The Engineer articles from July 2004

The Engineer archives from July 2004

Dusk or dawn?(ThisWeek)
July 9, 2004... IS THERE more chance of a cure for ageing than a future society that makes adequate preparation for care of the elderly? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What a question--but it would be good to know the answer nonetheless. The problem of ageing...

Crack team on the rail network.(ThisWeek)
July 9, 2004... THE 19 MARCH issue of The Engineer reported a new device capable of detecting cracks deep within rail welds using Rayleigh waves. Now researchers at Warwick University's Department of Physics have developed a non-contact method of the...

Building on thin ice.(ThisWeek)
July 9, 2004... THE BRITISH Antarctic Survey has launched a design competition for arguably the toughest construction challenge this side of the International Space Station: to build a research station on a 150m-thick Antarctic ice-shelf. Because the shelf...

Videos put on a laser show.(ThisWeek)
July 9, 2004... RESEARCHERS from Cambridge University and Light Blue Optics have found a way to use holographic technology to produce a small, laser-driven video projector that could lead to pocket-sized, battery-powered projectors with image quality matching...

Hi-tech shirt for dream team.(ThisWeek)
July 9, 2004... A STUDENT at Northumbria University has designed a hi-tech shirt that alerts football managers to players' heart rate and hydration levels. With in-built pulse and sweat monitors, the shirt uses ECG sensors to record electrical activity of...

Flexible friend in a crisis.(ThisWeek)
July 9, 2004... QINETIQ HAS developed a flexible reconnaissance robot for use in the wake of a major disaster. The IQ Bot carries a range of biological, chemical and radiological sensors and video and infrared cameras within a sealed bay to measure the...

Accord over cleaner engine.(ThisWeek)
July 9, 2004... HONDA WILL BE releasing a gas-electric hybrid version of its bestselling car, called the Accord V6 Hybrid, later this year. Honda claims efficiency is improved through the use of the Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) which deactivates three of...

Taking a gamma view of tumours.(ThisWeek)
July 9, 2004... A NEW GENERATION of gamma cameras could soon be launched following a collaboration between the Biolmaging Unit of the Space Research Centre at the University of Leicester, the Institute for Cancer Research at the Royal Marsden Hospital and...

Nano-film in loo of water tension.(ThisWeek)
July 9, 2004... THE SMALLEST room may seem an odd place for the highest tech, but Aquadry Deutschland has developed a urinal whose nano-featured surface could dramatically reduce water consumption. The coating of hair-like structures interacts with the...

Looking for an answer: UK team to conduct biggest-ever survey of the World Trade Centre survivors in bid to improve high-rise building standards and design.(News)
July 9, 2004... UK RESEARCHERS will carry out the biggest study of World Trade Centre survivors in an effort to help structural engineers and architects design sater skyscrapers. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A team from three UK universities plans to...

Light-weight years ahead: carbon fibre magnets could power future spacecraft.(News)
July 9, 2004... US RESEARCHERS are developing a strong and lightweight superconductor magnet made from carbon fibre that could provide engine thrust for the next generation of spacecraft. The US military is backing the technology as a means of propulsion...

Plane speaker: German 'in-wall' fiat-sheet plastic system means improved hi-fi quality.(News)
July 9, 2004... HI-FI AFFICIONADOS want the best sound possible, but that means finding space for a multitude of speakers of different shapes and sizes, all with their attendant cables. It might sound great, but it's hardly streamlined. A new system,...

Euro research grants could be in for shake-up.(News)
July 9, 2004... THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION has started detailed work on proposals for a seventh framework programme of research grants, which could command twice as much money as the existing (sixth) programme, up to [euro]40bn ([pounds sterling]26.6bn), and for...

Sound off: Aircraft turbulence controllers could decrease engine exhaust noise.(News)
July 9, 2004... US RESEARCHERS have developed a jet engine noise silencer that uses electrical arcs to control turbulence in engine exhaust airflow. The researchers' 'plasma actuators' are pairs of electrodes fitted around the rear of the engine exhaust...

A new twist on optical fibres.(News)
July 9, 2004... OPTICAL FIBRES with a twisted core could improve fibre optic sensor sensitivity and also act as polarisers or higher-efficiency lasers, US researchers have claimed. The fibres are elliptical or rectangular in cross-section, and are twisted...

Buckling down: UK university research into steel welding distortion leads to new appreach for T45 destroyers.(News)
July 9, 2004... A DISCOVERY by BAE Systems during research into reducing distortion in welded thin-plate steel will help to cut levels of rework during the Type 45 destroyer build programme and keep the project on track, the company said this week. ...

Metal with extra mettle: Virginia team creates super-strong amorphous metals.(News)
July 9, 2004... US RESEARCHERS have developed a form of non-magnetic steel that can be processed like plastic and is three times stronger than conventional steel, The Engineer has learnt. Formulated at the University of Virginia, the material represents...

Getting up steam: Siemens cooling system improves the performance of turbines.(News)
July 9, 2004... A TURBINE cooling system could dramatically improve the efficiency of gas and coal-fired power plants, according to Siemens engineer Dr Detlef Haje. The patent-pending system has been designed to allow steam turbines to operate at higher...

Saab on a roll: study of actual collisions earns soft top five-star safety rating.(News)
July 9, 2004... SAAB'S 9-3 Convertible is the first soft top to achieve the maximum rating of five stars in the Euro NCAP collision test programme. The rating comes thanks to Saab's DynaCage active roll-over protection system. Saab's head of safety also put...

Key to stop drink-drivers.(News)
July 9, 2004... ENGINEERS AT SAAB are also developing a miniature key fob breathalyser that would prevent drivers over the drink-driving limit from starting their car. The company is currently evaluating the device, called Alcokey, in response to concerns...

Meggitt on the up: [pounds sterling]400m acquisition of Dunlop Aerospace will mean foothold in the JSF and A380 programmes.(Business)
July 9, 2004... AEROSPACE and defence group Meggitt is to buy the design and manufacturing division of Dunlop Standard Aerospace, the aviation systems specialist, with contracts on the Airbus A380 and Joint Strike Fighter programmes. Dorset-based Meggitt...

600 Group recovers as west looks up and east is full of promise.(Business)
July 9, 2004... AFTER A SIX-YEAR BATTERING at the hands of global industrial recession 600 Group, the UK's biggest machine tool company, may have turned the corner. The company recorded a full-year profit of [pounds sterling]200,000 that dragged it back...

On track for a rival to F1: Zytek wins contract to supply A1 Grand Prix car engines.(Business)
July 9, 2004... A UK MOTORSPORT group will build the engine for a new rival to Formula One racing due to launch in the Middle East next year. Zytek Engineering of Derbyshire was selected from a final bidding group of six manufacturers to supply engines to...

Spin-out wins SKF contract to develop high-speed motor.(The Week in Business)
July 9, 2004... Turbo Genset, an Imperial College, London spin-out developing novel power systems, has secured a contract with Swedish engineering group SKF to design a high-speed motor and associated drive electronics. Under the deal. Turbo Genset will...

Smiths continues growth strategy with [pounds sterling]30m DHD Healthcare buy.(The Week in Business)
July 9, 2004... Smiths Group continued its 2004 spending spree with the acquisition of DHD Healthcare, a US specialist in respiratory technology. The UK engineering group's Smiths Medical division paid [pounds sterling]30m to buy Ohio-based DHD, which employs...

Filtronic stresses long-term prospects as costs rise and sales fall.(The Week in Business)
July 9, 2004... Filtronic, the UK microwave electronics systems engineer, warned that it faced higher product development costs and a 'marked reduction' in sales of its products for mobile phone handsets--its second largest business area. Filtronic said its...

Porvair links up with United Technologies to develop fuel cells.(The Week in Business)
July 9, 2004... Materials specialist Porvair said it is working with US industrial giant United Technologies (UT) on fuel cell components. The UK group has signed an agreement with UT to develop high-specification bipolar plates using Porvair's carbon...

Surveillance systems firm TRL plans float to fund more R & D.(The Week in Business)
July 9, 2004... TRL Electronics, which provides surveillance and anti-terrorism systems to customers including Qinetiq and BAE Systems, is to float on the Stock Exchange to help fund its expansion plans. TRL, a specialist in radio and satellite surveillance,...

There's a lot more to the exploits of Bognor's birdman than a flying leap: while 'eco-friendly' engineering projects focus on developments in hybrid vehicles and fuel cells, one of the most environmentally sound instant energy sources--manpower--goes to waste, says Max Glaskin.(Comment)
July 9, 2004... WE'RE RUNNING OUT of oil, wasting our water, wrecking the planet and getting lazy. That, in a nutshell, is the essence of the Green message. Engineers can ignore or deny it. Yet some find that these challenges have their own intellectual...

Western promise.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
July 9, 2004... Reading your article 'China syndrome?' (Feature) and Keith Attwood's letter (both 25 June) gives cause for deep concern and optimism. The China/Poland/Malaysia/anywhere cheap move is a sound economic fact of life. Labour-intensive design...

Biting comment.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
July 9, 2004... Compliments to Rob Davey for the fascinating and nostalgic letter about the 'pew makers aircraft'--the Mosquito. Noting that the project was being funded by de Havilland jogged my memory that its successor. Hawker Siddeley, also privately...

Hole solution.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
July 9, 2004... I read with interest your article 'Repairs on the fly' (News, 25 June) regarding composites being developed that can heal punctures to an aircraft or spacecraft's skin. Wouldn't a much simpler method be to use something like self-healing...

Another formula.(Talking Point)(Letter to the Editor)
July 9, 2004... Maybe it's about time we stopped concentrating on the regulations that dictate design of Formula One cars (News and Leader, June 11) and looked at the sport as a whole. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There is so much more to Formula One than...

New age technology: in 50 years' time a third of the population will be pensioners. Only limited progress has been made to develop technologies that will assist in caring for them at home. Richard Fisher reports.(Healthcare)
July 9, 2004... FOR THE GOVERNMENT it is a ticking timebomb. For engineers it is a potentially massive new market. For most of us it is just a simple, nagging worry: who will look after me when I grow old? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the face of a major...

Economy drive: in F1's never-ending race to win, fuel efficiency has moved into pole position. Steve Bunkhall, head of a clean motorsport project, hopes this will re-establish links from racing to road cars. David Fowler reports.(Interview)
July 9, 2004... MOTORSPORT is all about speed: slashing a tenth of a second off a lap time, squeezing out a couple of extra brake-horsepower, paring off a few grams of weight and hoping it all adds up to the merest competitive advantage. But fuel efficiency?...

High society: the design of what will be the world's tallest building presented its developers with a particular set of aerodynamic problems. Christopher Sell reports.(Building Design)
July 9, 2004... ONCE COMPLETE, Burj Dubai will claim the title of the world's tallest building. At over 2,000ft it will be almost twice as high as the Empire State Building and over 500ft taller than the current record holder, the Petronas Towers in Kuala...

Hot metal: we all know the folly of putting a foil container in a microwave oven. But that hasn't put off a team of US researchers bent on improving metal properties. Jon Excell reports.(Materials)
July 9, 2004... AUTOMOTIVE engineers at Dana Corporation have succeeded in harnessing the heating power of microwaves to improve the performance of metals and even enable the creation of advanced new materials. Usually metals undergo heat-treatment...

Eye on the ball: microwave technology is helping machine operators solve problems before they occur by allowing them to monitor in real time the condition of parts that traditional sensors can't reach. Jon Excell reports.(Sensor Technology)
July 9, 2004... CONDITION MONITORING -- the ability to acquire real-time information about a machine's performance and solve problems even before they occur is an industrial tool that is growing in importance. But while this handy technique is already...

The case for 2D design: if solid modelling is so effective why are 80 per cent of CAD users still sticking with AutoCAD? Charles Clarke reports.(Software)
July 9, 2004... IF YOU'RE A CAD USER working anywhere in the manufacturing process and you're still using 2D as your primary CAD tool you might just as well sit in the office and burn money, we are told. 3D is a far more effective way of working and if you...

CFD software: over the last few years CFD software has become increasingly accurate and user-friendly, enabling engineers to achieve the previously impossible. Charles Clarke reports.(Overview)
July 9, 2004... UNTIL QUITE recently, CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) was seen by many as a good technique, but not accurate enough for any useful work. In fact, some prominent racing car designers believed that if CFD came within 400 per cent of the...

Bearings: long seen as producing one-dimensional components, the industry is evolving fast to match manufacturing needs Christopher Sell reports.(Overview)
July 9, 2004... THE BEARINGS industry, while still conservative, is evolving fast. And although it does not endorse sweeping changes affecting production techniques overnight, progress continues apace. Design Engineering looks at three significant trends...

Update.
July 9, 2004... For more information on any of the products listed below, go to www.theengineer.co.uk/info and enter the enquiry number. SUBJECT DESCRIPTION Temperature Labfacility has launched the www.labfacility.co.uk Sensors ...

Brain Teaser.(ProblemPage)
July 9, 2004... Isolate the circles within the triangle so they don't share any area with each other using only two lines. The lines may not cross, but can touch only once. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Solution next issue. Sent in by Mick Bereznyckyj,...

You could win a spin into E-Type history.(ProblemPage)
July 9, 2004... From its unveiling at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show, the E-Type Jaguar was a sensation. The E-Type--Story of a British Sports Car, at the Design Museum from 1 August until November, will celebrate this design icon. Featuring rare cars and...

IP for sale.(Tech Need Challenge)
July 9, 2004... A European firm is looking to purchase US patents or applications in the computer, communications and e-business areas. These technologies could be from semiconductor software and hardware. The company is interested in seeing lists of...

Portable tester.(Tech Need Challenge)
July 9, 2004... An Asian company is seeking portable technology that can measure the amount of chromium adhered to the surface of aluminium or iron materials. The measurement is to be performed on the plant floor and must be instant, accurate and easy to use....

Pallet load squaring.(Tech Need Challenge)
July 9, 2004... A piece of equipment to square up a pallet of empty bottles before it enters a depalletiser is sought by this north American firm. Pallet load is 8ft tall, uses Chep pallets and each layer has a corrugated tie sheet between them. This device...

Bonding exercise.(Tech Need Challenge)
July 9, 2004... A European firm is looking for an adhesive that can bond PEEK 450G to EPDM. The adhesive will need to be approved for food contact. The bonded articles must be able to withstand a maximum of 150[degrees]C http://www.yet2.com/demag/252

Moving motors.(Tech Need Challenge)
July 9, 2004... A north American company has developed a robotic arm with three joint-mounted motors but would like to re-site the motors and therefore requires a method of transmitting power to the joints. The drive arm is 11in, the coupling arm is 10in, and...

Heated exchange.(Patent of the Week)
July 9, 2004... Wimbledon's over for another year, and once again our Timbo joined England's sporting 'nearly men', writes Christopher Sell. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Germany fared jittle better, its biggest presence provided by the phlegmatic Boris...

The key to saving lives.(ThisWeek)
July 23, 2004... WHEN A FIRE broke out inside an aircraft standing on the runway at Manchester in 1985, the passengers inside did some surprising things: surprising, that is, to those of us who have never been caught in a confined space, faced with a rampaging...

Armed forces go hi-tech.(ThisWeek)
July 23, 2004... DEFENCE SECRETARY Geoff Hoon this week announced large cuts in the armed forces to fund the development of new hi-tech digital systems, enabling the MoD to work closely with US forces. Four infantry battalions will be cut as part of the...

Keeping an ear on earth's air.(ThisWeek)
July 23, 2004... AN INSTRUMENT developed jointly by NASA and UK researchers to measure green-house gases more accurately has been launched aboard the AURA satellite. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The High-Resolution Dynamic Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) is an...

Eyes down for a better picture.(ThisWeek)
July 23, 2004... RESEARCHERS have developed a 0.4mm-thick camera chip lens based on an insect's compound eye. The chip consists of multiple light-sensitive units with a lens and a photocell, each capturing part of the image. Conventional digital cameras...

Cold comfort for rush hour on the Tube.(ThisWeek)
July 23, 2004... A COOLING SYSTEM, developed by London South Bank University for the London Underground, is expected to reduce summer rush-hour temperatures by between 5[degrees]C and 6[degrees]C. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The system--to be fitted first...

More powder to Qinetiq elbow's.(ThisWeek)
July 23, 2004... QINETIQ HAS announced the establishment of a pilot plant for the production of titanium powder that can be used to produce light-weight aircraft parts. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Titanium parts are currently machined from solid ingots,...

Just the ticket for queues.(ThisWeek)
July 23, 2004... ULTRA-WIDEBAND technology could be used to eliminate ticket barriers at railway and Tube stations, claimed Cambridge Consultants. Unlike existing proximity smartcards, which must touch or pass within a few centi metres of a reader, UWB...

10-year transport plan unveiled for the UK.(ThisWeek)
July 23, 2004... GOVERNMENT backing for the [pounds sterling]10bn Crossrail scheme linking east and west London was announced this week by Alistair Darling, while unveiling his 10-year transport plan. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The route will be based on a...

Miles closer: aircraft-mounted scanner could close the safe separation gap over busy airports.(News)
July 23, 2004... AN AIRCRAFT-MOUNTED scanning system that could help to increase the number of planes arriving at busy airports without the need for new runways, is being developed in a European project involving Airbus. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Current...

Premium bond: technique aims to cut weight of cars and aircraft.(News)
July 23, 2004... A PROCESS to join metals directly to composites, creating an extremely strong bond, could significantly reduce the weight of aircraft and cars. The Engineer has learnt. Composite materials, although used with increasing confidence by...

Air of superiority: speedier ground-to-air communication system.(News)
July 23, 2004... A MILITARY COMMUNICATION system designed to enable ground troops to call in airstrikes more quickly and accurately is now being used by the UK and Dutch armed forces. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Developed by engineers at Qinetiq, Data...

A double treat: waterproofing system developed for the military can coat outer and inner surfaces of mobiles in one go.(News)
July 23, 2004... A LIQUID-REPELLENT coating process originally developed for the MoD has been adapted for devices such as mobile phones, car parts and aircraft components. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The company, Porton Plasma Innovations (P2i) claims it...

Glass ceiling: most car windows could soon be made of polycarbonate.(News)
July 23, 2004... POLYCARBONATE could replace glass in almost all car windows, reducing weight and improving safety, according to engineering plastics producer Bayer MaterialScience. The material, most familiar as the transparent shell of CDs and DVDs, is...

Pure metal 'glass' can take the heat.(News)
July 23, 2004... US RESEARCHERS have developed a pure metallic glass that stays stable at extremely high temperatures, making it suitable for use in aerospace components and electronics. Zirconium glass is the first bulk metallic glass (BMG) formed from a...

Trailblazing: UK leads international network to improve response times to fires and save lives.(News)
July 23, 2004... AN INTERNATIONAL network to develop an emergency response system for fires in buildings is to be established this year, headed by UK researchers. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The network, which will begin work in September, will develop a...

Feel the force: fibre-optic sensors used to model blasts in buildings.(News)
July 23, 2004... UK RESEARCHERS have developed fibre-optic pressure sensors to model inside explosions and predict blast effects on buildings more accurately. Blast tests are invaluable for building design to protect against a terrorist attack or to...

Platform for fire-fighting: vehicle with telescopic mast could fight high-rise fires.(News)
July 23, 2004... A FLEET of rapid-reaction vehicles could save lives if terrorists ever again attack high-rise buildings with aircraft, according to a specialist equipment engineer familiar with the challenges of fighting fuelbased aviation fires. ...

UV protection: scientists create silicon nanoparticle that may improve solar cells and monitor ultraviolet.(News)
July 23, 2004... RESEARCHERS have developed a silicon-based nanoparticle UV detector that could improve solar cell efficiency and offer low-cost electronics applications, including memory-storage devices and suntan monitors. The luminescence of the...

Honda jets off into a new era: new US division to commercialise company's HF118 turbofan engine.(Business)
July 23, 2004... HONDA TOOK a giant leap into the aviation market this week with the establishment of a new division in the US to win customers for what will be the company's first-ever jet engine. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The new subsidiary, Honda Aero...

STS calls for rescue package: shareholders to vote on proposals for [pounds sterling]5m cash injection.(Business)
July 23, 2004... SHAREHOLDERS in Surface Technology Systems are to vote next month on proposals for a [pounds sterling]5m cash lifeline from the company's Japanese parent. The announcement this week follows a request by the Newport microchip equipment...

EADS wins [euro]1bn contract to build six cargo spaceships for ESA.(The Week in Business)
July 23, 2004... EADS Space Transportation has signed a [euro]1bn ([pounds sterling]650m) with the European Space Agency to build six cargo spaceships that will serve the International Space Station. The contract also includes provision of crew training, ground...

Airbus bags A380 order.(The Week in Business)
July 23, 2004... Airbus has won a $7bn ([pounds sterling]3.75bn) order for 24 aircraft including four A380s from Abu Dhabi airline Etihad Alrways. Airbus also said it would increase production to 450 aircraft a year by 2006, which leaves rival Boeing trailing...

BAE Systems snaps up US firm Practical Imagineering for [pounds sterling]4m.(The Week in Business)
July 23, 2004... BAE Systems is to buy US research and development company Practical Imagineering for $8.3m ([pounds sterling]4.4m) in cash. The Virginia designs digital signal processing algorithms, software and hardware to clients that include US Government...

Better trading conditions in US help TT Electronics to improved 2004.(The Week in Business)
July 23, 2004... Weybridge component manufacturer TT Electronics said orders for the first six months of 2004 continued to improve on the same period last year. The company said the sector was performing well due to better trading conditions in the US and...

Pace back in the black thanks to TV set-top box sales and cost cuts.(The Week in Business)
July 23, 2004... Pace Micro Technology returned to profit last year thanks to increased sales of television set-top boxes to Europe and Australia. Profit before tax was [pounds sterling]3.9m on turnover of [pounds sterling]239m and increase of 44 per cent. This...

Tough times over for Ricardo as orders leap 18 per cent to [pounds sterling]53m.(The Week in Business)
July 23, 2004... Automotive consulting engineer Ricardo said orders have risen by 18 per cent from [pounds sterling]45m to [pounds sterling]53m in the second half of the year, ending 30 June. Previously the company said it had experienced the toughest...

If the lights go out we need someone to distinguish a crisis from a problem: as the government announces the demise of the Strategic Rail Authority, Bill Nuttall makes the case for a controlling authority for electricity.(Comment)
July 23, 2004... EARLIER THIS MONTH Transport Secretary Alistair Darling announced the winding-up of the Strategic Rail Authority. This brought to a close the long drama of the UK's failed attempt to privatise its railway infrastructure. The government will now...

Less drag on dragon.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
July 23, 2004... I read with interest 'East beats West' (Leader) and 'China Syndrome' (Feature, both 25 June). What you fail to mention is the fact that most Chinese manufacturers are not burdened with numerous taxations imposed on UK business. Minimum...

More balls please.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
July 23, 2004... The Brain Teaser about the eight ball bearings (Problem Page, 25 June) provoked a lot of interest in our office. But are you aware that the same formula can be used for a 12-ball puzzle? It goes something like this: Let's call the...

Eye spy old tech.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
July 23, 2004... Regarding your item 'Taking the Spark out of Lasers' about the device to prevent laser beams from blinding soldiers, pilots and police officers, (This Week, 25 June) this is an old technology which just needed tweaking. I recall some years...

Mail menace.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
July 23, 2004... Has anyone else noticed the latest menace to pervade our working lives: the e-mail disclaimer? In its tamest form it is one paragraph long, but when e-mails are chained, through repeated forwarding, these disclaimers prevail meaning lost...

Pedalling a view.(Talking Point)
July 23, 2004... Max Glaskin has to be respected for his view on using human power more widely (Comment, 9 July). There are major advantages of using bicycles on short journeys--especially in towns and cities, where time, cost and fuel can be saved. ...

Exit strategy: computer simulation of disasters such as September 11 could not only radically improve survival rates but also help designers create safer structures. Andrew Lee reports.(Disaster Simulation)(Cover Story)
July 23, 2004... IF FIRE BREAKS out in the building where you work or the aircraft on which you are a passenger, pray that somebody thought long and hard about that eventuality while designing it. A team of UK fire engineering experts has just been...

Working on the edge: Oxford University's Andrew Briggs is leading research into nanotechnology that may be on the point of finally making quantum computers a reality. Helen Knight reports.(Interview)
July 23, 2004... NANOTECHNOLOGY has had more than its fair share of publicity over the past year. But amid the mixture of unrealistic hype and ill-informed hysteria surrounding the field, one area of nanotechnology with the potential to be hugely important for...