• Online sales tax proposed to help curtail high street losses

    Officials have said such a tax would help to “shift the balance” between the rise in online spending and the reduction in visitors to physical shops. With high-street retail businesses already suffering prior to the pandemic, Covid-19 has dealt a deadly blow to many firms, with a record number of shops disappearing from shopping locales across the country in the first half of 2020. Meanwhile, Amazon’s UK sales soared last year to a record £19.4bn as people trapped at home were forced to purchase online. Despite this, the amount of taxes paid by the firm will only have minimally increased due to a complex tax avoidance scheme that it has implemented using Luxembourg as its main hub, Paul Monaghan, chief executive of Fair Tax Mark has claimed. Delivery firms such as Deliveroo and online…

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    IET EngX

  • Quantum receiver capable of detecting full spectrum of radio waves

    Researchers for the US army built the quantum sensor, which can sample from zero frequency up to 20GHz, detecting AM and FM radio, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and other communication signals along the way. Dubbed the 'Rydberg sensor', it uses laser beams to create highly excited Rydberg atoms directly above a microwave circuit, to boost and hone in on the portion of the spectrum being measured. The Rydberg atoms are sensitive to the circuit’s voltage, enabling the device to be used as a sensitive probe for the wide range of signals in the RF spectrum. “All previous demonstrations of Rydberg atomic sensors have only been able to sense small and specific regions of the RF spectrum, but our sensor now operates continuously over a wide frequency range for the first time,” said researcher Dr Kevin Cox…

  • 3D-printed fresh vegetables become reality with new method

    The research team claims their method preserves the nutrition and flavour better than existing methods. Food inks are usually made from pureed foods in liquid or semi-solid form, then 3D-printed by extrusion from a nozzle and assembled layer by layer. Pureed foods are usually served to patients suffering from swallowing difficulties known as dysphagia. To present the food in a more visually appetising way, healthcare professionals have used silicone moulds to shape pureed foods, which is both labour and time intensive and requires storage. While 3D food-printing means food can be easily produced in a desired shape and texture in a shorter time, the dehydrated food and freeze-dried powders used as food inks usually contain a high percentage of food additives such as hydrocolloids (HCs…

  • Bioengineering threats rated as a top biosecurity risk

    The exercise was facilitated by the Centre for Existential Risk (CSER) and the BioRISC project, both based at the University of Cambridge. A group of 41 academics and figures from industry and government submitted 450 questions facing the UK government regarding biological security. These were then debated, voted on and ranked to define the 80 most urgent questions. The questions were sorted into six categories: bioengineering; communication and behaviour; disease threats; governance and policy; invasive alien species, and securing biological materials and securing against misuse. The line-up – published in PLOS ONE – includes questions around whether data from social media platforms should be used to help detect early signs of emerging pathogens; custom DNA synthesis; threats from “human…

  • View from India: Aero India’s runway to a billion opportunities

    Hailed as the Runway to a Billion Opportunities, the 13th edition of the international event has packaged a fair share of starry attractions. Countries will flex military muscle into space as fighter jets, metal birds and helicopters thunder the skies. Next-generation air combat capabilities, aerodynamically superior missiles, indigenous aircraft and sophisticated weaponry are among the highlights to watch out for in this year’s show. Global aviation companies including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Dassault and Airbus, and defence companies such as Thales and BAE Systems are among the participants. Aircrafts of the Indian Air Force, Army, Navy, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and the Coast Guard will showcase their prowess and technological self-reliance at the international show. This year’s event…

  • The measure of: Mambo 3D-printed fibreglass boat

    Mambo ('Motor Additive Manufacturing BOat'), introduced during the 2020 Genoa International Boat Show, was built by Italy’s Moi Composites via its continuous fibre manufacturing (CFM) process. Boasting a sleek, shiny coat of paint in ‘snapper rocks blue’, Mambo is equipped with a navigation system, cork flooring and white leather seats. Moi says the unique shape cannot be achieved with traditional manufacturing. Guided by a generative algorithm, the technique deposits continuous fibres into a thermosetting resin to produce a material with the strength and durability of traditional fibreglass. This makes it much easier to shape and saves time and money, the firm said: “A rare 3D-printing capability: continuous fibreglass thermoset material makes products strong, ultra-durable, and lightweight…

  • Ceramic-based ink used to print ‘bone’ with living cells

    This is an entirely new technique: it uses a 3D printer to construct bone-like structures from calcium phosphate ink, which harden in minutes when placed in water. While the idea of using a 3D printer to create bone-like structures is not new, this is the first time it has been executed under convenient conditions: namely, at room temperature, complete with living cells, and without the use of harsh chemicals or radiation. The structure is portable. “This is a unique technology that can produce structures that closely mimic bone tissue,” said Dr Iman Roohani, from the university’s school of chemistry. “It could be used in clinical applications where there is a large demand for in situ repair of bone defects such as those caused by trauma, cancer, or where a big chunk or tissue is resected…

  • Wide-ranging 5G applications backed with £28m funding

    The nine projects will seek to show how the country could reap the full benefits of the 5G rollout. One of the projects will involve naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough appearing in a high-resolution “holographic” video via an AR (augmented reality) app, set to be released alongside the upcoming BBC series 'The Green Planet'. It has not been specified how the hologram will be generated. The app – developed by EE, immersive content studio Factory 42, and other companies – will highlight the possibilities of 5G to wide audiences and show creative and technology companies how well the 5G network can handle extremely data-intensive content, the government said. “This cutting-edge app, fronted by broadcasting legend Sir David Attenborough, is set to be an inspiring example of…

  • Construction restarts on UK’s largest Antarctica research hub

    To avoid the risk of introducing Covid-19 to British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Rothera Research Station, the construction team was forced to spend two weeks in quarantine and had three Covid-19 tests prior to making the 11,000km voyage by ship. Construction on such facilities can only take place during a short window in the Antarctic summer months, in order to avoid the harsh, dark winter. This is the second season that work has taken place on building the research hub, during which time the team aims to complete the pre-cast concrete foundations; ground floor slab; rock anchors, and stub columns, as well as the drainage and the perimeter wall, before returning in December 2021 to complete the outer structure. The new scientific support facility will be called the Discovery Building and…

  • Google’s ‘walled garden’ under regulatory scrutiny

    The investigation will look into proposed 'Privacy Sandbox' changes to Chrome, specifically how the proposed phase-out of support for third-party cookies and other functionalities from the browser could flatten competition. Google would then implement a new set of tools for targeted advertising and other functionality. The CMA investigation follows complaints of anticompetitive behaviour and requests for the regulatory body to ensure that Google develops its proposals fairly. Google has framed the changes as pro-privacy. It has agreed to collaborate publicly on the plans before its changes are implemented in 2022. Online advertising is dominated by Google and Facebook, with the two US tech giants accounting for over 63 per cent of all advertising spending online - a lion's share that…

  • Morphing nozzle allows 3D printing of custom fibre-filled composites

    The nozzle offers the means for 3D-printing fibre-filled composites: materials made up of short fibres which have enhanced properties compared with traditional 3D printer parts, such as strength or electrical conductivity. These properties are based on the orientations of the fibres, which has previously been difficult to control during the manufacturing process. “When 3D printing with the morphing nozzle, the power lies on their side actuators, which can be inflated like a balloon to change the shape of the nozzle, and in turn, the orientations of the fibres,” said Professor Ryan Sochol, a mechanical engineer at the University of Maryland. The nozzle was built using 3D printing technology known as PolyJet Printing. This allowed them to 3D-print the nozzle with flexible materials for the…

  • Driving the best results from your data acquisition signal chain design

    Simply combining precision ADCs and high precision voltage references alone does not directly translate to the highest accuracy signal chain, and for many data acquisition systems used in instrumentation, industrial automation, medical devices and power line monitoring applications, precision is everything. Title:   Driving the best results from your data acquisition signal chain design Duration: 45 minutes + Q&A Recorded with live Q&A on 20th January 2021,  watch on demand -  register your interest Join this webinar to get some key ideas: The reference voltage's impact on the overall measurement accuracy The challenges associated with driving the ADC's reference input Common ADC reference driving solutions New ADC technologies that ease the reference driving challenge …

  • E&T Display Advertising Solutions 2021

    Our in-depth understanding of engineering industry trends, as well as engineers’ technical needs, means our expert team can work with you to develop a custom solution to market your products in a way that is aligned with your campaign objectives, delivering the best possible results in the process. How We Can Help: Ready to take your ad campaign to the next level? Choose a solution below that works for you: Lead Generation  |  Awareness & Branding  |  Digital & Online Product Promotion  |  Events & Sponsorship  |   Case Studies   Below you'll find some stats and information about our unique audience of engineers! Which industry sectors do our audience work in? ...

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    IET EngX

  • 3D printers could present air pollution risk to human health

    With 3D printers gaining in popularity due to rapidly falling prices, a group of risk researchers have found that particles released during the printing process are small enough to infiltrate deep into the lungs and can affect indoor air quality and public health. The widespread use of 3D printers to manufacture face shields, respirators and other personal protective equipment for Covid-19 has created a new urgency about their safety, the researchers said. The base materials used in 3D printers include thermoplastics, metals, nanomaterials, polymers and volatile and semi-volatile organic chemicals. The printing process may take several hours and during this time a range of chemical by-products and particulates may be released into indoor environments. Given these unknowns, scientists…

  • Ericsson hopes to create 800 UK jobs as part of 5G rollout

    While Chinese firm Huawei was formerly the largest provider of the next-generation networks, this mantle was passed to Ericsson in October following the UK government’s decision to ban Huawei from playing any role in the nation’s 5G networks. Ericsson now has agreements in place to deploy 5G and enhance network coverage for all four major UK mobile network operators, which it says should generate around 800 direct and indirect employment opportunities. The jobs will mainly be found in engineering, project management and field operations as the firm endeavours to upgrade over a third of the total number of mobile network sites in the UK. The recruitment will include around 250 roles hired directly by Ericsson, with the remaining jobs to be delivered through Ericsson’s field and resource…

  • Christmas shoppers warned by NCSC to be vigilant as cyber crime soars

    It has launched a new 'Cyber Aware' campaign ahead of an expected record rush to online stores as people try to avoid busy high streets due to the threat of the coronavirus. Statistics by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau have shown that over last year’s Christmas shopping period (1 November 2019 to 31 January 2020) there were 17,405 reports of online shopping fraud, reporting a loss of £13.5m in total or £775 per incident. A new NCSC website and television advertising campaign will remind people it is important to use a strong and separate password for their email and encourages the use of two-factor authentication to log in to accounts. Since the coronavirus pandemic hit its stride in March, cyber criminals have ramped up their attacks to steal people’s data while the first month…

  • Qualcomm and Samsung partner to develop flagship 5G smartphone chips

    Called the  Snapdragon 888, the 5G chip represents the top of Qualcomm’s line-up for mobile phone processors. Smartphones containing the chip, which include high-end Android phones from Xiaomi and LG, are due to be launched in the first quarter of next year. It is the first time Samsung – which competes with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), which makes chips for Apple Inc’s iPhones – has made Qualcomm’s flagship chip on its new 5-nanometre process for smartphones. The South Korean firm won a contract for 5G chips from Qualcomm earlier this year. According to  Alex Katouzian, Qualcomm’s senior vice president of mobile, compute, and infrastructure, these new chips focus on improving common tasks when using smartphones.  Qualcomm said the chip can process 120 high-resolution…

  • Operators must stop installing Huawei 5G kit from next September

    In July, the Government announced that – despite previously permitting Huawei a limited role providing equipment for the non-core parts of the UK’s 5G network – it would be fully shut out of UK networks. The UK’s decision to formally exclude Huawei came amid diplomatic pressure from its intelligence allies and strict new US restrictions against the company, which GCHQ reported would compromise the security of its 5G equipment. Huawei has repeatedly denied claims that it poses a national security risk. Mobile operators BT, Vodafone, and Three all launched their 5G networks using Huawei in parts of their non-core networks. They will have until 2027 to remove all Huawei equipment from their 5G infrastructure. Telecommunications companies have also been banned from buying new 5G equipment from…

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    IET EngX

  • Hybrid 5G/satellite testing facility to open in Oxfordshire next year

    The engineering hub, which is due for completion in 2021, will provide a base for UK researchers and businesses to experiment, and will allow teams to test the benefits of hybrid 5G and satellite communications networks. The hope is that once the technology is demonstrated, the techniques can be rolled out to other businesses across the UK. The centre is being backed by a European Space Agency contract, and will be carrying out a project to see whether rural communities can be connected to 5G in the most affordable way possible. Currently, the limited range of 5G antennas means the networking standard will be mostly confined to high density population areas like cities, meaning that many rural locales will lose out, at least in the short term. Huawei initially provided much of the infrastructure…

  • Hands-on review: Realme 7 5G smartphone

    Realme has quickly stepped up to the challenge by releasing an array of devices over the last year designed to cater to the mid to low end markets. The Realme 6 was only launched in March and yet the firm is already back with the Realme 7, this time with 5G in tow. While Realme says that the 7 is one of the cheapest phones on the market to support the new network standard, we were not able to test its performance because O2 does not actually provide coverage in this area. Considering that this review was written in zone 1 London, this lack of coverage is a prime example of why you shouldn’t be buying a phone specifically for its 5G capabilities in 2020 (or even 2021). 5G signals are inherently worse at penetrating buildings and solid surfaces than 4G and earlier standards…

  • Preparing your cabling for Power over Ethernet.

    Power over Ethernet has undeniably created many opportunities for lots of industries, allowing businesses to streamline their processes and remain competitive in the forever digitalising market. Despite improving installation flexibility and reducing costs PoE can only be adopted where the cabling infrastructure is fit to accommodate the delivery of both data and power through the use of a singular cable. This article will discuss the movement of PoE and the importance of cable testing when migrating into PoE driven devices. Key Learning Points: Innovation surrounding PoE Data cable considerations Importance of high-quality cable and testing   Download Free Whitepaper

  • Shoppers risk fires buying electronics from third-party sellers online, charity warns

    Research from the charity Electrical Safety First (ESF) found that millions more UK consumers than usual will turn to online marketplaces for gifts this Christmas due to Covid-19 fears. The survey suggests 58 per cent of Brits will be shopping on online marketplaces for Christmas this year, with over half (53 per cent) of them saying they’ll be using these sites more than in previous years. The majority (59 per cent) of respondents said they would choose online marketplaces to avoid possible Covid-19 exposure, but ESF is concerned consumers are simply replacing one risk with another, as multiple investigations from the charity have unearthed dangerous electrical products for sale via third parties on these sites. It repeatedly found unsafe electrical devices for sale on sites including…

  • Book review: ‘Invent & Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos’

    A little over a quarter of a century ago, when online retailer Amazon started doing business, most of us knew it, if we knew it at all, as a discount bookseller. For many of us the idea of buying anything online, coupled with sending our bank details into the ether, was an alien experience. But we got used to it, and today Amazon is in the top ten list of biggest companies in the world by revenue, and its founder Jeff Bezos is the world’s richest person by a country mile. It should follow that the man himself has plenty to say about business innovation and entrepreneurship. And so it is something of a surprise that his ‘collected writings’ – gathered together here under the title of ‘Invent & Wander’ (Harvard Business Review, £21, ISBN 9781647820718) – should amount to a slim volume of generously…

    IET EngX
    IET EngX

  • Temperatures could continue to rise long after net zero carbon goals are met

    A simulation of the global climate between 1850 and 2500, which has been published in Scientific Reports, has modelled the global temperature and sea level rises during that time period. The modelling suggests that under conditions where greenhouse gas emissions peak during the 2030s and decline to zero by 2100, global temperatures will be 3 degrees Celsius warmer and sea levels 3 metres higher by 2500 than they were in 1850. Under conditions where all manmade greenhouse-gas emissions are reduced to zero during the year 2020, the authors estimate that, after an initial decline, global temperatures will still be around 3°C  warmer and sea levels will rise by around 2.5 metres by 2500, compared to 1850. Even without additional carbon being pumped into the atmosphere, continued melting of…

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