The Engineer articles from August 2006

The Engineer archives from August 2006

COMMENT: Bring on the technology Dragons.
August 7, 2006... Many readers will have watched last week's new series of Dragon's Den, the cult BBC show that puts would-be entrepreneurs in front of a panel of investors in an attempt to get them to part with their cash. The programme is an often...

THE BIG PICTURE: Soapboxing clever.
August 7, 2006... Lotus smashes downhill gravity racing record and becomes the most successful UK team ever The Lotus Type 119c soapbox has claimed its second consecutive title and record in the Brooklands Soapbox Derby at Brooklands in Surrey, making...

THE BIG PICTURE: Hydrogen scooter beats pollution.
August 7, 2006... An Industrial design engineering graduate from Delft University of Technology in Holland has designed and built a working prototype of a hydrogen-powered scooter. Crijn Bouman designed the Fhybrid scooter to help combat pollution in...

THE BIG PICTURE: Sensors in space record the big heat.
August 7, 2006... As the UK endured the hottest July since records began, sensors in space have been recording increases in UK land temperature and in air pollution - particularly in major cities. During a period of stable summer weather from 15-19 July,...

IN BRIEF: Magnetic memory makers.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Leeds University physicists are leading a #2.3m project to make materials that would allow computer memory and other components to use magnetism rather than electrical charges. Magnetism in microelectronic components - spintronics - is used for...

IN BRIEF: Stem-cell surgery on pigs.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Researchers at Minnesota University, US, have used robotic surgery to deliver stem-cell treatment to damaged heart tissue in pigs. The cells were 'labelled' with iron particles so researchers could see if they engrafted in the pig hearts....

IN BRIEF: HTS wire heads towards market.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... American Superconductor Corporation says it has achieved commercial levels of electric current for the first time in long lengths of second generation (2G) high-temperature superconductor (HTS) wire. This is the first time commercial levels of...

NEWS: The route to cleaner air.
August 7, 2006... A system of sensors is being devised by researchers to help control traffic movements that generate poullution A three-year research project jointly funded by the Department for Transport and EPSRC is to create a sensor network that will...

NEWS: Healthier image.
August 7, 2006... Magnetising diseased body tissue could help make keyhole surgery safer Researchers at Dundee University are investigating a technique that magnetises diseased body tissue to improve the effectiveness of keyhole surgery. By giving the...

European team goes for golden goal.
August 7, 2006... Gold wires just one atom thick and connected to a single molecule are the goal for a team of European researchers. They are laying the foundations for faster, smaller computers based on molecular-scale structures. They have already broken...

NEWS: Seeing is believing.
August 7, 2006... Consortium from academia and industry aims to build world's first tele- collaboration system A system that will allow participants in virtual conferences to express and interpret non-verbal communication is being developed by an...

NEWS: The write formula.
August 7, 2006... Faster racing cars and lighter aircraft could be the result of BAE Systems and McLaren collaboration BAE Systems and McLaren have teamed up to test a technology that allows engineers to 'write' electrical circuits directly on to surfaces....

NEWS: Fuelling the future.
August 7, 2006... A decentralised energy generation system could help supply the UK when conventional fuels become unavailable A five-year project at St Andrews University is creating technologies that will allow the development of a decentralised energy...

NEWS: A range of possibilities.
August 7, 2006... New type of mid-infrared laser operating at longer wavelengths may aid communications and healthcare A consortium led by Qinetiq has received #1m from the DTI to develop a laser that could lead to a wide range of commercial applications...

NEWS: Sight for sore eyes.
August 7, 2006... Sensor can automatically adjust a monitor's brightness to help reduce eye strain A sensor has been developed that for the first time matches the sensitivity of the human eye, according to its developers. The ambient sensor, called SFH...

BUSINESS: Cleaner air act.
August 7, 2006... Carbon Trust subsidiary aims to develop low-carbon technology ventures The Carbon Trust has announced the creation of a new commercial subsidiary to develop low-carbon technology ventures, particularly in the food and drink sectors. ...

VIEWPOINT: Think small to grow big.
August 7, 2006... Nanotechnology is not just for use in the future. Rob Fastenau argues that it has a role to play now in meeting our energy needs As energy demands increase and our ability to supply using traditional methods declines, we must not...

LETTER: Salt water cycle.(Letter to the editor)
August 7, 2006... We are told regularly that, due to global warming (or to climate change, depending on the writer's or editor's viewpoint), the ice caps are melting, pouring millions of litres of fresh water into the oceans, diluting the salt content and...

LETTER: Not so cool.(Letter to the editor)
August 7, 2006... In 'Techno warriors' (Feature, 17 July), you report the development of a 'sophisticated thermal sight' for infantry weapons. Apparently, the accuracy of the image will be improved by use of a thermo-electric cooler. It seems to me that...

LETTER: Flying in the face.(Letter to the editor)
August 7, 2006... I was interested to see in your 17 July issue letters on global warming, carbon emissions and biofuels, a news story about generating energy in our communities from locally-grown crops while Viewpoint talked about heating our pools with...

LETTER: Flying in the face of common sense.(Letter to the editor)
August 7, 2006... Justin Gudgeon is right to put energy use research into a broader perspective (Letters, 17 July). As the recent heatwave cools down, the great British public, having rediscovered the outdoors, will light up its stock of gas patio heaters,...

FORENSIC TECHNOLOGY: In the frame.
August 7, 2006... An advanced photo identity system is just one of the innovations being developed to provide police with a battery of hi-tech forensic equipment to fight drug and terrorist-related crime. Jon Excell reports The year is 2020. It is 3am and a...

INTERVIEW: Eye on the ball.(Interview)
August 7, 2006... Roy Jones and his sports research group at Loughborough influenced the flight of the controversial World Cup football and helps athletes from footballers to golfers perfect their aim. Niall Firth reports The stunning, swerving goal scored...

DESIGN ENGINEERING: Sticky fingers.
August 7, 2006... Researchers from BAE Systems use biomimetics to develop technology with similar gripping powers to the texture of a gecko's feet. Stuart Nathan explains Spend time anywhere in southern Europe and it won't be long before you spot a...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - REVERSIBLE BONDING: Coming unstuck.
August 7, 2006... Joint German project designs reversible adhesive system, so that plastic parts which have been glued together can be quickly and easily disassembled. Stuart Nathan reports Gluing materials together may be a reliable way of joining them,...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - CUSTOM DESIGN: Marathon feat.
August 7, 2006... Innovative engineering techniques meant an injured athlete could take part in The London Marathon - on crutches with a difference. Stuart Nathan reports Running the London Marathon is a major achievement for anybody, but taking part on...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - MEDICAL ADHESIVES: Bonding exercise.
August 7, 2006... Driven by increasing surgery and dental work required by an ageing population, the medical sector will increasingly accept adhesives and sealants in hospitals and the home. Mark Venables reports Joining two materials together is one of...

PDM 2006: Dedicated follower of plastic.
August 7, 2006... Technical advice, an interactive design centre, ancillaries suppliers stands and all the latest developments add up to a compelling package, says Colin Carter Anyone working within plastics design and manufacturing really has to visit...

COMMENT: Learning to sort out fact from myth.
August 21, 2006... There is a familiar ring to the latest flurry of headlines bemoaning the decline of science and technology education, and its potentially catastrophic effect on the UK economy. We have certainly seen them before and, on the basis that...

COMMENT: Two new regular sections make their debut.
August 21, 2006... Two new regular sections make their debut in this issue of The Engineer. The first, called Insight, takes an in-depth look at a product or system with technology and innovation at its heart. The second, Managing Technology, explores some of the...

THE BIG PICTURE: Peugeot prepares for Paris debut.
August 21, 2006... Concept car has been designed to take part in the Le Mans Race Series in 2007 Peugeot's latest concept car, the 5.5 litre 908 RC will make its debut at the Paris Motor Show next month. The four-door 908 RC is powered by Peugeot's V12...

THE BIG PICTURE: Hydrofoil car makes a cross-channel splash.
August 21, 2006... The head of Rinspeed, Frank Rinderknecht, has broken the world record for crossing the English Channel in a hydrofoil car. The cross-channel trip - achieved in 193 min 47 sec - took place on 26 July from Dover in Kent to the French town...

THE BIG PICTURE: US missile motor programme gets a boost.
August 21, 2006... Lockheed Martin and Alliant Techsystems have test-fired a second-stage booster motor under the Submarine Launched Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (SLIRBM) Booster System Demonstration for the US Navy. The modified second-stage ATK...

IN BRIEF: Pilkington calls in Manchester Metropolitan.(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... Pilkington Glass has called on Manchester Metropolitan university's materials scientists to help develop its energy-efficient glazing products. Prof Peter Kelly's surface engineering group is working on their energy-saving glass coatings,...

IN BRIEF: EU spotlights way to boost oil production and cut CO2 emissions.(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... A report by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre Directorate- General highlights a new process that could increase the recovery of European oil resources and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The technique involves injecting an oil...

IN BRIEF: Qinetiq Zephyr UAV notches up 18 hours' flight in US trials.(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... Qinetiq's three Zephyr High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) solar- powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) achieved their longest flights during trials in the US, with one recording 18 hours. Zephyr is a 30kg electrically powered aircraft, with...

NEWS: Driving on air.
August 21, 2006... Brunel university aims to turn a combustion engine into an environmentally-friendly air compressor Research is taking place on both sides of the Atlantic into innovative air-hybrid engines that promise to be lighter, cheaper and more...

NEWS: Joint effort.
August 21, 2006... Replacing only diseased parts of cartilage with synthetic material could bring hope to osteoarthritis sufferers The human body is generally excellent at repairing itself, but there are parts which, under certain conditions, even the...

NEWS: Easy rider.
August 21, 2006... Jaguar backs research to create smoother car journeys by replacing shock absorbers with single linear motors The TV show Pimp My Ride, in which cars are modified into macho showboats, often reveals that the suspension is a key to vehicle...

NEWS: The heat is off.
August 21, 2006... Nanotech breakthrough by Cambridge engineers could spell the end for silicon Researchers at Cambridge university have made a breakthrough in the manufacture of carbon nanotubes. They claim it heralds the beginning of the end for the...

NEWS: Target practice.
August 21, 2006... Cancer treatment uses 'sniper-rifle' approach to deliver drugs via ultrasound and optics A research grant for #2m to aid the development of pioneering drug delivery treatment for cancer and gene therapy has been awarded to the...

NEWS: Heart of the problem.
August 21, 2006... Three-year medical imaging study aims to improve scanning as a diagnostic tool Heart patient care could improve if research succeeds in boosting the quantity and quality of scan data. New techniques for streamlining magnetic resonance...

NEWS: The eyes have it.
August 21, 2006... Anti-intruder system uses optical detection designed to make false alarms a thing of the past Responding to an intruder alarm only to find it is a false alarm is costly, time-consuming and annoying. In 2005 there were more than 368,000...

VIEWPOINT: Driving change.
August 21, 2006... I believe that in the future, perhaps 10 or 15 years from now, every adult in the UK will have an accurate idea of how much CO2 they emit into the atmosphere each year. Today, we decide how we spend our money. In future, we will be faced...

LETTER: Rose among Dragons.(Letter to the editor)
August 21, 2006... I was lucky enough to make a nine-minute appearance on the second series of the programme last year in front of 3.5 million viewers - one of the longer slots. As you quite rightly said, many other people on the show had different types of...

LETTER: Forensic application.(Letter to the editor)
August 21, 2006... You were certainly topical with your article 'In the frame' (Feature, 7 August) about the use of technology to advance forensic science. Recently we heard that the forensics in the Damilola Taylor murder investigation were possibly...

LETTER: On the water front.(Letter to the editor)
August 21, 2006... Regarding your online leader 'Send us your water', 3,600 million litres of water are wasted by the water companies every day. At the average water consumption rate of 155 litres per person that is equivalent to the requirement for 23...

RETAIL TECHNOLOGY: What's in store?
August 21, 2006... The future of traditional shopping looks set to change dramatically as supermarkets and shops embrace a raft of electronic payment, shelf location and individual goods tagging systems. Niall Firth reports The British shopper is not known...

RETAIL TECHNOLOGY: Setting store by natural energy.
August 21, 2006... Supermarket technology is also set to extend beyond simply enhancing the shopping experience or improving efficiency. In July, environment secretary David Milliband hauled the bosses of the 'big four' supermarkets into a meeting and told...

INSIGHT: New kid on the block.
August 21, 2006... Lego's newest creation is a far cry from the plastic building bricks of yesteryear. Mindstorms NXT is a do-it-yourself software robotics kit that may become this year's must-have toy. Jon Excell reports As evocative brand names go it's...

MANAGING TECHNOLOGY: Relief in sight.
August 21, 2006... Getting money back from Gordon Brown rather than watch it flow out the other way sounds innovative indeed. Happily for technology-led businesses, innovation in the form of R&D can bring about this blissful state. Less happily, many appear to...

R&D Tax credits: the basics.
August 21, 2006... Large companies (those with more than 250 employees) can deduct 125 per cent of qualifying expenditure on R&D when calculating their profit for tax purposes. SMEs can deduct 150 per cent and may be eligible for up to 24 per cent in cash...

INTERVIEW: Generating ideas.(Interview)
August 21, 2006... Prof Nick Jenkins of the Joule Energy Research Centre is pioneering low- carbon technologies, as well as smart systems to improve local energy efficiency. Christopher Sell reports While the dominant flavour of last month's energy review...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING: A glass act.
August 21, 2006... Bristol university researchers employ aerodynamic levitation technique in an attempt to manufacture containerless glass at speed. Stuart Nathan reports A process for making glass without a container could lead to new insights into how...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - DVD REVOLUTION: Light reading.
August 21, 2006... Disc manufacturers are demanding more durability from new-generation DVDs, so a completely new way of making them has been developed using spin coatings. Stuart Nathan reports The new generation of DVDs - which because of their extra...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - PROCESS SAFETY: Playing it safe.
August 21, 2006... Integrating basic process control with a smart Safety Instrumented System is becoming the norm for an ever-growing range of process plants. Mark Venables explains Since last year's dramatic fire at the Hertfordshire oil depot in...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - METALWORKING: Driving force.
August 21, 2006... Car makers are increasingly using banks of smaller CNC machines to provide a flexible way to meet fluctuating demand within the constraints of just-in-time and lean manufacturing. Mark Venables reports For the first time in years, the...