The Engineer articles from August 2007

The Engineer archives from August 2007

COMMENT: New electrics could be a turn-on.
August 13, 2007... Electric cars are a joke. They are hopelessly small, infuriatingly slow, quite possibly unsafe and won't get you further than the edge of town before needing a billion megawatts of power. Oh yes, and driving one makes you look like a prize...

THE BIG PICTURE: What a mover!
August 13, 2007... Super-sized vehicle to transport telescope to high-altitude observatory in Chile Moving a 115-tonne astronomical observatory antenna might not be one of the world's most taxing logistical tasks. But lifting and transporting it to...

THE BIG PICTURE: RCV Engines scoops Honeywell contract.
August 13, 2007... Dorset-based RCV Engines demonstrated a 60cc engine developed for Honeywell's MAV autonomous surveillance aircraft for the first time in public at the recent AUVSI's Unmanned Systems north America conference. The twin-cylinder, 'boxer'...

THE BIG PICTURE: Siemens to target tumours more precisely.
August 13, 2007... Siemens is building a particle acceleration therapy centre for radiation treatment for hospital operator Rhon-Klinikum in Marburg, Germany, to enable tumours near vital organs to be treated with greater precision. With traditional cancer...

IN BRIEF: Super-strong reversible glue.(Brief article)
August 13, 2007... A water-based adhesive that can lose and regain its stickiness at different pH levels has been developed by Sheffield University scientists led by Dr Mark Geoghegan. The discovery may have implications for administering drugs in the body. It is...

IN BRIEF: Sensor helps cut emissions.(Brief article)
August 13, 2007... A team from Manchester University has used a near-infrared diode laser sensor to record levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane from inside a vehicle exhaust pipe. Once optimised, the equipment could be incorporated into...

IN BRIEF: Greener biofuel purifier.(Brief article)
August 13, 2007... A cheap, simple way of purifying biodiesel made from vegetable oils, which is also low in toxicity, has been developed by Leicester University chemists. It claims to be greener than traditional methods and provides a sustainable way to purify...

NEWS: Gas guzzlers.
August 13, 2007... Ceramic tubes made from an advanced material can remove harmful emissions from power stations Ceramic tubes that could cut most emissions from gas-fired power stations and coal and oil-fired generators have been developed by researchers at...

NEWS: Tiny testers.
August 13, 2007... Lab-on-a-chip technology is replacing full-scale laboratories for analysing the effects of stimuli on cells WHAT do mobile phones, PDAs and drug- testing laboratories have in common? They may all be able to fit into the palm of your hand if...

NEWS: Demand performance.
August 13, 2007... University project aims to optimise efficiency of fuel cells in future UAVs Improving the energy use and efficiency of fuel cells powering future UAVs and stealth ground vehicles using computational intelligent modelling is the aim of...

NEWS: On track.
August 13, 2007... Technology used to help trace criminals may be used to boost UK athletes' Olympic 2012 hopes A technology being used to identify possible criminals or terrorists in a crowd may help UK in its bid for medals at the 2012 Olympics. The...

NEWS: Savings in the air.
August 13, 2007... Car industry could cut bills by using cost-efficient micro-powered gas sensors In a bid to help the car industry keep production costs down scientists at Warwick University are developing nano-structured micro-power gas sensors. ...

NEWS: Triple vision.
August 13, 2007... Cambridge team plans to combine best of existing 3D imaging terchnologies A 'hybrid' 3D ultrasound system designed to provide data so detailed it could replace CT or MRI scans for certain applications is being developed at Cambridge...

VIEWPOINT: Early warning.
August 13, 2007... Engineeering expertise has improved medical imaging for the delivery of more effective treatments even before symptoms become apparent, says Jean-Luc Vanderheyden Medical imaging, perhaps more than any other facet of diagnostic...

LETTER: Slow-speed railways.(Letter to the editor)
August 13, 2007... Further to your editorial 'Rail review not up to speed' (Comment, 30 July) the government's effort to revitalise the UK rail network is pitiful. First, there is a history - in both national and now partial private ownership - where all...

LETTER: Racing helmet.(Letter to the editor)
August 13, 2007... In his letter 'Caging the Cyclists' (Talking Point, 30 July) J Gray seems to be under the impression that full protection cycling helmets have not yet been invented. This is quite untrue. Several options exist on the market, and today's...

LETTER: Visor solution.(Letter to the editor)
August 13, 2007... Regarding J Gray's comments on the environmental and health benefits of cycling (Talking Point, 30 July) surely the concept or solution is at hand in the health and safety shops? What about a simple, clear visor that might be used for,...

LETTER: Face-contact counts.(Letter to the editor)
August 13, 2007... Perhaps Mr Gray should have ventured into his local bike shop before writing. Then he would have discovered that a wide range of full-face cycling helmets is already available. They are aimed predominantly at the Downhill Mountain Biking...

LETTER: No need to search.(Letter to the editor)
August 13, 2007... I realise the Engineer is not a cycling magazine, but I must respond to J Gray's comments on the design of full-face safety helmets for cyclists - especially his last paragraph when he posed the question 'is there not an engineer out there...

ELECTRIC CARS: On the grid.
August 13, 2007... Three new high-performance electric cars are hoping to prove that battery power motoring has a bright future. George Coupe investigates ALTHOUGH ELECTRIC cars are increasingly popular with environmentally- conscious urban commuters, their...

INSIGHT: Star of the show.
August 13, 2007... The DigiStar 3 projector is helping the National Maritime Museum's planetarium at Greenwich to give astronomy an even sharper focus. Stuart Nathan reports When the Holy Roman Emperor, Friedrick II of Hohenstaufen, returned from the...

INTERVIEW: Ahead of the game.(Interview)
August 13, 2007... Prof Stephanie Haywood, head of the Gaming Technology Centre, is responsible for developing sophisticated systems designed to beat the casino cheats. Jon Excell reports A visit to a casino can be a bewildering and intimidating experience;...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - IMPLEMENTING: Lateral thinking.
August 13, 2007... As power costs rise and emissions trading schemes become charges for excessive consumption, firms across all sectors seek different ways to slash energy usage and emissions. Stuart Nathan reports Energy reduction has long been the poor...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - MANAGING TECHNOLOGY: Positive response.
August 13, 2007... Instead of seeing emerging economies as just a threat, UK manufacturers realise they can also provide advantages for their production processes. Tom Lawton explains Globalisation has in the past been damaging to the UK and resulted in...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - PUMPS AND VALVES: Pump action.
August 13, 2007... The humble pump or valve is being transformed into a highly developed solution for specific technical challenges. Colin Carter reports Pumps and valves are the unglamorous but very necessary core components of many small and large-scale...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - MACHINE TOOLS: Automatic set-up.
August 13, 2007... Hard on the heels of the drive towards fully-traceable on-machine verification comes round-the-clock unmanned machining strategies, lower costs and improved consistency. Martin Oakham explains Confidence in machine tool build quality has...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - MODELLING & PROTOTYPING: Getting real.
August 13, 2007... Today it is not enough to have dimensionally accurate prototype alloy castings. They need to mechanically simulate production parts in every way. Charles Clarke reports The modelling and prototyping market is one of those sectors that...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - PROCESS CONTROL: Sweet solutions.
August 13, 2007... Improving control systems can have a positive impact on company costs as well as conserving raw materials, making better use of resources and reducing the need for waste disposal. Julia Pierce reports There is little doubt that refining...

TCT 2007: Designs on a faster finish.
August 13, 2007... TCT 2007 brings together the leaders in rapid manufacturing and development for a two-day festival of insight and inspiration. Mark Venables reports The Pressure to get products to market quickly has never been greater. Fail to do so and...