The Engineer articles from February 2006

The Engineer archives from February 2006

The age of innovation draws near.
February 13, 2006... If you needed any more evidence that innovation in healthcare technology is on course to become not just a boom industry but a full- scale national obsession, consider these predictions on the number of UK citizens living to be 100. ...

THE BIG PICTURE: 0-60 In two and a half seconds.
February 13, 2006... From the engineers that brought us the McLaren F1... a 1,000bhp roadster The Freestream T1 is being hailed as the first car that can create 1,000bhp per tonne. Only 25 of the exclusive two-seater ultra-lightweight sportscars will be...

THE BIG PICTURE: Playing tag with plastic.
February 13, 2006... Researchers at Philips have created a RFID tag based entirely on plastic electronics. According to Philips, this will be the first plastic-electronics based tag capable of transmitting multi-bit digital identification codes at 13.56MHz - the...

THE BIG PICTURE: Silicon value.
February 13, 2006... A University of Wisconsin-Madison team has shown that when the surface of nanoscale silicon is specially cleaned, the surface itself allows current flow in thin layers that won't ordinarily conduct. Conductivity at the nanoscale is...

IN BRIEF: View from the Moon.
February 13, 2006... Plans are afoot to build a telescope on the Moon within the next decade. Part of a new Italian space programme, the telescope would be built by landing the component parts on the Moon and assembling them using robots. The advantage of a lunar...

IN BRIEF: Fingers on the pulse.
February 13, 2006... Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) and JVC have co-developed a network robot vision system capable of achieving a resolution of eight megapixels. It consists of a high- resolution robot camera and...

IN BRIEF: Medical pumps allow doctors to go with the flow.
February 13, 2006... UK researchers have developed SECTA, a new medical pump that can deliver large and microscopic volumes of fluid with no loss of accuracy. The new mechanism, developed by PDDi, overcomes common deficiencies of peristaltic, syringe and diaphragm...

NEWS: From small wonder.
February 13, 2006... Ttechnology adapted from model plane engines could power fuel-efficient motor scooters A UK developer of innovative model aircraft engines looks set to cash in on an increasing global appetite for small, fuel- efficient motor scooters....

NEWS: Mini driver.
February 13, 2006... UK project aims to shrink the combustion engine to just 1mm3 Researchers at Cambridge University are developing a 1mm- scale internal combustion engine that could be used to power miniature spy planes or 'smart dust', it is claimed. ...

NEWS: Civil servant.
February 13, 2006... Saab unveils intelligent missile protection system for commercial aircraft Saab has developed a missile protection system for civil aircraft which is claimed to be safer and more effective than any current technology. The Saab Civil...

NEWS: Smoke detectors.
February 13, 2006... Researchers work with police to develop instant drugs breath test Technology designed for use by astro-chemists to study space could be adapted to detect the presence of cannabis or other drugs on a person's breath. Researchers at...

NEWS: Getting the picture.
February 13, 2006... System takes the blur out of footage from CCTV cameras for use in court A surveillance system based on artificial intelligence promises to give clear, unequivocal pictures of those caught on CCTV committing crimes. The system, developed...

NEWS: The fuel reformation.
February 13, 2006... UK team seeks more efficient way to make hydrogen for wide-scale application of fuel cells Researchers from the Universities of Leeds and Bath, along with a team from Imperial College, are working on a method which should make it easier...

NEWS: Going for the burn.
February 13, 2006... Solid carbon fuel cells offer the potential of 100 per cent power efficiency Research into an innovative fuel cell concept that uses solid carbon is to be undertaken at the University of St Andrews. According to the project's leader,...

NEWS: Aroma-therapy.
February 13, 2006... A sensing device is being developed that could offer diagnosis of diarrhoea-borne diseases within minutes, with potential applications in disaster areas and less developed countries. Researchers from the Universities of Bristol and West of...

Focus: It all adds up.
February 13, 2006... A government-backed scheme aims to bring industrial mathematics to companies so they can advance their technologies in a more dynamic way. Niall Firth reports Never the sexiest of subjects, advanced mathematics can often end up coming far...

BUSINESS: The hub of a power revolution.
February 13, 2006... PowerBuoys at heart of ambitious #15m offshore energy generation system The developer of a planned wave power farm in Cornwall has named a trio of renewable energy specialists whose technology will underpin the #15m project. The...

BUSINESS: EADS and Algeria's space agency in observation satellite deal.
February 13, 2006... EADS Astrium has signed a contract with Algeria's National Space Technology Centre (CNTS) for developing its ALSAT-2 system, comprising two optical observation satellites. The system is designed to enable the country to obtain very high...

BUSINESS: Defence measures.
February 13, 2006... Chemring pays out #44m to help boost global portfolio UK defence countermeasures and pyrotechnics group Chemring, has further boosted its international profile with three acquisitions. In a bid to consolidate what it claims is...

Antonov and Chinese SUV giant in transmission technology agreement.
February 13, 2006... Automotive transmission developer Antonov has entered into a licence agreement with one of China's largest pick-up truck and SUV manufacturers, Great Wall Motor company (GWM). Under the terms of the partnership, GWM - which can produce...

Smiths Group delivers bullish trading message to investors.
February 13, 2006... UK engineering giant Smiths Group has issued a generally upbeat message in a trading update to investors, but said its Aerospace division is likely to record lower profits than the previous year due to higher development costs. However,...

Johnson Matthey's #40m DPT buyout 'a benefit to both' claim.
February 13, 2006... Catalyst specialist Johnson Matthey has bought Davy Process Technology (DPT for #40m in a deal it claims will bring new opportunities to exploit the research capabilities of both. The two businesses have a long history of collaboration...

Centrica makes another powerfull raid deep in heart of Texas.
February 13, 2006... UK gas supplier Centrica has paid #26.6m for a third power station in Texas. The company said its north American subsidiary, Direct Energy, has acquired Tenaska III Texas Partners, owner of the Paris Energy Centre, a 244MW gas-fired combined...

Solid performance from ARM thanks to 30 per cent volume rise.
February 13, 2006... ARM Holdings' Q4 and year-end results showed a solid financial performance for the processor company, which said its growth was running at twice the rate of the overall semiconductor industry. Volumes of ARM-powered products increased by more...

VIEWPOINT: Potential energy.
February 13, 2006... Though there are no ready answers yet on how future generations will meet man's escalating energy needs, BP's Ross Pillari believes we will find solutions that are not only workable but also competitive THE DEMAND FOR energy is rising...

LETTER: Eurocratic nonsense.(Letter to the Editor)
February 13, 2006... I think Andrew Lee's leader is taking rather a too rosy view of the relationship between the UK's technology sector and overseas partners, especially in Europe (Comment, January 30). The European Union receives huge amounts of taxpayers'...

LETTER: Russian Moonshine?(Letter to the Editor)
February 13, 2006... Your report on Russia's plans to set up a mine on the moon (The Big Picture, 30 January) was a little too credulous. Set up a base on the moon by 2015? Really? The last time I heard, the Russian space industry was bankrupt and barely...

LETTER: A past present.(Letter to the Editor)
February 13, 2006... I don't doubt that The Engineer has an archive full of interesting stories from the past. I remember that at one time you carried as part of your then Backpage a regular feature from your archive. This stopped a few years ago which I...

LETTER: Demanding issue.(Letter to the Editor)
February 13, 2006... The subjects of energy supply and saving are often aired in all forms of the press, but my own assessment is that we need to tackle the really challenging issue - energy demand. After consideration of all that I have read, plus my own...

FORMATION SPACEFLIGHT: Stellar line-up.
February 13, 2006... The success of the two major ESA projects will depend on getting spacecraft to fly in perfect formation with each other. Niall Firth reports As any Red Arrows pilot will tell you, formation flying is far from easy. This is acknowledged...

INTERVIEW: Lighting the way.
February 13, 2006... Prof Klaus Muller-Dethlefs, director of the newly-opened Photon Science Institute, hopes to put UK research into this field on to the world map. Christopher Sell reports A RELATIVELY small handful of scientific academic institutions...

DESIGN ENGINEERING: Cracking solution.
February 13, 2006... A ceramic which is claimed to withstand extreme heat, while remaining non-brittle, could hold the key to a new generation of nuclear reactors. Stuart Nathan explains Russian scientists claim to have developed a ceramic able to withstand...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY: Liquid assets.
February 13, 2006... Groundbreaking water behaviour research focuses on how polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells can provide the best energy output. Stuart Nathan reports Although the widespread use of fuel cells in vehicles and the home is getting closer,...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - STRUCTURAL DESIGN: Doublethink.
February 13, 2006... A combination of static and kinematic maths could help design buildings and structures able to withstand high winds and earthquakes better than current techniques. Stuart Nathan reports Combining the mathematical basis for designing...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - LINEAR MOTION: Roll on.
February 13, 2006... As well as achieving highly accurate, fast movement, the latest linear technology maintains reduced rolling resistance, heightened performance and almost maintenance-free operation, says Martin Oakham AS A lad the TV show Thunderbirds was...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - AIR SPRING SUSPENSION: Air of intelligence.
February 13, 2006... Once the preserve of HGvs and the luxury cars market, advances in electronic control are making air-spring technology available to a wider range of vehicles. Lane Whitward explains AIR SPRING TECHNOLOGY is common on trucks and trailers, and...

DESIGN ENGINEERIN: Flying observatory to get an airing.
February 13, 2006... Contitech Airspring Systems has developed an air suspension system for the research aircraft SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy), a joint project between NASA and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). Designed to detect...

In the same boat - 60 years on.
February 27, 2006... One of the pleasures of scouring The Engineer's 150-year-old archive is unearthing the many parallels between past and present. The material we will soon publish to celebrate the magazine's anniversary year sometimes seems to come not just...

THE BIG PICTURE: Airbus plays it cool.
February 27, 2006... Next-generation passenger jet undergoes low-temperature trials Airbus has put its new A380 superjumbo through a series of cold weather tests in Iqaluit, Canada. MSN004, the second A380 to fly, spent five days in conditions of up to -30oC...

THE BIG PICTURE: Aerial leap for WolfPack.
February 27, 2006... This ungainly looking machine is an unmanned aerial system (UAS) from BAE Systems that is capable of vertical take-off and landing. It was recently demonstrated at Fort Benning, Georgia, for DARPA and the US Army. The system is...

THE BIG PICTURE: Avalanche study goes with the flow.
February 27, 2006... An installation that uses fluid mechanics to generate avalanches in the laboratory has been developed to help scientists better understand the physical mechanisms of the phenomena. Computer models simulating complex fluid movement, such...

IN BRIEF: Nano intiative puts safety first.
February 27, 2006... Thirteen companies, universities and research institutes are joining forces to develop standard measuring and test methods to analyse safety issues relating to nanomaterials. The NanoCare research project, which starts in March and is...

IN BRIEF: Bath is best for wireless users.
February 27, 2006... A wireless computing network is being set up in Bath, Somerset, as part of a three-year research project that could influence the future of mobile phone technology. The Cityware project, based at the University of Bath, will turn the city...

IN BRIEF: US tries the Soviet treatment.
February 27, 2006... A Soviet technology developed during the Cold War to keep short-range military communications secure could offer relief from hard-to-treat conditions such as nerve pain, intense itching and nausea caused by chemotherapy. Health millimeter...

Facing up to high-speed security.
February 27, 2006... 3D face-scanning system on trial at Sheffield Hallam University supplies instant biometric data Airport check-in may change forever if UK trials of a new type of split- second 3D face imaging system are successful. The technology -...

Getting a firmer grip.
February 27, 2006... Three-year project aims to create intelligent sensors for prosthetic hand that mimics human dexterity Fingertip sensor technology is being used to develop a new type of prosthetic hand, claimed to be capable of accurately mimicking human...

Superior air power.
February 27, 2006... Turbines in the form of spinning airships could harness the energy of high-altitude winds A tethered wind turbine floating up to 300m (1,000ft) above the ground could provide cheaper electricity by picking up the stronger winds that are...

Coal cleans up its act.
February 27, 2006... Groundbreaking technology could significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions Researchers from Imperial College London have designed a system which uses coal to generate hydrogen. Team leader Rafael Kandiyoti believes that the ZECA...

Perpetuum cashes in on kinetic energy.
February 27, 2006... Southampton University spin-out Perpetuum has secured #2.2m of venture capital to further develop its microgenerator, which it claims can generate power indefinitely and inexpensively. Microgenerators harvest kinetic energy, usually from...

Seeing through physics.
February 27, 2006... Anglo-Swiss nanotech research paves the way for lasers that could make solid materials 'transparent' Childhood fantasies of seeing through brick walls and closed doors could be a step closer to reality following work by researchers from...

Government cash for hybrid power.
February 27, 2006... Hampshire-based Nanotecture has been awarded a #375,000 government grant to support a two-year research and development project called Next Generation Super-capacitors for Hybrid Vehicle Applications. The research involves collaboration between...

Sizing up the situation.
February 27, 2006... Mobile wireless mini sensors could save time and money by anticipating possible mechanical faults UK researchers are developing wireless miniature sensors which can detect wear and tear in machinery and predict when it might break down,...

Catering for safer restaurants.
February 27, 2006... Major international fast food chains, including KFC and McDonald's, are showing interest in a UK-led European project designed to spot potential health hazards. The EU-funded project, IMOK (Intelligent Monitoring Of Kitchens), uses an...

FOCUS: DIY enthusiasts.
February 27, 2006... TRL couldn't find the vehicle testing technology it needed, so it designed its own. Now the company owns some valuable IP. Max Glaskin reports A new type of test sled is set to improve the safety of everybody, from children in cars to...

BUSINESS: ABB powers into profit.
February 27, 2006... Strong performances in the Swiss giant's core areas restores the firm's fortunes Swiss engineering giant ABB showed signs of having turned the corner following years of financial difficulties. ABB, which came near to financial...

BUSINESS: Catalyst for growth at CDT.
February 27, 2006... Emissions control specialist Clean Diesel Technologies has announced the European launch of a new catalyst system designed to reduce NOx levels from heavy vehicle engines. CDT, which develops systems to reduce particulates in combustion...

VIEWPOINT: Pulling power.
February 27, 2006... The ebb and flow of the tides could be harnessed for use in a network of 'hubs' around the UK to provide a powerful energy resource, says Tom McKay The energy stored in the oceans is vastly more than Man could possibly use. The oceans...

LETTER: When to call it a day.(Letter to the Editor)
February 27, 2006... Living to a ripe old age (Comment, 13 February) with loads of chemical and engineered aids to help us keep mobile is one thing but, with one half of the population providing care for the other half, who is going to pay for it all? As...

LETTER: Be proud of Galileo.(Letter to the Editor)
February 27, 2006... I cannot agree with Paul Robinson (Letters, 13 February) about our money being best allocated and used here in the uk. Most of the projects and research being carried out today are far too costly to be funded by one country. The UK...

LETTER: Spherical suspense.(Letter to the Editor)
February 27, 2006... Your article 'Air of Intelligence' (Design Engineering, 13 February) surprised me inasmuch that there was no recognition given to Citroen which pioneered the Hydropneumatic suspension system on its revolutionary DS model in 1955. This...

LETTER: Fuel for fraught.(Letter to the Editor)
February 27, 2006... With reference to the article on Honda's stylish looking hydrogenpowered car, (The Big Picture, 16 January) please can you ensure full and detailed coverage of the crashworthiness testing, as a tank of hydrogen at 5,000 psi [345 bar] just below...

LETTER: Deep heat treatment.(Letter to the Editor)
February 27, 2006... I read with interest your article 'Cooling the Tube' (Feature, 16 January) concerning the overheating problem on London's underground system. I noticed the comment 'taking a systems approach', but only read about discrete actions being...

ASTUTE CLASS SUBMARINE: Stealthy alternative.
February 27, 2006... The Royal Navy's latest nuclear-powered submarine, built using a modular assembly technique, bristles with state-of-the-art technology which makes it the quietest vessel in the fleet. Jon Excell reports A #1.2 billion nuclear-powered...

INTERVIEW: Living the dream.
February 27, 2006... NASA's Bob Cassanova has a daring approach to bringing seemingly outlandish ideas for the future to fruition. He tells Niall Firth why the agency is seriously interested in several pioneering space concepts Listening to Bob Cassanova's...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING: Surface work.
February 27, 2006... Australian team uses robotics and laser technologies to tackle the problem of restoring worn and damaged power station turbine blades on site. Stuart Nathan explains Australian researchers claim to have devised a method of restoring the...

PHOTOGRAMMETRY: Phast results.
February 27, 2006... Steel giant and metrology specialist team up to devise a speedy method of measuring accurately the strain within a pressed body panel. Stuart Nathan reports A COMBINATION of digital photography and measurement technologies could help...

VIBRATION DAMPING: Absorbing technique.
February 27, 2006... Sports equipment, space research and car engines could benefit from the damping power of carbon nanotube additives. Stuart Nathan reports For several years researchers have been investigating carbon nanotubes in search of the properties...

METROLOGY: On the light track.
February 27, 2006... Laser interferometer technology ensures accurate measurement of aircraft and car components can be carried out rapidly and with high precision. Mark Venables reports When considering measuring applications, small online probes on metal...

WATER TREATMENT: Water works.
February 27, 2006... Significant investment in a combination of wastewater management technologies, plus improvement of our often ancient pipework, means the UK can enjoy top-quality drinking water. Matthew Peach reports THANKS TO dramatic improvements in the...

TRAINING REPORT: Horses for courses.
February 27, 2006... Stuart Nathan explores the common ground between BAE Systems' Sigma Programme, designed to train its future leaders, and Warwick Manufacturing's part-time courses for working engineers Bringing the best out of people is a trainer's stock...