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AI image analysis helps track biodiversity by railway lines

Monitoring flora and fauna by railway tracks in order to support better management of lineside habitats is extremely difficult due to safety concerns, the size of Britain’s 20,000-mile rail network and the number of expert surveyors required. The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and technology firm Keen AI have been working with Network Rail to develop innovative solutions to remotely monitor biodiversity. They have demonstrated that AI can identify invasive species by the track, as well as native trees that are potentially at threat due to disease such as ash dieback. This information would enable railway workers to carry out appropriate action to better manage lineside vegetation, as part of Network Rail’s commitment to achieve biodiversity net gain on its land by 2035. Since…

E+T Magazine in Railways
Soft drinks industry faces a recycled plastic shortage, says Ribena maker

European manufacturers are increasingly committing themselves to becoming more sustainable. In the soft drinks industry, this looks like companies making a switch to 100 per cent recycled bottles. However, in order to do so, Europe might have to drastically increase its production of recycled plastic. Suntory Beverage and Food GB&I, the company behind soft drinks such as Lucozade and Ribena, has pledged to ensure that all its on-the-go 500ml bottles – excluding the cap and label – are made from 100 per cent recycled plastic by the end of the year. The move includes Lucozade Sport, Lucozade Energy, Orangina and Ribena. “It’s the result of years of hard work, and whilst reaching this milestone is a cause for celebration, much still needs to be done in terms of recycling infrastructure,”…

E+T Magazine in Recycling
Local fabs for local people

Spain is not exactly famous for its presence in the chipmaking business. But it wants to be, declaring at the WEF’s Davos conflab that the government has set aside out of an electronics-focused budget of €12bn some €9bn to help get local fabs built and, in principle, reduce both the country’s and Europe’s dependence on Far Eastern and US suppliers. According to news agency CE Noticias Financieras, economy minister Nadia Calviño, who was standing in for Pedro Sanchez at home while the Spanish prime minister was in the Swiss resort, claimed the Spanish government has made "preliminary contacts" with operators in different sectors. There is one obvious issue, if the Spanish government wants at least one 5nm-capable fab €9bn does not go very far. It would give the country the ability, should…

E+T Magazine in Electronics Design
Wireless pacemaker attaches to sensor network that dissolves in the body

The sensors communicate with each other to continuously monitor the body’s various physiological functions, including body temperature, oxygen levels, respiration, muscle tone, physical activity and the heart’s electrical activity. The system then uses algorithms to analyse this combined activity in order to autonomously detect abnormal cardiac rhythms and decide when to pace the heart and at what rate. All this information is streamed to a smartphone or tablet, so physicians can remotely monitor their patients. The new transient pacemaker and sensor/control network can be used in patients who need temporary pacing after cardiac surgery or are waiting for a permanent pacemaker. The pacemaker wirelessly harvests energy from a node within the network - a small wireless device that adheres…

E+T Magazine in Functional Safety
Book review: ‘The Digital Republic’ by Jamie Susskind

By now, we are familiar with the weekly news stories about tech companies messing up; from algorithms that amplify hate speech to unscrupulous data-harvesting companies which seem impossible to halt. According to Jamie Susskind, these problems are the result of a systemic failure of governance. In his first book, ‘Future Politics’, Susskind examined how political debate is being reshaped by the powerful digital systems that increasingly control our lives. With ‘The Digital Republic: On Freedom and Democracy in the 21st Century’ (Bloomsbury, ISBN 9781526625489, £25), he proposes a framework for governance better equipped for holding these powerful actors to account. To do so, Susskind draws on the concept of republicanism – not as it is commonly discussed in the UK or the US, but in the…

E+T Magazine
Walmart planning drone delivery of packages to millions of customers

Walmart is planning the largest-scale rollout of drone delivery services so far. The company’s drones are expected to reach four million people by the end of 2022. Through an expansion of the partnership with drone manufacturer DroneUp, Walmart will be able to send packages to clients via drones, lowering the items to customers homes using a cable. The delivery service costs $3.99 (£3.17) for a package of up to 10 pounds and takes 30 minutes or less to arrive. The deliveries will be fulfilled from a total of 37 stores, reaching households in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Texas, Utah and Virginia. The company originally launched the programme in November 2021 but until now the retailer had only offered its drone delivery services from a few stores near its headquarters in northwest Arkansas…

E+T Magazine in Aerospace
Sunak announces £15bn emergency package to mitigate cost of living crisis

The Chancellor was forced to unveil emergency measures as part of a £15bn package to tackle the impact of soaring inflation, which has reached a 40-year high. As well as the universal payment, there was targeted support for the poorest, the elderly and the disabled. The Chancellor acknowledged that high inflation is causing “acute distress” for people in the country, telling MPs: “I know they are worried, I know people are struggling.” Sunak said the government “will not sit idly by while there is a risk that some in our country might be set so far back they might never recover”. The £400 in universal support from October replaces the initial plan for a £200 loan, with Sunak also scrapping the requirement to repay the money. The measures announced by the Chancellor include a one-off…

E+T Magazine in Fossil Fuels
UK’s aviation plan notes swift emission cuts necessary to meet climate targets

Passenger numbers fell drastically during the height of the pandemic, leading to layoffs and grounded aircraft. In response, the government has unveiled its 'Flightpath to the future', a strategic framework outlining how it plans to aid the sector in recovery. It details how aircraft emissions can be cut, including shorter-term plans to blend 10 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) into the UK fuel mix by 2030. Estimates suggest a UK SAF industry could generate between £700m and £1.6bn in gross value added (GVA) per year, creating between 5,000 and 11,000 green jobs. In the longer term, the “ultimate goal” is to have “nothing less than guilt-free, zero-emission flying” the strategy states. Achieving this goal will include more use of aircraft such as drones and electrical vertical…

E+T Magazine in Aerospace
Sponsored: Scalable power transceiver solution for critical comms

This article discusses multiple options of the power and performance trade-offs offered by Analog Devices’ newest generation software-defined radio (SDR) transceiver, the ADRV9001. The new transceiver solution has been designed to provide scalable power and performance for many satellite, military, land mobile, utility infrastructure, and cellular mission critical communications. The article showcases the power saving for each option and explains the associated performance cost. Thoroughly understanding the trade-offs empowers engineers to design the best system power saving strategy to achieve both the optimal power consumption and a satisfactory system performance. Key Learning Points: Understanding the power saving options offered by Analog Devices´ newest SDR transceiver. Understanding…

E+T Magazine in Telecommunications
Scientists 3D print concrete to decarbonise construction

Concrete is the most widely used building material in the world. It has many uses, can be produced locally and is very durable. Its environmental performance, on the other hand, has long been debated , as the production of the integral concrete component cement emits high quantities of CO 2 . “If we want to make building with concrete more sustainable and climate-friendly, we have to work on new concrete formulations and at the same time use concrete in a more targeted and smarter way,” said Andreas Trummer. Trummer is one of the researchers working on lightweight concrete construction methods at the Institute of Structural Design at TU Graz. Originally, the civil engineer focused on timber construction, but he soon turned to mineral building materials in order to participate in the decarbonisation…

E+T Magazine in Sustainable Development
Why manufacturing’s move to the cloud will be irreversible

The forced march to the cloud triggered by Covid-19 and remote working has given way to an enthusiastic scramble among manufacturing organisations keen to build on the advantages they have found there. Many made their start on this journey during the pandemic, when staff shortages, factory closures and remote-working orders obliged them to fast-track their digital transformation plans. Excited by the new opportunities for efficiency and agility that they’ve uncovered, they’re now voting with their wallets. It’s a trend that is seen across all industries, of course, as companies respond to a new business and social dynamic. In 2022, traditional on-premises offerings will still constitute around 59 per cent of addressable revenue for technology companies, according to market research company…

E+T Magazine in Manufacturing
UK orders security review into Chinese takeover of Welsh chip fab

Last year, it emerged that Nexperia – a Dutch chip firm wholly owned by Shanghai-based Wingtech – had confirmed plans to acquire the UK’s largest chip producer, Newport Wafer Fab, in a deal valued at £63m. But in April, MPs expressed concern that a security review into the purchase of the plant had still not been carried out despite possible links between Nexperia and the Chinese state government. The government has powers under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 to scrutinise and intervene in acquisitions such as these on national security grounds. “We welcome overseas investment, but it must not threaten Britain’s national security,” Kwarteng said on Twitter. The Newport site produces over 35,000 200mm wafer starts per month, covering a wide range of semiconductor technologies…

E+T Magazine in Manufacturing
AI-powered drone continues to fly during tornadoes

Most drones can only operate effectively in ideal weather conditions. However, in order for drones to be able to perform necessary tasks, such as delivering packages or airlifting injured drivers from a traffic accident, they must be able to adapt to wind conditions in real-time. A team of engineers from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have found a solution. They have developed 'Neural-Fly', a deep-learning method that can help drones cope with new and unknown wind conditions, allowing them to fly even in extreme events such as hurricanes. The five-pound drone can recalculate weather conditions around it five times per second, and adapt its path accordingly, as described in a study published in Science Robotics . “We can make sure that this drone can land under any weather…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
‘Smallest-ever’ robots are remote controlled using lasers

The tiny crabs may just be half a millimetre wide, but they are capable of bending, twisting, crawling, walking, turning and even jumping. The team also developed millimetre-sized robots resembling inchworms, crickets and beetles. Although the research is exploratory at this point, the researchers believe their technology might bring the field closer to realizing micro-sized robots that can perform practical tasks inside tightly confined spaces. “Robotics is an exciting field of research, and the development of microscale robots is a fun topic for academic exploration,” said John A Rogers, who led the experimental work. Image credit: Northwestern University “You might imagine micro-robots as agents to repair or assemble small structures or machines in industry…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
View from Brussels: Emerald green deal boosted

The Celtic Interconnector has long been in the works . Since Brexit, the project has enjoyed a boost in political support, as it will be Ireland’s only physical power connection to an EU member state once it is completed. In terms of capacity, the cable will be able to handle 700 megawatts – roughly enough to power nearly half a million homes – and will also carry a fire-optic link that will improve communication services. Costing nearly €1 billion, the EU has met more than half the costs through its dedicated cross-border infrastructure fund. France and Ireland are picking up the rest of the bill. Michael Mahon from Ireland’s grid operator said: “This brings us one step closer to the many benefits this project will bring, including improving the security of electricity supply, helping…

E+T Magazine
Meta creates digital human model to develop better prosthetics

Researchers at Meta's Artificial Intelligence Research Lab and the University of Twente's Neuromechanical Modelling and Engineering Lab in the Netherlands, have co-developed the open-source framework MyoSuite, which combines advanced musculoskeletal models with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to create "digital humans" that mimic complex movements. The AI-powered digital models in MyoSuite can build realistic musculoskeletal simulations as many as 4,000 times faster than current prosthetics. T he researchers claim that they can train the models to do certain complex motor movements, such as twirling a pen or rotating an arm. Although the main goal of the tool is to model complex human movement to help develop prosthetics, it can also potentially be used for the design of new physical…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Mixing tyre rubber with bitumen can act as a ‘sun cream’ for roads

Engineers at RMIT University in Australia have discovered a bitumen blend that is both UV-resistant and withstands traffic loads, with the potential to save governments millions on road maintenance annually. Roads are typically not designed with any sun protection, which makes them prone to cracking and eventually unsafe to drive on.  Incorporating recycled rubber not only offers sun protection but offers a sustainable way to recycle the material in many countries. “We found that the ageing trend is actually slowed down when you add crumb rubber, which is recycled from scrap tyres, into the top layer of a road,” said associate professor Filippo Giustozzi. “This acts so effectively as a sunscreen for roads that it actually makes the surface last twice as long as regular bitumen. “We…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Permeable pavements aim to protect Australia from flooding

This year has already seen one of Australia's worst floods on record, in which 23 people died and thousands were left homeless. The damage bill of the disaster is expected to top $1.5bn (about £1.2bn). In addition to the impacts of climate change , increasing urban development is contributing to the rise in flood risk. The building of impermeable road and sidewalk surfaces in cities often causes surface water to collect, with nowhere to drain. Overall, the cost of natural disasters is predicted to cost $33bn AUD (18.6bn) by 2050. University of South Australia (UniSA) engineers have proposed a solution, published in an article in the Sustainability journal: permeable pavements. Permeable pavements are used on many driveways, parking lots and low-traffic roads. Their porous surface allows…

E+T Magazine in Sustainable Development
Non-CO2 emissions cuts crucial to keep below 2°C warming

Researchers from Duke University in the USA said that by focusing on reducing emissions of other atmospheric gases, as well as CO2, the rate of global warming could be cut in half by 2050. “Decarbonisation is crucial to meeting our long-term climate goals, but it’s not enough,” said study co-author Drew Shindell. “To slow warming in the near-term and reduce suffering from the ever-increasing heatwaves, droughts, superstorms and fires, we need to also reduce short-lived climate pollutants this decade.” The research shows that focusing efforts almost entirely on cutting CO2 emissions, as most governments currently do, can no longer prevent global temperatures from rising 1.5°C above pre-industrial times – a key aim of the Paris climate accord. Such a rise would substantially increase…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Upper-body mobility suit project to help people with neuromuscular diseases

The University of Liverpool is a part of the project. Dr Farnaz Nickpour and her team at 'The Inclusionaries Lab' at the university will work with Duchenne UK and Spinal Muscular Atrophy UK (SMA UK) to develop the ‘SMART Suit’ – a first of its kind exoskeleton suit to help disabled teenagers and young people use their arms and upper body. The SMART Suit is an ambitious and innovative assistive technology design project with the potential to improve quality of life for a wide range of people living with neuromuscular diseases and disabilities. It aims to give people living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) – a progressive muscle-wasting disease which typically affects young boys – and other progressive diseases back their strength, independence and dignity. Dr Nickpour, director of…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Tourism pollution in Wales assuaged with £26m funding

Over one million tourists visit Wales every year. In 2021, the number of visitors from within the UK drastically increased, as people avoided travelling abroad due to the impact of COVID-19. In light of its popularity as a tourist destination, the Welsh government is taking steps to address the carbon footprint that the industry generates, as the country prepares for the summer holidays. Last summer, social media platforms and news outlets were awash with pictures of overcrowding in popular destinations such as Snowdon, Yr Wyddfa, where there were daily queues to reach the summit. Globally, studies suggest that c arbon dioxide emissions from tourism could increase by more than 300 per cent by the end of the century if nothing is done to address this. To tackle this challenge, the Welsh…

E+T Magazine in Air Pollution
Energy price cap to rise in October as cost-of-living crisis worsens

Ofgem chief executive Jonathan Brearley has told MPs the regulator is expecting an energy price cap in October “in the region of £2,800”. The energy regulator said it expects the cap to rise 42 per cent from its current level of £1,971. The news comes after Ofcom proposed to review the price cap every three months, instead of twice a year, in an attempt to bring down prices sooner. Last month, the cap increased by 54 per cent, from £1,277 in October 2021. “The price changes are genuinely a once-in-a-generation event not seen since the oil crisis in the 1970s,” Brearley told MPs on the BEIS Committee. Brearley warned that this increase in UK residents’ energy bills may double the number of people in fuel poverty - defined as households that spend over 10 per cent of their disposable income…

E+T Magazine in Fossil Fuels
Graphyne, sister material to graphene, created in bulk for the first time

Prior to the project by researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder, only a few fragments of graphyne had ever been produced despite decades of work and theorising. The CU Boulder team believes the material could open brand-new possibilities for electronics, optics and semiconducting material research. “The whole audience, the whole field, is really excited that this long-standing problem, or this imaginary material, is finally getting realised,” said Yiming Hu, lead author on the paper. Scientists have long been interested in the construction of new or novel carbon allotropes, or forms of carbon, because of carbon’s versatility in a wide range of applications. Using traditional chemistry methods, scientists have successfully created various allotropes over the years, including…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Ford trials geofencing technology to automatically control vehicle speed

Ford is trialling an innovative geofencing technology - a type of virtual geographical boundary - where special rules can be set around specific locations. The company is hoping to be able to ensure that internet-connected vehicles automatically adhere to set speed limits in specific areas. By controlling vehicle speeds, the vehicle manufacturer aims to reduce the need for speed limit signs, as well as helping users avoid inadvertently breaching those limits. In Europe, as many as 29 per cent of road fatalities are pedestrians and cyclists and many local authorities are s etting up 30km/h (approximately 20mph) zones to reduce the risk to pedestrians in urban areas, particularly around schools, hospitals and shopping areas. “Geofencing can ensure speeds are reduced where, and even when…

E+T Magazine in Road transport systems

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