engineering and technology in society

01 Jun 23

Electronic skin can self-heal after a cut, researchers find

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation

Soft electronics and robotic devices could, like human skin, recover autonomously from damage with a new design made by Stanford scientists. In its latest study, a research team described how they combined two dynamic polymers to achieve autonomous realignment in multilayered soft electronics. This could help devices recover from various…

01 Jun 23

Prototype home with flexible walls allows for easy layout changes

Geotechnical & Environmental

The invention aims to reduce waste and carbon, whilst also improving living conditions for those who cannot afford expensive refurbishments. Some 11 per cent of global energy-related carbon emissions are from construction materials and processes, (known as embodied carbon), according to the World Green Building Council. Dubbed ‘Ephemeral’, the house…

26 May 23

Termite mounds could serve as inspiration for greener buildings

Geotechnical & Environmental

Two researchers at Lund University and Nottingham Trent University have studied mounds of Macrotermes michaelseni termites from Namibia, to find out what architects can learn from them in order to design more energy-efficient buildings. This species of termite forms colonies of more than a million individuals, building large mounds to house…

24 May 23

Drivers should be taxed per mile starting with EVs, think tank says

Civil, Structural & Architecture, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

In its ‘The Future of Driving’ report, the centre-right think tank said that road transport in Britain generates too much congestion and air pollution and that drivers are paying more through taxation than is invested back in the road network. CPS argues that fuel duty and vehicle excise duty should…

23 May 23

Robot noses could smell volatile organic compounds

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation

The team of researchers created a fluid mechanics-based chamber design for an electronic nose (e-nose) that consistently detects volatile organic compounds (VOC) at low concentrations. VOCs are chemicals emitted as gases that can have adverse health effects. They are often found in paints, pharmaceuticals, and refrigerants, but they can also…

17 May 23

Self-driving cars will cause ‘moral panic’, says transport minister

Civil, Structural & Architecture, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

Jesse Norman told MPs that a “horrendous” part of the development of the technology will be “scare stories, particularly in the early stages”. Last month, the UK became the first European country to allow drivers to take their hands off car steering wheels on public roads, after the Department for…

11 May 23

New electric ‘Slant’ on getting the shopping home given funding boost

Civil, Structural & Architecture, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

A team of innovation master’s students at the University of Bristol have developed a tap-to-rent electric trailer that can be attached to a bike or e-scooter. The e-trailer could help cut the estimated 4.5 billion car journeys made to and from supermarkets in England each year, as well as assisting…

08 May 23

Air pollutants from US fossil fuel extraction kills 7,500 annually, study finds

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the US oil and gas sector has boosted exports to the point where the US is at the top of the world’s energy-exporting nations. A study led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) has been looking into what this expansion in production means…

03 May 23

Cycling suffering slump since coronavirus peak, figures show

Civil, Structural & Architecture, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

The DfT data demonstrates the surge in cycling – when Covid restrictions affected travel patterns – peaked in March 2021. The amount of cycling on main roads fell by 24.1 per cent from that time up to the end of 2022. The decline has sparked concern that the government will…

27 Apr 23

FA Cup final day hit by fresh wave of train strikes

Civil, Structural & Architecture, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

Members of the Aslef union will walk out on 12 and 31 May, and then again when Wembley Stadium hosts Manchester City and Manchester United in the FA Cup final on 3 June. That date is also in the sporting calendar for the Epsom Derby. The train drivers' union said…

engineering and technology in society

Electronic skin can self-heal after a cut, researchers find

Prototype home with flexible walls allows for easy layout changes

Termite mounds could serve as inspiration for greener buildings

Drivers should be taxed per mile starting with EVs, think tank says

Robot noses could smell volatile organic compounds

Self-driving cars will cause ‘moral panic’, says transport minister

New electric ‘Slant’ on getting the shopping home given funding boost

Air pollutants from US fossil fuel extraction kills 7,500 annually, study finds

Cycling suffering slump since coronavirus peak, figures show

FA Cup final day hit by fresh wave of train strikes

Electronic skin can self-heal after a cut, researchers find

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