The Engineer articles from January 2005

The Engineer archives from January 2005

Innovators need joined-up thinking.
January 14, 2005... Projects that this week received #60m worth of DTI R&D funding underlined the government's 'priority' areas, seen as vital to the UK's position in the technology economy of the future. Programmes relating to the environment feature...

No more air time for the tyre?
January 14, 2005... Debut of Michelin's airless car wheel-cum-tyre at the Detroit Motor Show Michelin unveiled a passenger car prototype of its airless integrated tyre and wheel, the Tweel, at the Detroit Auto Show this week. The design, which is being...

It's a goal: unbiased refereeing in football.
January 14, 2005... World football's governing body Fifa will next month test the use of microchip sensors inside footballs, in a bid to end the debate over goal-line technology. The controversy surrounding the use of technology in football was reignited this...

Samsung focuses on the big picture.
January 14, 2005... The world's largest plasma screen, measuring 102in, was one of the highlights of over 50,000 gadgets and technologies launched at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The giant screen, created by Samsung, was displayed...

Second Thames flood barrier is vital, say climate change experts.
January 14, 2005... Climate change experts have backed the building of a second Thames flood barrier, stretching 10 miles from Sheerness in Kent to Southend in Essex. Calls for such a barrier were first revealed in The Engineer in September 2003 because sea levels...

Major mobile operators agree on global standard for super-fast 3G.
January 14, 2005... The development of a global standard for super-fast 3G technology has been agreed by 26 of the world's major mobile operators. Vodafone, NTT DoCoMo, NEC, Alcatel and Cingular Wireless will work on the technology, to be called Super 3G, which...

Japan plans automatic screening of emergency alerts on public TV.
January 14, 2005... Japan has announced plans to develop technology that automatically switches on public TVs to receive national emergency alerts. An existing system already broadcasts text and audio alerts over TV, but needs a particular receiver to switch on...

What lies beneath.
January 14, 2005... UK university spin-out develops system to accurately pinpoint fresh oil and gas sources An Edinburgh University spin-out is poised to commercialise hydrocarbon mapping technology that could, it claimed, save the oil industry billions of...

Electric light orchestration.
January 14, 2005... European computing project aims to co-ordinate output of renewable energy sources A European grid computing project worth #4.7m could solve the approaching problem of how to co-ordinate the electricity output of a proliferation of new wind...

Start-up's engine is under starter's orders.
January 14, 2005... An internal combustion engine, said to be 30 per cent more efficient than conventional reciprocating engines, is under development by London technology start-up Lontra. The company has recently received #75,000 from the DTI to develop...

Improvement in store.
January 14, 2005... General Motors announces #5m research programme to find better ways of storing hydrogen fuel in cars General Motors this week announced a $10m (#5.3m) research programme to find better ways of storing hydrogen fuel in cars using metal...

Deep field.
January 14, 2005... Baggage scanner could offer improved weapons detection at airports The US Department of Homeland Security is funding trials early this year of a 3D X-ray scanner being developed in the UK. It could provide airport security operators with...

Penning an answer to terrorism.
January 14, 2005... Israeli researchers have designed a portable tester that can identify improvised explosives commonly used by terrorists. The Peroxide Explosive Tester (PET) resembles a thick three-coloured pen and responds to tiny traces of the substance...

Crackdown.
January 14, 2005... BAE Systems to test sensor system that could 'hear' fracture damage in military jets during flight BAE Systems is planning tests of a sensor system for military jets capable of listening for cracks in composite and metal structures during...

Reshaping noise reduction on aircraft.
January 14, 2005... A NASA-backed US company is developing aircraft engine noise-reduction chevrons that can change their shape in very high-temperature exhausts. Noise-reduction chevrons are a well-established technology to mix the fan flow behind an...

Burning issue.
January 14, 2005... Miniature sensors detect hot spots in fuel cells to prevent burnout Tiny fibre-optic temperature sensors inside fuel cells could stop burnout failure and allow designers to improve power efficiency, according to their US inventors. ...

Blow for inefficient aerodynamics.
January 14, 2005... The haulage industry could increase fuel economy by up to five per cent using airflow control techniques developed in the US by the Georgia Institute of Technology and Volvo. This would potentially save the industry thousands of pounds, the...

Rubbing salt into the wounds.
January 14, 2005... As if the tsunami victims don't have enough to contend with, sea water has rendered their water supplies useless and no technology is available to combat the problem. Andrew Lee and Julia Pierce report Those battling to help the survivors...

COMMS FOR AID WORKERS.
January 14, 2005... Aid agencies deployed to remote areas often face damaged or non- existent communications lines. But tsunami aid workers in Indonesia and Sri Lanka are pioneering a portable hub that shares internet and phone access over a local area via a...

Pace boxing clever for US.
January 14, 2005... Technical advances and an upturn in profits and sales bode well for export prospects UK set-top box specialist Pace claimed a raft of technical innovations in the TV technology industry and a breakthrough in the US could herald an upturn...

Qinetiq sets a roving eye over mobile tracking.
January 14, 2005... Qinetiq has commercialised what is claimed to be the world's first lightweight portable eye tracking system following a deal with a US vision technology specialist. The UK research giant has licensed the global manufacturing and...

Start-ups need back-up.
January 14, 2005... The UK is failing small innovative science and technology firms in their early years. David Connell calls for new legislation to support their R&D Last year's Science Policy Review underscored the government's commitment to a science and...

BOOK REVIEW: MAZDA MX-5 MIATRA ROADSTER: THE INSIDE STORY.
January 14, 2005... MAZDA MX-5 MIATRA ROADSTER: THE INSIDE STORY With the bulk of the content coming from the 14 engineers and designers involved in the project, Roadster provides a detailed and previously unpublished account of the development of the Mazda...

Letter: IT's a familiar story.(Letter to the Editor)
January 14, 2005... I sympathise with London Underground which is having to buy its IT equipment from places such as e-Bay because spare parts are no longer available elsewhere. This exercise, in terms of both time and money will be costly. But LU is not...

Letter: Designer label.(Letter to the Editor)
January 14, 2005... I was delighted The Engineer included a Product Design supplement in the final issue of last year, but somewhat disappointed to find it was in fact about product styling. While I don't want to denigrate style, 'design' not only...

LETTER - TALKING POINT: Russian front.
January 14, 2005... In reply to your correspondent M Roberts (Letters, 10 December) the Eurofighter is one of, if not the best air superiority aircraft in the world. The F15, while undoubtedly a legend in its own lifetime and with an unmatched `war record',...

TRENT 1000: Flight fan-tastic.
January 14, 2005... Boeing's 7E7 is an aero-engine first: the whole focus during Rolls- Royce's development of its Trent 1000 engine has been on reducing the plane's life cycle costs. George Coupe reports In many ways the Trent 1000 is today's most...

INTERVIEW - DR FRANCES SAUNDERS: Hi-tech strategist.
January 14, 2005... As technical director of Dstl, Dr Frances Saunders aims to ensure that the UK's armed forces have access to the very latest technology. Helen Knight reports How times have changed. Back in the 1960s, with around 60,000 engineers and...

DESIGN ENGINEERING: Tread with care.
January 14, 2005... Using knowledge gleaned from almost 50 years researching Terramechanics, simulated tyre performance on a number of surfaces is now possible thanks to Japanese technology. Jon Excell reports One could be forgiven for thinking that tyre...

DESIGN ENGINEERING: Global ambition.
January 14, 2005... Having bagged the X-prize for the first private mission to space, Scaled Composites now plans to circle the earth non-stop in a strong but ultra-light aircraft. Christopher Sell reports last October, SpaceShipOne, developed by Burt Rutan's...

DESIGN ENGINEERING: Design for life.
January 14, 2005... The principles of product lifecycle management are popping up across manufacturing, despite the continuing reticence of some design-centred firms to adopt PLM software. Charles Clarke reports Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), an IT...

DESIGN ENGINEERING: Tiny treatments.
January 14, 2005... Modern medical techniques call for tiny devices to treat, or for use within, the human body. Mark Venables looks at the challenges of producing such micro components Miniaturisation, one of the dominant trends in contemporary...

The A380 is a gamble worth taking.
January 28, 2005... The razzmatazz of the official unveiling of the Airbus A380 was a great opportunity for Tony Blair and other European leaders to bask in the reflected glory of a great engineering achievement. Rather like the launch of the great cruise...

US takes SWORDS-manship into Iraq.
January 28, 2005... Armed 'SWORDS' robots equipped with cameras to be deployed in combat zone The US military is planning to send armed robotic vehicles into combat in Iraq for the first time. Eighteen of the remotely operated robots, equipped with...

Fingering crooks at the roadside.
January 28, 2005... New rules planned by the Home Office will see police using roadside fingerprint scanners to identify criminals. Anyone suspected of a crime and lacking identification will be required to place their forefinger on the device, which is...

Lockheed researches 'chameleon' bomber.
January 28, 2005... US Engineers at Lockheed Martin in Marietta, Georgia, are developing conceptual designs for a long-range high-speed bomber that can alter its shape and use advanced stealth technologies to blend into the background. The F/B-22 is a variant...

First EU application of Ultra-Wide Band technology to go ahead.
January 28, 2005... The EU last week approved a frequency that will enable anti-crash devices to be fitted to cars. With a range of 20m, the short-range radar technology can detect collision dangers and automatically apply a car's brakes. Anti-crash devices are...

US police to test out portable UAVs in stake-outs.
January 28, 2005... California's police are to trial portable UAVs in surveillance operations from April. The remote-controlled Kite Plane, developed by Chang Industry, has a wingspan of 1.2m and weighs just over 2kg, allowing it to be carried in a car boot. It...

Discovery could give licence to print human skin tissue.
January 28, 2005... Researchers at the University of Manchester have developed an inkjet printer that can deposit human cells. The discovery could revolutionise treatment for burns and scar victims. The technology prints thin layers of tissue repeatedly to...

Lift-off for quieter planes.
January 28, 2005... DTI-backed project aims to cut noise from aircraft engines and landing gear Rolls-Royce is to lead a project to develop technology for manipulating jet engine exhaust, to reduce aircraft noise at take-off and landing. The firm will...

Sound move.
January 28, 2005... Lotus system uses sound waves to cut road noise Lotus has launched an in-car noise reduction system that generates sound to neutralise engine and road noise via the stereo loudspeakers. The In-Car Active Acoustic Tailoring (ICAAT)...

Ringing alarm bells.
January 28, 2005... Kent to trial cell broadcasting to warn of floods Kent County Council is considering trialling cell broadcasting, a technology that could send out millions of emergency warning messages to mobile phones simultaneously. Cell...

Home-spun power.
January 28, 2005... Domestic wind turbine claimed to provide electricity without noise or vibration A wind turbine that can be roof-mounted to provide homes with electricity is poised to enter commercial production after months of fine-tuning by the UK...

Hy-ly efficient Transit.
January 28, 2005... Ford reduces fuel consumption by nearly a quarter with automatic engine cut-out in traffic Ford has developed a micro hybrid diesel electric Transit van that automatically switches off its engine while idling. The company claims the van...

Tuning to the pulse of air traffic management.
January 28, 2005... A signal receiver developed by Raytheon Systems could allow aircraft to fly closer to each other, increasing airport capacity and reducing flight times and fuel costs. The station, which is being tested by the US Federal Aviation...

The incredible hull.
January 28, 2005... Tri-hull ship could make subsea oil recovery easier and safer A three-hulled ship could significantly improve oil recovery from subsea wells, its makers claim. Qinetiq and Norway's Oil Technology Group (OTG) are building a new class...

Measuring buoy marks the wind of change.
January 28, 2005... A buoy-mounted wind measurement system to locate the best sites for offshore wind farms is being developed by a consortium including Qinetiq and Npower Renewables. Called SeaZephIR, the system is based on light detection and ranging...

Mapping system in the pipeline.
January 28, 2005... #1m research into 'seeing' the UK's below-ground infrastructure could ease road congestion Traffic delays caused by roadworks could be reduced in the future as a result of a #1m scheme to create a detailed map of the UK's buried...

Measuring up to a more advanced sound experience.
January 28, 2005... Next-generation music players and hearing aids are likely to benefit from new ultra-realistic headphone surround-sound technology. The system, under development by researchers at the University of York, measures the shape of a person's...

FOCUS: A cause for alarm.
January 28, 2005... Despite having the technology available for sophisticated mass disaster warning systems, the UK government has so far ignored recommendations for trials. Richard Fisher reports Whether it is a poisoned water supply, a nuclear reactor...

Record profits for General Electric.
January 28, 2005... Established businesses and new sectors perform strongly to make 2004 a year to remember Global industrial behemoth General Electric enjoyed record profits in 2004 thanks to strong performances from established business such as...

Generics ventures into Hong Kong.
January 28, 2005... Cambridge technology R&D specialist Generics Group is to set up a product development operation in China after linking up with a Hong Kong manufacturing group. Generics and Automatic Manufacturing Limited (AML) will together set up SGAI, a new...

Sustain need not be a pain.
January 28, 2005... Once environmental sustainability was seen as a cost to business. Today it can offer financial benefits. Stephen Mahon explains why Engineers are sometimes defined as 'those who provide the means by which society meets its needs', such as...

BOOK REVIEW: THE SCIENCE OF SAVING VENICE.
January 28, 2005... THE SCIENCE OF SAVING VENICE Caroline Fletcher and Jane Da Mosto Umberto Allemandi, #7.99 While the world's attention understandably focuses on the devastating human cost of the Asia floods, this book looks at the long-term...

Letter: Alerts for victims.(Letter to the Editor)
January 28, 2005... It seems to me the most difficult part of any warning system (The Big Picture, 14 January) is to get any government alert out to all locations that might be affected. For holidaymakers on many of the world's beaches, neither TV nor radio...

Letter: Clean water.(Letter to the Editor)
January 28, 2005... In your article on the tsunami victims' lack of drinking water (Focus, 14 January) you highlight the problem of low-cost technology for water treatment. My company has supplied parts to a company which manufactures such a unit. It is...

Letter: Safe - but dull.(Letter to the Editor)
January 28, 2005... Andrew Lee is quite right in his editorial 'Innovators need joined-up thinking' (Comment, 14 January) - particularly when he says civil servants are encouraged to avoid risk and stick with the known, the safe and the cheap. What can we...

PERSONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION: Flight of fancy?
January 28, 2005... As NASA prepares to trial its Small Aircraft Transportation System, is this the first step towards the Hollywood vision of 'flying cars' and 'highways in the sky'? Jon Excell reports In a few months' time a small regional airport in the...

INTERVIEW - ANGELA SASSE: Mind reader.
January 28, 2005... Angela Sasse's expertise is the human side of security technology. As mass biometric scanning looms, she is concerned about its effectiveness and, more crucially, that we just won't co-operate. Julia Pierce reports By the end of 2005 the...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - INDUSTRIAL BIOTECH: Biology lesson.
January 28, 2005... Biotechnology is no stranger to medicine and agriculture, but only now is it beginning to make significant inroads into a range of other industries. Christopher Sell reports While applications of biotechnology in medicine and agriculture...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - CNC: Take control.
January 28, 2005... How CNC systems of the future will play an even bigger part in production. Martin Oakham reports We have seen phenomenal developments in computers over the past decade, which now provide even more power than ever. CNC manufacturers have...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - ROBOTICS: Robo-crop.
January 28, 2005... The world's robot population is growing at record rates and the development of the technology raises some serious ethical points. Paul Gay reports There are at least 800,000 industrial robots installed worldwide, of which 350,000 are in...

YORKSHIRE FORWARD CICS: Forward thinking.
January 28, 2005... Thanks to a pioneering #15m initiative, universities and industry can work together on innovation and R&D A concept designed to help Yorkshire and Humber companies make the most of the vast range of research expertise on their doorstep is...

YORKSHIRE FORWARD CICS: Material benefits.
January 28, 2005... CIC status has brought the region's expertise in materials and particle analysis to the fore There are few fields in which scientific know-how can have such a profound impact on product viability as materials analysis. Smaller firms...

YORKSHIRE FORWARD CICS: MEETING A CLINICAL CHALLENGE.
January 28, 2005... Bringing a new medical device from concept to clinical use presents unique challenges. The Materials Analysis & Research Services (MARS) CIC helped Sheffield's The Medical House on its way to the launch of the first needle-free insulin...

YORKSHIRE FORWARD CICS: PUTTING PARTICLES PERSPECTIVE.
January 28, 2005... Any organisation that uses particles in its products or processes can benefit from a better understanding of their properties. The Industrial Centre of Particle Science and Engineering (ICPSE) CIC is a world-class facility able to deliver...

YORKSHIRE FORWARD CICS: Getting to grips with the green issue.
January 28, 2005... With industry facing even more legislation to curb the amount of waste produced, CICs are focusing on new ways to ensure a safer future Engineering and technology-based industries are getting to grips with an array of legislation limiting...

YORKSHIRE FORWARD CICS: REACTING TO ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS.
January 28, 2005... Chemical reactor design is a key element in the manufacturing process where the Greenchemistry CIC can deliver significant expertise. The design of a reactor can contribute to lower energy costs, better atom efficiency and lower waste. The...

YORKSHIRE FORWARD CICS: The design advantage.
January 28, 2005... Two CICs are ensuring that companies design products that can keep them ahead of the pack Design is a vast and vital field for technology-led companies that want to stay competitive. It ranges from the functions and aesthetics of the...

YORKSHIRE FORWARD CICS: PACKAGING FOR PROFIT.
January 28, 2005... Design Future's Packaging Partnership has worked with Robinson Paperboard Packaging of Chesterfield to provide short-term design solutions and to build design innovation into the company's long-term strategy. The Partnership has provided...

YORKSHIRE FORWARD CICS: Scientific approach.
January 28, 2005... Operating at the cutting edge of scientific research, the CIC network aims to help firms develop biomaterial products from inception to market Yorkshire Forward's CIC network operates at the leading edge of some of the world's most...