• Industrial drone course launched to train new pilots

    Given the safety benefits and increased efficiency for workers that drones can provide, as well as cost savings and a reduction in asset downtime for inspections, the use of drones across industry has grown rapidly in recent years.   However, until now, no consistent training programme has existed for operators using drones within an industrial setting. The new ECITB Foundation UAS training course, created in close collaboration with the UK Drone Association, ARPAS-UK, is now officially available to training providers across the country.  The course will support both industry and people who would like to develop their knowledge and skills to operate drones in industrial environments. The official launch follows the success of a pilot programme in 2022. Drones are especially useful in…

  • Investing with confidence in digital manufacturing

    “A week is a long time in politics.” That remark, attributed to former UK Prime Minister Harold Wilson during the sterling crisis of 1964, applies almost as well to the economic policymaking witnessed in the UK in late 2022. Just three weeks after the then Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announced his Emergency Mini Budget on 23 September, his successor Jeremy Hunt delivered an Emergency Statement on 17 October in which many of Kwarteng’s proposed tax reforms were unceremoniously dumped. One policy that remains, however, is a permanent increase of the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) to £1 million from April 2023 onwards. This means that businesses can deduct 100 per cent of the costs of qualifying plant and machinery up to £1 million in the first year. For UK manufacturers, it’s a bit of…

  • Students relying on text generated by ChatGPT risk plagiarism, scientists say

    “Plagiarism comes in different flavours,” said Dongwon Lee, professor of information sciences at Penn State University. “We wanted to see if language models not only copy and paste but resort to more sophisticated forms of plagiarism without realising it.” The researchers identified three forms of plagiarism: verbatim, or directly copying and pasting content; paraphrase, or rewording and restructuring content without citing the original source; and idea, or using the main idea from a text without proper attribution. They constructed a pipeline for automated plagiarism detection and tested it against OpenAI’s GPT-2 because the language model’s training data is available online, allowing the researchers to compare generated texts to the eight million documents used to pre-train GPT-2. The…

  • Japan aborts H3 rocket launch after technical fault

    Japan’s space agency has aborted for the second time the launch of its new flagship H3 rocket. The H3 rocket was carrying an observation satellite fitted with an experimental infrared sensor that could detect missile launches. Concerns about the launch began after the countdown had started; when the Jaxa live stream began to show white smoke filling the site, located at the Tanegashima Space Centre in southern Japan.  The launch was meant to showcase Japan's first new rocket in more than 20 years. However, the agency was forced to abort the mission  after its auxiliary booster rockets failed to ignite. It marks the second failed launch in Japan's space programme in just four months. “I know many people were waiting for and looking forward to this day. I’m so sorry and I feel extremely…

  • I am AI and I made this cover image for E&T's art special

    Art and engineering seem worlds apart, but are they? When does an artist turn engineer or vice versa? Two of this month’s features each take on one of these questions. Christine Evans-Pughe looks at some famous artists who blurred the lines, from Alexander Calder to Rachel Whiteread. Conversely, Nick Smith picks out seven great works of engineering and technology, from the Clifton suspension bridge to the Mini, that are also great art or design. That crossover continues today. Origami is inspiring engineering with fascinating breakthroughs from fuel cells to folding proteins. Technology brings museum exhibits alive and helps us to see gallery artworks in new ways. Now technology is going much further. Will it take over art? This month’s cover is our first illustrated by AI, using the…

  • Contactless payments up nearly 50 per cent in 2022, Barclays says

    In new figures, the bank found that users spent around £3,327 per person, while a record 91.2 per cent of all eligible transactions were made using the technology. In 2021, the spending limit for contactless payments in the UK rose to £100 from £45 as consumers were encouraged to use contactless in the wake of the Covid pandemic. Contactless payments have been soaring in popularity in recent years to the detriment of cash, but figures released last year showed that the number of cash payments plummeted even faster in 2021 . Barclays said that Northern Ireland and Scotland are the fastest growing regions for contactless usage. While all sectors saw an increase in the total value of contactless transactions, spending more than doubled in the hotels, resorts & accommodation category. There…

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  • Global summit calls for ‘responsible use’ of AI in the military

    The statement, although not legally binding, was a  tangible outcome of the first international summit on military AI, co-hosted by the Netherlands and South Korea this week at The Hague. During the conference, the US called for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military domain, and proposed a declaration which would include 'human accountability', Reuters has reported.  "We invite all states to join us in implementing international norms, as it pertains to military development and use of AI" and autononous weapons, said Bonnie Jenkins, US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control. The s ignatories said they were committed to developing and using military AI in accordance with "international legal obligations and in a way that does not undermine international…

  • Conservative-run London councils to challenge ULEZ expansion in court

    Current proposals will see ULEZ expanded to cover the whole city from August this year. The zone was first introduced in April 2019 and charges non-compliant vehicles – mostly diesel cars that are more than six years old and petrol cars that are more than 15 years old – £12.50 for each day they are in the zone. Transport for London said that more than four in five vehicles in outer London, which would be affected by the expanded zone, already meet ULEZ standards. The London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Harrow and Hillingdon and Surrey County Council have formed a coalition to mount a legal challenge against the action. It includes allegations that the scheme fails to comply with statutory requirements and that the proposed scrappage scheme , which is designed to help people affected by…

  • Back Story: Abigail Berhane, ‘Most of us have come a long way to get to this point’

    Shini Somara: What is your PhD research focus? Abigail Berhane: Approximately one-third of the loss in an aeroengine turbine comes from the ‘aerodynamic friction’ present between the blade surface and fluid. This is also known as ‘skin friction’, which is influenced by the surface roughness of the blades. How surface roughness and skin friction relate is currently unknown. Surfaces of turbine blades can be really non-uniform, making it challenging to measure and predict. My research involves relating any surface present in a turbine blade to a given loss. This is useful for turbine designers and aerodynamicists in improving efficiency of current and new designs, and the use of new materials. I hope my research will be used as a guide to understand how roughness can affect turbine performance…

  • NHS digitalisation rated ‘inadequate’ by expert panel

    The government is making “inadequate” progress on its commitment to digitise the NHS and social care, according to a report from a panel of independent experts. The panel was created by the Health and Social Care Select Committee of MPs to measure the progress made in the government's digitalisation efforts against a range of commitments made in a 2022 policy paper. These commitments included boosting the use of the official NHS App as a way of allowing people to access more personalised care, as well as manage their health more independently. However, the expert panel’s report rated the government’s progress as either requiring improvement or inadequate in several of these areas.  “What is particularly disappointing is that the government recognises that the digitisation of the NHS…

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  • Martian subsurface mapped in detail by Chinese rover

    Zhurong was sent to Mars as part of China’s Tianwen-1 mission and landed on the surface after nearly a year’s trip on 15 May 2021. The rover was sent to a large plain in the northern hemisphere of Mars named Utopia Planitia, near the boundary between the lowlands where it landed and highlands to the south. The region was chosen because it’s near suspected ancient shorelines and other interesting surface features, where the rover could look for evidence of water or ice. A large body of underground ice was identified in a nearby part of Utopia Planitia in 2016 by radar from Nasa’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. After landing, Zhurong travelled about 1.9km south, taking pictures of rocks, sand dunes, and impact craters, and collecting data along the way. Ground-penetrating radar detects…

  • Discovery could improve the lifespan of next-generation solar cells

    University of Toledo physicists might have solved the problem with the durability of perovskite solar cells, taking the technology one step closer to powering solar panels in the consumer market. The team discovered the ingredient that enhances adhesion and mechanical toughness. Researchers experimentally demonstrated that perovskite solar cells treated with 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (DPPP), exhibited greater durability than traditional solar cells.  The discovery could be key to improving the resilience of solar cells. Perovskite solar panels could be easily deposited onto most surfaces, including flexible and textured ones. The materials are also lightweight, cheap to produce, and as efficient as today’s leading photovoltaic materials, which are mainly silicon. However, it…

  • Tesla to open superfast charging network to other electric vehicles

    The electric car firm has more than 40,0000 superchargers across the globe – the largest network of its type in the world according to its website. Roughly 17,000 of those are in the US alone accounting for about 60 per cent of total US fast chargers. According to the Biden administration, by late 2024 Tesla would open 3,500 new and existing Superchargers along highway corridors to non-Tesla customers. It would also offer 4,000 slower chargers at locations like hotels and restaurants. The superchargers can supposedly add up to 322 miles of range in just 15 minutes. Tesla is currently planning to double the number of superchargers in the US, the White House added. In November 2021, Tesla began opening its network to other electric vehicles in various areas outside of the US. “Access…

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  • An experiment: Editor's letter welcome by artificial intelligence

    We asked ChatGPT to see if it could do better than our editor in introducing our coverage on art and engineering (though he also wrote his own intro). We asked it: Write a 650-word introduction to Engineering & Technology magazine’s special issue on art and engineering, in the style of editor-in-chief Dickon Ross, introducing our articles on the advantages and shortcomings of art made by artificial intelligence, the blurred boundaries between art and engineering, origami that inspires engineering, and the world’s greatest works of artistic engineering. And ChatGPT replied: Dear Readers, It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the special issue of Engineering & Technology magazine, where we delve into the fascinating world of art and engineering. For many years, these two disciplines…

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  • Ukraine suffered 29 state-sponsored cyber attacks in 2022

    The report highlighted a worrying increase in state-sponsored cyber attacks globally, with Ukraine having been the victim of 29 in the past 12 months.  Behind most of the government-backed attacks that took place around the world stand China and Russia, the report showed, with 44 and 38 cyber attacks respectively. The data is based on the Council on Foreign Relations Cyber Operations Tracker, which categorises all instances of publicly known state-sponsored cyber activity since 2005. These types of attacks are carried out by government-sponsored groups or organisations, which the goal of stealing sensitive information, disrupting critical infrastructure, or undermining the operations of a targeted entity. Graph showing countries that suffered cyberattacks in 2022…

  • Sponsored: UK’s biggest defence company boosts early career jobs by over 40%

    Representing a 43% increase on this year’s early careers intake, the announcement reinforces the Company’s commitment to invest in the next generation, equipping young people across the UK with the skills they need to succeed in the workplace. The majority of roles will be based in the North of England, with opportunities also available across the South of England, Scotland and Wales, supporting the UK Government’s aspiration to put education at the heart of plans to stimulate economic growth. Tania Gandamihardja, Group Director of Human Resources at BAE Systems, said: “Faced with economic challenges not seen in a generation, it’s essential for businesses like ours to invest in the next generation to equip young people with the skills they need to achieve their full potential and support…

  • New-build islands proposed to save low-lying nations from rising sea levels

    A team of researchers worked with Maldivian scientists on the project, as the Maldives are particularly under threat from sea level rises – some estimates find the islands in the Indian Ocean will be completely submerged by 2100. Maldives capital Malé is currently attracting a rapidly expanding population as other islands are abandoned, as well as because of demographic changes. “Our findings indicate that in the extreme the entire population of the Maldives could live on just two islands that are built at a significantly higher elevation than natural islands to withstand sea-level rise,” said Professor Robert Nicholls, director of the Tyndall Centre at the University of East Anglia, which focuses on climate change research. “Of course, these islands would look very different to the beautiful…

  • Dear Evil Engineer: Can I save on my energy bills by burning bodies?

    Dear Evil Energy-Saving Expert, Like everyone else – heroes, villains, and morally grey protagonists – I have been thinking a lot these days about how to better manage my outgoings amid this cost-of-living crisis. Already, I’ve implemented plenty of measures of which Martin Lewis would be proud, such as switching to energy-efficient lightbulbs, switching off devices on standby, culling and eating the pet sharks, and sending the kids to work part-time in the local e-commerce order fulfilment centre – but all this has turned out to be trivial in comparison with my ballooning energy costs. So, I’ve been wondering about whether I could utilise existing resources as fuel to keep down the energy bills a bit. Over the last financial year, I’ve been fulfilling an average of one order per week …

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    E+T Magazine

  • Fighter pilot study may reveal how space changes brains of astronauts

    The researchers recruited 10 fighter jet pilots from the Belgian Air Force, alongside a control group of 10 non-pilots, and performed MRI scans of their brains to establish the first-ever study of functional brain connectivity in fighter pilots. The scans revealed that pilots with more flight experience showed specific brain connectivity patterns in areas related to processing sensorimotor information – the brain processes that cause motor responses in the central nervous system. They also showed differences in brain connectivity compared with non-pilots. Blasting off into space places significant demands on the body including altered levels of gravity, from the G-forces present during blast-off to the low-gravity environment in space. Other issues include rapidly interpreting sensory…

  • Hands-on review: GameSir G7 wired controller for Xbox

    As any hardcore gamer knows, the finest of margins can make a world of difference. In a game where milliseconds can decide between virtual life or death, any advantage should be seized upon. GameSir's officially licensed G7 wired controller for Xbox has been designed to provide high speed and ultra-low input latency to give you that competitive edge, with extreme sensitivity, faster response, additional controls, textured grips and comprehensive software customisation. Even if you're more of a casual player, the G7 controller can still up your game. The G7 controller will work with Xbox Series X and S, and Xbox One, as well as with Windows 10/11 on PCs. It's a wired controller, not wireless, so there's a detachable 3m USB-C cable in the box. This should be long enough for most gamers. …

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    E+T Magazine

  • Book interview: ‘Computing Taste’ by Nick Seaver

    When it comes to the relationship between technology and culture there’s an apparent contradiction in how taste – in the sense of our subjective human preferences – is perceived. Few would challenge that when it comes to fashion, art or music, what we choose to like all comes down to a matter of taste. In other words, it’s a matter of personal preference, no wrong answers, live and let live. Move into the technology space and, as anthropologist Nick Seaver observes in his new book ‘Computing Taste’, we enter a different world. Humans rarely express taste preferences for the engineering that goes into jet engines, nuclear power stations or, for that matter, algorithms. And yet, algorithms are the cornerstone of how music recommender systems such as Spotify or Apple Music work. Back in the…

  • Wales scraps all major road building projects due to environmental concerns

    Lee Waters, deputy minister for economy and transport, unveiled the decision as part of the country's ‘National Transport Plan’.  “We will still invest in roads," Waters said during the announcement. "In fact, we are building new roads as I speak, but we are raising the bar for where new roads are the right response to transport problems. "We are also investing in real alternatives, including investment in rail, bus, walking and cycling projects.” Waters added that the department's budget is expected to be 8 per cent lower next year, "as a result of the UK government’s failure to invest in infrastructure".  Last year, the Welsh government paused 55 road projects, pending a review by the Welsh Roads Review Panel led by transport expert Dr. Lynn Sloman.  The panel's conclusions have…

  • EU approves 2035 ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars

    The ban on new petrol car sales will now be formally made into law at an upcoming ministerial meeting, despite opposition from conservative MEPs, the parliament's biggest group. The landmark rules require that by 2035 carmakers achieve a 100 per cent cut in CO2 emissions  from new cars sold, which would make it impossible to sell new fossil fuel-powered vehicles in the 27-country bloc. The law also set a 55 per cent cut in CO2 emissions for new cars sold from 2030 compared to 2021 levels, raising the existing target of a 37.5 per cent decrease. The law passed the Strasbourg assembly by 340 votes to 279, with 21 abstentions. The legislation is a vital part of the EU's target of achieving net zero by 2050 and supporting the production of electric vehicles. Moreover, supporters of the…

  • How are businesses adapting to the raw materials crunch?

    “I think we’re bouncing from one disaster to another,” says Jason Webb, managing director at Sussex manufacturer Electronic Temperature Instruments (ETI), neatly summing up the state of the world today. Webb lists a series of ominous challenges his business is facing. Some of the firm’s thermometers use a particular microchip, the price of which has rocketed from around £4 per unit pre-pandemic, to £60 today. His company is also competing for components with thousands of other firms, which means the parts often end up going to the highest bidder. “Our products sell for under £100, so even an extra £10 on a chip [that might have previously cost £1] is really critical to us.” Unfortunately, car manufacturers also use the chips ETI needs – and absorbing an extra £10 into vehicle cost is much…

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