• Molecular-sized motor created from DNA

    The tiny machine made of genetic material self-assembles and converts electrical energy into kinetic energy. The nanomotors can be switched on and off and the rotation speed and rotational direction can also be controlled. The researchers used what is known as the DNA “origami method” to construct the nanoscale molecular rotary motor. Several long single strands of DNA serve as a basis to which additional DNA strands attach themselves as counterparts. The DNA sequences are selected in such a way that the attached strands and folds create the desired structures. “We’ve been advancing this method of fabrication for many years and can now develop very precise and complex objects, such as molecular switches or hollow bodies that can trap viruses. If you put the DNA strands with the right sequences…

  • Fibre overtakes cable to become most common fixed broadband option

    The analysis found that 34.9 per cent of connections were fixed broadband subscriptions - an 18.6 per cent jump over the year to December 2021 - to move ahead of cable, now at 32.4 per cent of fixed broadband subscriptions, with DSL at 27 per cent and declining. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries including the UK, US, Japan, France, Germany and Canada. “This is good news for the delivery of data-intense services and applications, given the symmetrical capacity that fibre offers,” the OECD said in a statement. The biggest areas of growth were in Costa Rica, Israel, Greece and Belgium, which all increased fibre connections by more than 80 per cent in 2021. The share of fibre in total broadband is…

  • Robotic pets can improve memory care, according to research

    Robotic pets could provide support in therapy sessions with patients suffering from dementia, research finds.  In a paper published in the  Canadian Journal of Recreation Therapy , University of Utah researcher Rhonda Nelson and graduate student Rebecca Westenskow describe a new protocol for using robotic pets with older adults with dementia. The protocol uses a low-cost robotic pet, establishes ideal session lengths, and identifies common participant responses to the pets to aid in future research. The animals used in the sessions are robotic pets with synthetic fur and programmed movements and sounds. The robots are able to recreate the feeling of holding live animals while also avoiding their unpredictability.  “Our protocol had questions like: Would you like to scratch the dog behind…

  • High Court net zero ruling shows government numbers ‘don’t stack up’, Labour says

    Speaking in the Commons, shadow climate change minister Kerry McCarthy laid into the Conservative government for the Court’s findings , which will force the government to make revisions and show how key emissions reduction targets will be met. The legal challenge was brought by various environmental campaigners sceptical of the government’s efforts towards combatting climate change. The High Court ruling states that Greg Hands, the minister for business, energy and industrial strategy, who was responsible for signing off the government’s Net Zero Strategy, didn’t have the legally required information on how carbon budgets would be met, even though he approved the strategy. “Let’s be clear, we are here because the High Court have ruled that the government’s Net Zero Strategy is unlawful…

  • Ford trials robot charging station to assist disabled drivers

    For most of us, filling a car with fuel or charging an electric vehicle is a simple task. However, for disabled drivers, people with reduced mobility and older people it can be a significant challenge. Ford's prototype technology could enable disabled drivers to stay in the car while charging or leave the car entirely while the robot does all the work. Disabled drivers have already identified ease of charging as a key purchase consideration for electric vehicles. A recent survey in the UK showed that 61 per cent of disabled drivers would consider buying an electric vehicle only if charging was made more accessible. Ford is testing its robot charging station as part of a research project to develop hands-free charging solutions for electric vehicles and fully automatic charging for autonomous…

  • Sponsored: Evolving your ADAS and AV tests with emulation capability

    Creating safe and robust autonomous driving (AD) systems is a complex task. Automakers must overcome immediate challenges to realize the future of autonomous mobility. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have hundreds of sensors, all of which need to work with one another inside the car and with other smart vehicles. The software algorithms enabling autonomous driving features will ultimately need to synthesize all the information collected from these sensors to ensure that the vehicle responds appropriately. These algorithms require testing against millions of complex scenes covering various driving scenarios. Automakers need to be able to sign off on new advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and AV functionality confidently. Click here to view the white paper registration page . This white…

  • Detrimental effect of wind turbines on bats revealed by ultrasonic detection

    As more and more wind turbines are installed in the course of the energy transition and distance regulations to human settlements are tightened, suitable locations are becoming increasingly difficult to find. As a result, wind turbines are increasingly being erected in forests, to the detriment of forest specialists among bats.   In a new study, a team of scientists led by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) demonstrated that forest specialists among bats, which forage below the treetop and thus do not have an increased risk of colliding with turbines, avoid the vicinity of wind turbines. Forest sites should therefore either not be used at all for wind turbines or only in exceptional cases with mandated compensatory measures to protect forest bats, the team…

  • UK bets on green hydrogen with new funding round

    Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng met on Thursday with industry leaders to reaffirm the government's commitment to unlocking £9bn of investment towards kickstarting a major roll-out of new clean super-fuel and transforming the UK into a hydrogen-based economy.   As part of this hydrogen push, the UK government launched the world’s first national clean-hydrogen subsidy scheme, which will help finance an initial 1GW of green hydrogen projects by 2025 – enough hydrogen to fuel up to 45,000 buses per year. The funding for electrolytic (‘green’) hydrogen projects − a method which uses an electrical current to separate hydrogen from oxygen in water − will come from both the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund and the Hydrogen Business Model.  "The UK’s hydrogen sector is open for business. With the right…

  • UK and US seek out privacy-enhancing innovations

    The PETs challenges were first announced at the Summit for Democracy last year and will see innovators from academia, industry, and the broader public find new solutions in up to two separate tracks: tackling financial crime and forecasting public health emergencies. Such challenges are based on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to examine large and potentially sensitive datasets – the challenges themselves will use synthetic financial and medical data. There will also be options for participants to design one generalised solution that works for both scenarios for broader applicability, according to the organisers of the challenges. It comes amid concerns China is outpacing Western countries with its AI research – which some experts believe is at least, in part, hindered in…

  • Brits cut back on summer energy usage for the first time, poll reveals

    Using a smart meter’s in-home display to see usage in near-real time, in pounds and pence, has shown to be a motivating factor when making small changes to households' energy habits. The survey by Smart Energy GB also found that those with smart meters were 23 per cent more likely to have adjusted their energy habits. Energy-saving tactics include turning off unused lights (49 per cent), turning devices off at the socket (39 per cent) and disconnecting phone chargers at the mains (37 per cent). Whether these methods are effective at saving money is questionable, as the devices mentioned typically consume only small amounts of power. The poll revealed that bill payers are now thinking about their energy usage up to twice a day, whereas previously it wasn’t being considered at all during…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Sizewell C nuclear power station project receives government go-ahead

    The UK is going ahead with the construction of the Sizewell C nuclear power plant, expected to generate enough low-carbon electricity to supply six million homes and create thousands of jobs. The new plant would be built next to the existing Sizewell B, which is still generating electricity, and Sizewell A, which has been decommissioned, according to Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.  The project is expected to cost around £20bn and will mainly be funded by the French energy company EDF. However,  Kwarteng confirmed the government will make all future planning decisions on the two-reactor plant, as it is deemed a nationally significant infrastructure project. “Sizewell C will be one of the UK’s largest-ever green energy projects, and this decision significantly strengthens the pipeline…

  • Why engineers have to be more proactive about engaging with the laws of war

    The war in Ukraine has put allegations of war crimes and the possibility of prosecutions at the International Criminal Court in the headlines. Apart from feelings of horror, this prospect may seem irrelevant to most engineers and computer scientists. It isn’t – the technology sector has lessons to learn especially now that drones are playing a prominent war-changing role. Warfare is governed by International Humanitarian Law (IHL), also known as the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC), through treaties and international protocols negotiated at the United Nations. IHL has the premise that wars will happen, but lethal actions can only be taken by identifiable individuals who have authority to act within the law. Consequently, responsibility and hence liability for harm to people or property must always…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Hands-on review: Tronsmart Onyx Ace Pro and Ugreen HiTune T3 earbuds

    We've listened to a lot of headphones and earbuds; it's one of the most active consumer technology spaces, with new products – and new companies – popping up constantly. Mostly, we've lent our collective ear to the higher end of the market; those premium three-figure products collectively snapping at Apple's AirPods heel. This time, though, we're intrigued to hear what's happening further down the scale. Are there bargains to be had at the cheap and cheerful end of the market? Much like a shark, technology keeps moving forwards. The chips and features that were top-of-the-line five years ago are often now merely standard, with prices tumbling accordingly. Undoubtedly, there are some fine products that belie their modest price tag. Some of us might want a second pair of buds for the office…

  • View from India: Women’s representation in research needs to be scaled up

    Improve gender quotient for better outcomes As a researcher, Aarathi Parameswaran is of the view that research should not be limited in nature. Budget should also not be deterrent. This conviction stems from her exposure to research at the Azim Premji University, where she pursued an honour’s thesis on investigating Taylor-Couette flow experimentally with a Taylor-Couette reactor and analytically using computational fluid dynamics. “I was given the freedom to do what I wanted to do and that’s important for a better understanding of research. India is a great place to pursue science and research, but there could be challenges,” said Aarathi, who is an incoming Physics Master's student at University of Bonn, Germany. Keen to explore beyond the frontiers of science, Aarathi plans to explore new…

  • Modified trains could harvest CO2 directly from the air

    The Sheffield team has been working with US-based start-up CO2Rail to design direct air capture (DAC) equipment that can be placed within special rail cars on already running trains to absorb carbon from the atmosphere, helping to mitigate the impact of climate change. The DAC rail cars work by using large intakes of air that extend up into the slipstream of the moving train to move ambient air into the large cylindrical CO2 collection chamber and eliminate the need for energy-intensive fan systems that are necessary with stationary DAC operations. The air then moves through a chemical process that separates the CO2, allowing the rest of it to travel out of the back or underside of the car and return to the atmosphere. After a sufficient amount has been captured, the chamber is closed…

  • Water, CO2 and sunlight used to make carbon-neutral aviation fuel

    The researchers have implemented their system in the field and say the design could help the aviation industry become carbon neutral. “We are the first to demonstrate the entire thermochemical process chain from water and CO2 to kerosene in a fully-integrated solar tower system,” said Aldo Steinfeld, a professor from ETH Zurich. Previous attempts to produce aviation fuels through the use of solar energy have mostly been performed in the laboratory. The aviation sector is responsible for about 5 per cent of global anthropogenic emissions causing climate change. It relies heavily on kerosene, or jet fuel, which is a liquid hydrocarbon fuel typically derived from crude oil. Currently, no clean alternative is available to power long-haul commercial flights at the global scale. …

  • Government to reform wind sector in net-zero push

    The wide-ranging reforms of the wind sector included in the Energy Bill feature a push to reduce the approval times for marine turbine projects from four years down to only one.  Parliament has debated the bill for the first time in the House of Lords, against a backdrop of record-breaking temperatures and spiralling energy bills fuelling a cost-of-living crisis. “This bill is an ambitious piece of legislation and allows the necessary reform of our energy system," Lord Callanan said. “We are charged with a great responsibility to ensure the security, the affordability and the decarbonisation of our energy supply for many generations to come." The government has said the legislation aims to increase the resilience and reliability of energy systems across the UK, support the delivery…

  • Space-based solar power and weather monitoring sensors get £3m funding boost

    According to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, the new space technologies could help to cut carbon emissions, improve energy security and enhance the UK’s reputation as a science superpower. It has the potential to boost energy security by providing reliable, affordable alternatives to expensive and volatile fossil fuels, while reducing the UK’s contributions to climate change. Grant funding will also be made available for cutting-edge weather monitoring sensors to aid more accurate weather forecasts. The sensors will be put into orbit for the first time, thanks to a partnership with data and analytics company Spire Global. The Hyperspectral Microwave Sounder (HYMS) will help meteorological agencies and businesses around the world involved with planning, shipping…

  • UK heatwave leaves behind trail of fire amid calls for climate change action

    Calls for action on climate change have intensified as a result of the heatwave and predictions from experts that extreme weather events such as this one will only become more frequent over the coming decades,  fuelled by climate change. "We need to be ready," said Transport Secretary Grant Shapps as passengers faced more disruption in the record-breaking heat. Shapps conceded the UK’s transport network cannot cope with the intense heat, saying that the Victorian-era infrastructure “just wasn’t built to withstand this type of temperature” and stressed that Britain must “keep ramping up the specification” of its railways to cope with extreme temperatures, although upgrading existing lines would likely "take decades".   he scene after a blaze in the village of Wennington…

  • Sponsored: How to choose the best MEMS sensor for a wireless CbM system

    Learn in this paper how to choose the best MEMS sensor by considering different factors such as noise, bandwidth, g range, power and turn-on time. The article will also introduce the Voyager platform, a robust vibration monitoring platform enabling designers to rapidly deploy a wireless solution to a machine or test setup. Key Learning Points: What are the differences between competing wireless sensor networks in the CbM market? Why are MEMS sensors replacing piezoelectric vibration sensors? How to choose the best MEMS sensor for wireless CbM applications in harsh RF environments? Download free whitepaper

  • Network Rail launches resilience taskforce following heatwave

    The review will consider four key areas, each led by an independent expert in their field. Three of these areas will be focused on gathering insights from other countries and making comparisons with international rail networks that are more used to dealing with extreme heat and fluctuations in temperature. Andrew Haines, chief executive of Network Rail, said: “The weather we’ve experienced this week has put a huge amount of pressure on our infrastructure, our staff and our passengers, and with extreme weather events becoming more frequent as our climate continues to change, we’ve got to pull out all the stops to make our railway as resilient as possible. “That’s why I’ve decided to commission this taskforce, spearheaded by leading global experts, whose considerable experience in their fields…

  • Taxpayer on the line for £2.7bn of unusable PPE, MPs warn

    The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) was found to have a stockpile of almost 4 billion items that are not needed, many of which will be burned, which has raised environmental concerns . The Department remains in dispute with many suppliers it entered into contract with over the quality of the PPE provided, but it accepts that some surplus stock will end up being incinerated. In its report published today, the PAC found there was little sign of the government taking action against potentially fraudulent suppliers despite DHSC’s estimate that as much as 5 per cent of PPE expenditure may have involved fraud. Following the start of the pandemic, some £3.5bn of Covid contracts were awarded without tender to companies with links to the Conservative Party. Last year, Labour accused…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Robot arm to help retrieve Martian samples

    The robot, known as the Sample Transfer Arm (STA), is part of a wider joint endeavour between Nasa and ESA called the Mars Sample Return mission, already under way. As of late, Nasa’s rover has drilled eight of an eventual 38 samples of Martian rock and soil. ESA is currently developing another small rover to retrieve these samples and place them in an ascent vehicle that will carry them into orbit for retrieval and shipping back to Earth via the ESA Earth Return Orbiter. But ESA’s small rover, the Sample Fetch Rover, needs a sensitive and articulated robotic arm with which to grasp, collect, and transfer the Mars samples once on Mars. This is where the STA comes in. Image credit: Leonardo/Maxon/GMV/ OHB Italia/ SAB Aerospace s.r.o “Handling the precious martian…

  • Albanian government services suffer ‘massive' cyber attack

    Albanians were unable to use scores of government services on Monday as a cyber attack caused the main servers of the National Agency for Information Society to go down only  a few months after shifting most public sector services to an online portal. “Albania is under a massive cybernetic attack that has never happened before. This criminal cyber-attack was synchronised… from outside Albania,” the Council of Ministers said in a press release. The "wide and complex" attack began on Friday and targeted government infrastructure and other public online services and rendered them functionless, the government added.  ️ Confirmed: #Albania 's National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI) network has been temporarily shut down to counter a major cyberattack; real-time network data show…

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