Latest Insights from the EngX Community

  • Rare books: Geometria and Opera philosophica by René Descartes

    Rare books: Geometria and Opera philosophica by René Descartes

    This is a guest blog on René Descartes and some of his works we hold by A-Level student Phoebe Carnell who joined us for her work experience in the IET Library and Archives. Opera philosophica , 1685. A collection of 3 of his most influential works – Mediations on first philosophy , Principles of philosophy and Discourse on the method . All explore the idea of searching for truth in reality using philosophical inquiry and innate ideas (an a priori approach). His work consists of specific rules, such as ‘accept nothing as true that is not self-evident’ which links to his advocation of the scientific method. Most famously, Meditations on first philosophy . This work of his is one that I am most intrigued by, as it contains Descartes explaining what is categorised as having certainty in a…

  • Where next? GenAI's evolution in knowledge, understanding, reasoning and scaling

    Where next? GenAI's evolution in knowledge, understanding, reasoning and scaling

    Introduction The global economy is fuelled by knowledge and information, the digital sector growing 6x faster than the economy as a whole. AI will act as a further accelerant in boosting the economy and has the potential of being transformative across many sectors. Figure 1 GenAI has wide application However, in realising this promise, GenAI faces a number of challenges: 1) foundational LLMs have a great set of skills and generalist knowledge, but know nothing about individual companies’ products & services; 2) whilst LLMs are great at providing an instant answer, they often misunderstand the question or simply hallucinate in their response; equally, 3) LLMs need to improve in their reasoning capabilities to understand and solve complex problems; and finally, 4) LLMs are compute intensive…

  • Our latest EDI resource explores neuroinclusion at work

    Our latest EDI resource explores neuroinclusion at work

    When we published our Neurodiversity in Engineering and Technology report in November 2023, we laid out 7 key commitments that we’re making to improve neuroinclusion across the organisation and wider sector. One of these commitments was to create a toolkit with a focus on practical actions and advice for supporting a neurodivergent person at work. We’re very pleased to now be able to share that resource with you. Read our new toolkit here. Our toolkit, titled ‘Understanding neurodivergence at work’, is aimed at organisations, employers and colleagues of neurodivergent people, as well as neurodivergent individuals themselves. Within, you’ll find important information about different neurodivergent conditions, how the related traits may manifest at work, and what you can do to support them…

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Latest IET EngX News

  • Join our community of writers for Community Insights

    Join our community of writers for Community Insights

    Do you have a passion for writing? Are you eager to share your insights, stories or expertise with a wider engineering audience? We’re excited to announce that our Community Insights blog is now open for submissions from all members of the IET. At IET EngX we believe in the power of diverse voices and perspectives. By contributing to Community Insights you can: Reach a broader audience: Gain exposure to our growing community of readers who are eager to discover fresh content and new ideas. Build your portfolio: Enhance your writing portfolio with a published piece that showcases your skills and insights. Connect with like-minded individuals: Join a community of passionate writers and readers who share your interests. What We're Looking For We welcome a wide range of engineering…

    Lisa Miles
    Lisa Miles
  • On the right track: Summing up our journey through Systems Engineering in Transport

    On the right track: Summing up our journey through Systems Engineering in Transport

    Systems engineering is a multidisciplinary field that focuses on designing, integrating, and managing complex systems over their life cycles. The role of systems engineering in the transport industry is particularly crucial due to the complexity of modern transportation systems and the need for integrating various technologies and processes. Let's take a look at the highlights from our Topic Focus on Systems Engineering in Transport: Insights from the Community We kicked off the week with an introduction to Systems Engineering in Transport and how SE works within the wide range of transport modes we now take for granted. Later in the week we were asked What we think about when we think about transport and in Dangerous cargoes – Systems Engineering can make it safer we examined how systems…

  • Topic Focus: The Crucial Role of Systems Engineering in Modern Transport

    Topic Focus: The Crucial Role of Systems Engineering in Modern Transport

    As the backbone of modern infrastructure, transportation systems are increasingly complex, integrating diverse technologies and processes to ensure efficiency, safety, and sustainability. Systems engineering provides a holistic approach to designing, managing, and optimising these intricate systems, addressing challenges such as urban congestion, environmental impact, and the seamless integration of new technologies. For the next two weeks on IET EngX, we’ll be deep diving into the topic of Systems Engineering in Transport. If you're a seasoned professional, a student, or just curious about how systems engineering is applied within the transport sector, we have curated a lineup of insightful content to engage, educate, and inspire. Read and comment on blog posts and take part in some…

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Latest Partner News

  • SULSTEMIC brings STEM to life at HMS Sultan

    SULSTEMIC brings STEM to life at HMS Sultan

    HMS Sultan celebrated the exciting world of Royal Navy Engineering and STEM as young people from local schools visited HMS Sultan for ‘SULSTEMIC.’ Around two hundred year 7 pupils aged 11-12 enjoyed an action-packed day of interactive displays and activities showcasing how engineering contributes to technology. In addition, the children learned how Royal Navy engineers and technicians keep Royal Navy aircraft, ships and submarines driving forwards on operations. RN Air Engineers introduced the young people to principles of fault diagnosis in helicopters as well as the basics of how to conduct a flight service and maintain Survival Equipment. RN Marine Engineers enabled the y oung people to get ‘hands on’ building circuit boards, experimenting with generators, fitting flanges and fixing…

  • Digital indoor mapping leader joins Siemens Xcelerator

    Digital indoor mapping leader joins Siemens Xcelerator

    UK leader in indoor mapping technology Pointr, has joined Siemens Xcelerator - a digital platform designed to support the digitalisation of industry and infrastructure in the UK and overseas. Pointr provides innovative digital indoor mapping services which enable intuitive location experiences across shopping centres, hospitals and campuses to connect people with buildings, at scale. The business has its AI-driven mapping software implemented in over 5,000 buildings, including Harrods in London, which integrated Pointr’s mapping technology into its Mobile Store Guide. Pointr’s mapping and wayfinding solution enables visitors to navigate buildings using smartphones or tablets. With location analytics, building operators better understand how visitors interact with the space and use the…

  • Green technologies raise voltage challenges for DNOs

    Green technologies raise voltage challenges for DNOs

    The new era of intermittent generation and fast-changing customer demand is raising fresh challenges across the grid, says Dr Jon Hiscock, CEO of voltage experts Fundamentals. The connection of wind and solar generators to the grid, plus the rise of heat pumps of electrical vehicles, are increasingly affecting network voltages. The results include bad experiences for consumers, and growing concern among operators about maintaining compliance. For example, one of our DNO clients called us recently to tackle the problem of a customer who could not charge their electric car. The voltage they supplied was too high, tripping out the EV charger safety circuits. Our motorist’s problem was that they live in a housing development with a lot of rooftop solar panels, causing voltage surges in their…

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Latest articles from E+T Magazine

  • This summer marks the humble barcode’s 50th ‘scanniversary’

    This summer marks the humble barcode’s 50th ‘scanniversary’

    The first modern barcode was scanned 50 years ago on a pack of Wrigley’s chewing gum at the checkout of a supermarket in the US city of Troy, Ohio. Taking inspiration from Morse Code, the barcode – with its series of narrow and wider lines – was first invented in 1948. A few years later a ‘barcode reader’ was developed but it wasn’t until the 1970s when the technology was commercially feasible to be used in the public sector. In the early 1970s, grocery executives hoping the barcode would provide an automated solution to rising labour costs through easily tracking their stores’ inventory, created a committee that developed the Universal Product Code (UPC) data standard. This committee chose the IBM barcode symbol over a half-dozen alternative designs. The first ever barcode scanned…

  • Sustainable hydrogen gas produced using aluminium cans, seawater and caffeine

    Sustainable hydrogen gas produced using aluminium cans, seawater and caffeine

    Researchers have developed a new, sustainable method to produce hydrogen gas that uses easily accessible materials including aluminium soda cans, seawater and coffee grounds. The team from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston, believe the process could be a good, low carbon way to produce hydrogen for use in vehicles. The risk with powering vehicles with a tank full of hydrogen gas is that it is volatile and highly explosive, so the team looked for ways to use the fuel without having to transport it onboard. They discovered that when aluminium comes into contact with water, it undergoes a straightforward chemical reaction that generates hydrogen and heat. However, as soon as the aluminium is out the water and exposed to oxygen, the surface immediately forms a thin layer…

  • Martian rock discovered that contains signs of microbial life

    Martian rock discovered that contains signs of microbial life

    Nasa’s Perseverance rover has analysed a rock on Mars that has “some indications” it may have hosted microbial life billions of years ago. The vein-filled, arrowhead-shaped rock was nicknamed “Cheyava Falls” by the Nasa team. In an analysis by Perseverance’s instruments, it found the rock exhibits chemical signatures and structures that could possibly have been formed by life billions of years ago when the area being explored by the rover contained running water. But other explanations are also being considered and future research steps will be required to determine whether ancient life is a valid explanation. The rock was collected on 21 July, as the rover explored the northern edge of Neretva Vallis, an ancient river valley measuring 400 metres wide that was carved by water rushing…

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