The Engineer articles from July 2007

The Engineer archives from July 2007

COMMENT: Shake-up too important to fail.
July 2, 2007... 'That's that. The end.' Tony Blair's last words as Prime Minister had the ring of the end of a fairytale (or horror story, depending on your point of view) but the question on the lips of the rest of us was, 'What's next?' In the case of the...

THE BIG PICTURE: Learning curve.
July 2, 2007... Cambridge undergraduates win photo competition with space shot of the Earth A PHOTOGRAPH of the curvature of the Earth, taken from a spacecraft launched by undergraduates from Cambridge University, has been awarded the best photographic...

THE BIG PICTURE: Hydrofoil 'more aircraft than boat'.
July 2, 2007... A new hydrofoil watercraft promises an off-roading experience on the water. The 11ft-long Front-Runner uses twin 215hp forward-mounted jet-drive motors to power it through the water. Described as more 'aircraft than boat,' it has a...

THE BIG PICTURE: Nothing too heavy for Titan.
July 2, 2007... The world's largest and strongest six-axis industrial robot was recently unveiled by KUKA, a manufacturer of industrial robots and factory automation equipment. The robot, called Titan, has a payload capacity of more than 2,000lbs...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Search for life beneath Arctic ice.(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Scientists and engineers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) Massachusetts, have built and completed testing two AUVs designed for use beneath the ice of the Arctic Ocean. They will now use those vehicles to conduct the...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Chemists bet on grease.(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Grease can make some plastics better electrical conductors, claim Carnegie Mellon University chemists. The discovery by the Pittsburgh team could become widely adopted to produce the next generation of switches for transistors in RF...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Ethanol discovery.(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Ramon Gonzalez, a chemical engineer from Rice University, Texas, has found a way to convert glycerin, the major by-product of biodiesel, into ethanol. The solution involves a bacterium that ferments glycerin to produce the popular biofuel. 'We...

NEWS: Something in the air.
July 2, 2007... UK researchers seek to provide multi-frequency alternative to batteries for low-power devices New renewable power sources for electronic circuits are to be developed by using background vibrations to power wireless sensors. Bristol...

NEWS: A feel for the future.
July 2, 2007... Academic collaboration hopes three-year project will lead to development of more human-like robots Research at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) could lead to robots with more human-like motion that are safe for people to closely...

NEWS: Fight with fatigue.
July 2, 2007... Project will study effect of oxidation on superalloy used in aero engines A team at Portsmouth University is to study the long-term durability of a superalloy used in the latest generation of Rolls-Royce aero engines. The EPSRC has...

NEWS: Gone, in the twinkling of an eye.
July 2, 2007... Astronomical telescope anti-distortion technology to bring microscale observation into focus A multinational collaboration is to use adaptive optics - telescope technology that takes the twinkle out of star observation - and refine it for...

NEWS: More go with the flow.
July 2, 2007... Traffic signal control project aims to use next-generation GPS for smoother-running road transport system Some drivers might consider it a lucky day when they catch all the green lights on their way to work, but a university study hopes to...

VIEWPOINT: Sum of success.
July 2, 2007... Increasing UK industry's global competitiveness depends on how fast we innovate. And this would be impossible without maths, says David Brown The wellbeing of our economy, and our society, depends in large measures on the competitiveness...

LETTER: Hot topic.(Letter to the editor)
July 2, 2007... Robert Palgrave (Letters, 18 June) expressed regret that Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) is not in the current UK Energy Review. Possibly our weather obscures its benefits. Mr Palgrave makes the point that CSP plants in the Sahara could...

LETTER: Not-so-super sonics.(Letter to the editor)
July 2, 2007... The Holosonics system (Feature, 18 June) is already in use at Heathrow Airport and by major retailers, allowing sound to be directed selectively. Your report of this 'striking development' was enthusiastic and uncritical - but there is...

LETTER: Grounds for a re-think.(Letter to the editor)
July 2, 2007... With reference to the ongoing debate about renewable energy generation and the NIMBY attitude to wind generators (Letters, passim) a thought occurs to me. Would it be possible to attach wind generators to the electricity pylons that...

LETTER: Borrowing from rail.(Letter to the editor)
July 2, 2007... With reference to your article 'Shock Treatment' (News, 18 June) the idea of a car that combines the best of an electric traction system with an internal combustion engine is a very old and well-established concept. Not for a car,...

NUCLEAR REACTOR TECHNOLOGY: Core decision.
July 2, 2007... With the UK poised to embark on a new era of nuclear energy, what technologies will be used in the next generation of reactors? Stuart Nathan examines the options Britain's fleet of nuclear reactors is close to sailing into the sunset. Of...

NUCLEAR REACTOR TECHNOLOGY: Waiting in the wings.
July 2, 2007... While the next generation of reactors will be based on existing technologies, the one after that is likely to look very different. True GIII+ technologies are some 10-15 years off, said Imperial College's Prof Robin Grimes, with Generation IV...

MANAGING TECHNOLOGY: Reach for research.
July 2, 2007... Small companies have the most to gain from applied scientific research but often don't know it, says Colin Mackechnie Scientific research, when applied correctly to commercial problems, can help cut costs, increase yield, remove...

INSIGHT: Flash of inspiration.
July 2, 2007... Non-profit making organisation gears up for mass production of low-cost laptop aimed at bringing schoolchildren in the developing world all the benefits of the IT revolution. Jon Excell reports In 2005, when Nicholas Negroponte - founder...

INTERVIEW: Path-finder.(Interview)
July 2, 2007... Andy Stirling, co-director of the new STEPS Centre at Sussex University, wants technologists and development professionals to work together in the fight against poverty. Andrew Lee reports 'Our licence to operate rests in part on our...

DESIGN ENGINEERING: Getting a grip.
July 2, 2007... Australian cricket bat promises more comfort thanks to a handle equipped with piezoelectric sensors and a vibration-absorbing synthetic material. Siobhan Wagner reports Australian cricketers don't seem to need much help scoring runs, but a...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - GEARS: Shift of emphasis.
July 2, 2007... Simplified gear technology replaces synchromesh to give drivers the freedom of an automatic with all the benefits of a manual. Siobhan Wagner explains An automatic gearbox that allows gears to be changed without torque interruption...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - BIOMIMETICS: A cut above.
July 2, 2007... US researchers borrow from human skin to develop self-healing polymer they hope can eventually be applied to mechanical fatigue in aircraft. Siobhan Wagner reports A polymer developed by engineers at the University of Illinois is claimed...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - SOFTWARE: Main attraction.
July 2, 2007... Today's so-called mainstream CAD market is becoming very crowded. Products such as Inventor, SolidWorks, Solid Edge, IronCAD, TurboCAD, CATIA V5 and now SpaceClaim by virtue of their 'price point' (about #5,000 or less) are all being promoted...

COMMENT: Don't let our innovations gather dust.
July 16, 2007... This week it was revealed that Bletchley Park - site of the Second World War codebreakers - is to become home to a national museum of computing. The centrepiece of this new collection will be a lovingly restored Colossus Mark 2, the device...

THE BIG PICTURE: Eurobot takes the plunge.
July 16, 2007... Three-armed robot performs underwater manoeuvres in preparation for role in space European engineers recently put a multi-jointed, three-armed robot, dubbed Eurobot, through a series of trials in a pool at the European Astronaut Centre....

THE BIG PICTURE: All systems go for Met choppers.
July 16, 2007... London's police have received the latest airborne weaponry to continue their fight against the capital's criminals. Watched by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair, three new Eurocopter EC145 helicopters were officially...

THE BIG PICTURE: Cyclists can breathe more easily.
July 16, 2007... An Industrial design and technology student from Brunel University has created what is claimed to be the first ever respirator for cyclists that filters most contaminants. Luke Pannell's Breathe Air, the powered personal air respirator...

IN BRIEF: Oil research alliance.(Brief article)
July 16, 2007... Chevron Corporation has formed a research alliance with the University of Texas at Austin to develop technologies to increase the amount of oil recovered from mature and challenging reservoirs. Chevron Energy Technology Company will provide...

IN BRIEF: Communications future.(Brief article)
July 16, 2007... A #2m laboratory is to be opened at Strathclyde University to conduct long-term research into communications technology. Researchers at the Intelligent Dynamic Communications Network Laboratory will aim to improve communications technology...

IN BRIEF: Citric acid sensor.(Brief article)
July 16, 2007... Spain's University Jaume I has patented a fluorescent chemical sensor that it says detects citric acid at low concentrations more rapidly and cheaply than similar devices. It has potential applications in the food and pharmaceutical...

NEWS: Airships get a lift.
July 16, 2007... Aircraft-style dynamics could see heavier-than-air hybrids take to the skies Hybrid airships could in future become a common sight thanks to research at Cambridge University to model and optimise their behaviour and associated systems....

NEWS: Mobile health check.
July 16, 2007... A hand-held device could offer rapid detection and diagnosis of disease pathogens The excruciating wait to find out whether you have bird flu or just the common cold could be eliminated by a new rapid disease detection device. A...

NEWS: Space probe.
July 16, 2007... Oxford scientists help build parallel linear accelerators in search for secret of the universe's mass A UK-DEVELOPED key component of the International Linear Collider (ILC) - one of science's most ambitious ever projects - has...

NEWS: Travelling lighter.
July 16, 2007... An innovative electronics architecture for aircraft could cut down on cabling and improve safety Lighter, more efficient aircraft could be built thanks to a one-year EPSRC-funded research project to develop an electronic system that...

NEWS: Power packed.
July 16, 2007... Kinetic energy generator that uses vibrations promises more power than predecessors Electronic engineers at the University of Southampton have developed a tiny vibration-harvesting generator that is claimed to be 10 times more powerful...

NEWS: All done by mirrors.
July 16, 2007... A new solar energy system promises to cut cost by using fewer components and cheaper mirrors USING Solar power to drive turbines could become much more affordable following the development of a solar energy system with cheaper components...

NEWS: Cooler brains.
July 16, 2007... University project aims to achieve more sophisticated computing with less energy Reconfigurable networks-on-chip (NOC) capable of delivering high- performance fault-tolerant computing while achieving low energy consumption are being...

VIEWPOINT: We must blow our own trumpets.
July 16, 2007... Engineers must do more to promote themselves and their profession to educate young people about this important and fascinating discipline, writes Ian Ling For centuries the engineer has been the backbone of society and the means by which...

LETTER: Carbon crazy.(Letter to the editor)
July 16, 2007... In a tongue-in-cheek examination of carbon reduction I offer a fourth law of thermodynamics. 'The rate of change of energy forms is directly proportional to the rate of change of economic growth.' Changes in energy forms creates byproducts,...

LETTER: Another contender.(Letter to the editor)
July 16, 2007... I am surprised that Stuart Nathan (Cover feature, 2 July) blithely ignores the most innovative of the four reactor technologies that have met the Government's eligibility criteria for the opening phase of the planned generic design assessment,...

LETTER: Learn and earn.(Letter to the editor)
July 16, 2007... As more businesses formalise their understanding of what their 'licence to operate' means, it is also time for us to more openly declare the capacity and capability of the workplace to provide effective work- based learning and development....

SOLAR-POWERED AIRCRAFT: A place in the sun.
July 16, 2007... From stratospheric surveillance platforms to hand-held spy planes, solar-powered aircraft are finally coming of age. Jon Excell reports Within the next few weeks, a team of UK engineers hopes to launch an unmanned aircraft that could fly...

INSIGHT: Sea view.
July 16, 2007... The world's smallest holography camera, designed in the UK, is poised to provide crucial information for marine biologists and engineers. Stuart Nathan reports If you buy a camera today, the chances are it will be digital. Film is...

INTERVIEW: Forward thinker.(Interview)
July 16, 2007... Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway and the iBot, wants to make engineering fun for young people. Siobhan Wagner reports Late last year, this magazine suggested that science, engineering and technology would benefit greatly if it could...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING: Cutting edge.
July 16, 2007... German researchers develop an environmentally-friendly way to etch microstructures into free-form surfaces. Siobhan Wagner reports A TECHNIQUE that uses a laser beam to burn micrometer-fine patterns into complex-shaped component surfaces...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - NANOTECH: Current thinking.
July 16, 2007... Carbon nanotubes could replace aluminium and copper on micro-electric interconnectors thanks to a technique developed in the UK. Siobhan Wagner explains The semiconductor industry typically uses aluminum or copper for on- chip...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - ROBOTICS: Up in arms.
July 16, 2007... The muscle structure of an elephant's trunk inspired researchers to create a new type of robotic arm, and the technology could have wide uses. Siobhan Wagner reports A new robotic arm that draws inspiration from an elephant's trunk is...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - MACHINE VISION: Out of sight.
July 16, 2007... Machine vision has long been an integral part of electronics manufacturing, but improved systems and lower costs have made it more accessible. Mark Venables reports Two of the most common uses of machine vision are traceability and visual...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - DATA ACQUISITION: Custom and practice.
July 16, 2007... As users demand more and more from their equipment, data acquisition manufacturers have risen to the challenge providing greater choice and a system to meet every need. Julia Pierce reports With many companies using data acquisition...

COMMENT: Rail review not up to speed.
July 30, 2007... In the latest effort to revitalise the UK's rail network, the transport secretary Ruth Kelly has announced a multi-billion pound 30-year programme of modernisation. Aimed at reducing overcrowding by 2014, the rail review also looks to...

THE BIG PICTURE: Suits you!
July 30, 2007... Next-generation space-wear promises to be safer and give astronauts greater mobility A Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) led team has demonstrated a next- generation spacesuit that at first glance is more haute couture than...

THE BIG PICTURE: Sign of dangerous times.
July 30, 2007... To help drivers in Israel make correct decisions and avoid collisions at intersections without traffic lights, a team at the Transportation Research Institute at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology has developed a device with a...

THE BIG PICTURE: US Army vehicles get extra protection.
July 30, 2007... The first two LROD rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) protection systems have been fitted on US Army RG31 and RG31A1 mine-protected vehicles. The lightweight, modular bar-armour system, developed by BAE Systems, is made from aluminium alloy....

IN BRIEF: Boost for Warwick nano research.(Brief article)
July 30, 2007... A new generation of silicon-based chemical sensors using advanced nanomaterials as gas-sensitive layers is being developed by Warwick University's School of Engineering with the help of a #240,000 EPSRC grant.The team will study the properties...

IN BRIEF: Search for broader bands.(Brief article)
July 30, 2007... Scientists at the Georgia Electronic Design Centre (GEDC) are investigating the use of extremely high radio frequencies (RF) to achieve free broad bandwidth and high data transmission rates over short distances. Within three years, this...

IN BRIEF: Graphene discovery.(Brief article)
July 30, 2007... Saroj Nayak, an associate physics professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, has made a discovery that could advance the role of graphene as a possible successor to copper and silicon in nanoelectronics. Nayak has spent the...

NEWS: Down to the wire.
July 30, 2007... Ultra-sensitive nanowire sensor could help crime investigators detect tiny amounts of explosives The laws of physics are strange at nano-scale. Take optical fibres, for example. Normal-size fibres act like pipes, with the light flowing...

NEWS: Feel the difference.
July 30, 2007... Haptic technology promises to open up new worlds online using the sense of touch A new study in the field of haptic technology promises to bring the sense of touch to virtual worlds and make the internet more accessible to the visually...

NEWS: Win by a nose.
July 30, 2007... Scientists are creating a molecular nose to help provide more effective drug development An interdisciplinary team of scientists at Glasgow University is developing a molecular nose, a multiplexed sensor platform that can deconstruct a...

NEWS: Turbine seeks to turn tide.
July 30, 2007... Renewable energy project may be lost to the US if backing in the UK is not found A UK-developed tidal turbine that works at maximum efficiency at both high and low tide could be used to generate power from tidal rivers and inland...

NEWS: Fresher flights.
July 30, 2007... German clean-air project promises to cut pollution from aircraft engines by a third ENGINE components that promise to help cut aircraft pollution have been devised by a Munich-based company as part of the Clean Air Engine (Claire)...

NEWS: Head count.
July 30, 2007... New-style traffic camera uses infrared imaging to help cut traffic congestion and road pollution A traffic camera that can identify and count the number of people in a vehicle using infrared imaging has been developed by Loughborough...

VIEWPOINT: Access all areas.
July 30, 2007... The London Olympics offers a great opportunity to improve accessibility technology for disabled and elderly people and provide a lasting legacy for everyone, says John Gill When the UK hosts the Olympics in 2012, the capital will attract...

LETTER: Cage the cyclists.(Letter to the editor)
July 30, 2007... Following all the recent publicity advocating the environmental and health benefits of cycling - with some companies supporting and actively encouraging employees to bike to work - it is crucial that we in the UK make sure cyclists are...

LETTER: Cut growth dash.(Letter to the editor)
July 30, 2007... With reference to Martin Francis' tongue-in-cheek observations in 'Carbon crazy' (Talking Point, 16 July) regarding ways to dispose of his money, I suggest two more options. He could give it to me - I promise to bury it. Alternatively...

LETTER: Railway ethics.(Letter to the editor)
July 30, 2007... John Uff's article 'Ethics are a matter of principle' (Viewpoint, 4 June) discussed SEP (Statement of Ethical Principles) so it is appropriate that the acronym can also stand for Safe Engineering Practice (Pressure Equipment Directive), both...

BIOFUELS: Field of dreams?
July 30, 2007... Producing a new generation of biofuels from waste products is an exciting next step for green energy, but considerable technical obstacles remain before it becomes a reality. Stuart Nathan reports From the earliest days of the coal-powered...

INSIGHT: Renewable railway.
July 30, 2007... Siemens sets out to build the ultimate 'green train' for use on the Olso Metro. George Coupe reports The drive to make rail travel more environmentally friendly is gathering momentum. Earlier this year the UK launched the first European...

INTERVIEW: Man on a mission.(Interview)
July 30, 2007... Vice-president of engineering for Raytheon, Dr Taylor Lawrence, is keen to use the group's unique areas of expertise to innovate and help develop non-traditional military materials and techniques. Jon Excell reports For a short while,...

DESIGN ENGINEERING: Signal set to go.
July 30, 2007... Train delays could be reduced if new insulated joints replace traditional epoxy resin components. Siobhan Wagner reports The words 'signal failure' can make the blood of many travellers boil as they know their journey to work or home is...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - TEXTILES: Wash and wear.
July 30, 2007... A formula is being devised that will allow electronically enhanced fabrics to withstand washing without losing its conductivity. Siobhan Wagner reports Electronically enhanced textiles that can be stretched and washed without losing...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - ROAD SAFETY: Front-seat driver.
July 30, 2007... German consortium is developing a system that allows vehicles to communicate among themselves to alert drivers to potential collisions. Siobhan Wagner explains A technology that allows vehicles to communicate with each other and warn...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - MANAGING TECHNOLOGY: Softer focus.
July 30, 2007... While welcoming recent legislation to improve the level of pedestrian and cyclist protection on vehicles, Ian Finney says it is vital to develop products for maximum energy-absorption The speed of progress in pedestrian safety features...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - FASTENERS: Fixed ideas.
July 30, 2007... As demand for access limitation and security of sites and belongings grows, so manufacturers and designers have found new ways to deal with these challenges. Julia Pierce investigates Given the current national preoccupation with crime,...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - DRIVES: Mini movers.
July 30, 2007... As demand increases for zoom lens cameras on mobiles and devices with advanced vibrating alerts, manufacturers are having to design smaller motors. Siobhan Wagner reports Zoom lens cameras on mobile phones and vibrating alerts on a range...