

    25 Nov 2009

    Urban air quality is being investigated by environmental health researchers at Birmingham University, who aim to gain a better knowledge of the sources and concentrations of airborne particles.

  • Solid foundation for offshore turbines

    23 November 2009

    The Carbon Trust has unveiled seven new offshore wind turbine foundation design concepts and methods for transporting them off Britain’s coast.

  • Tipped to wing it

    23 November 2009

    Airbus claims that shark-fin-inspired wing-tip devices on its A320 aircraft will help them use less fuel, carry more weight, climb higher at a faster rate and produce less emissions and noise.

  • Tying pirates in knots

    23 November 2009

    A ship-borne launching device that fires a rope-based barrier into the path of pirate vessels is being marketed at commercial ships at risk from such attacks.

  • UK's first smart grid

    20 Nov 2009

    What is claimed to be the UK’s first smart grid system has now been installed on the Orkney distribution network.

  • Vertical axis tidal turbine

    11 Nov 2009

    A tidal stream energy turbine that would be attached to a mooring rather than a rigid foundation could cut the cost and complexity of tidal energy installations.The concept, from UK start-up company Cormarent, is being promoted this week in the US by the SETsquared Partnership, an organisation that aims to foster early-stage technology businesses spun out from universities in Southern England.Cormarent’s vertical axis device concept, which has been analytically ...

  • Composite wings come near to major assembly

    November 2009 Online

    Airbus is claiming to be on track with the 2013 commercial roll-out of its A350 — its first airliner to be constructed with wings and a fuselage made primarily of composites.

  • HYBACS treats wastewater

    26 October 2009

    Severn Trent Water is testing a wastewater treatment unit that is claimed to consume less energy compared to other systems used by utilities.

  • Pocket-sized medical advice

    26 October 2009

    Patients could self-manage chronic diseases at home using a new pocket-sized device that captures data from a user’s wireless medical devices.

  • Robots inspect pipework

    26 October 2009

    Engineers are designing wireless robotic remote sensing agents that manoeuvre around the surface of pipework in nuclear plants and other difficult environments to evaluate structural integrity.

  • Virtual surgery aims to replace risky training

    26 October 2009

    Medical students would get their first ‘feel’ for spinal anaesthesia procedures if a new haptically enabled computer simulation system is widely adopted.

  • Remote support system enables heals on wheels

    12 October 2009

    A project is underway that will give cars the ability to self-heal electronic faults through intelligent embedded systems and wireless connections to remote support centres.

  • Pixel-perfect pictures

    12 October 2009

    Screen grabs from video streams would be as clear as a high-resolution photograph with a new technology from Oxford University researchers.

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The Engineer 14 May 2012

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