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Big Tech spends millions in campaign against antitrust bill

Since January 2021, the largest players in the technology industry have been lobbying against antitrust legislation reform that will ban such platforms from favouring their own products and services, The Wall Street Journal has reported. In total, the group of companies has spent over $36.4m (£29.5m) on their advertising efforts. Almost 40 per cent of the sum has been spent on television and internet advertising since May 1, according to data from ad-tracking service AdImpact. By contrast, groups supporting the legislation have spent around $193,000 (£156,000). The sums involved have made it one of the biggest ad campaigns by the technology industry in recent years, reflecting the potentially game-changing nature of the proposed law. The ad campaign opposes the passing of the American…

E+T Magazine
Cacao Eco Village

Designs have been unveiled for a modular and sustainable village made from 3D-printed cacao waste. Cacao Eco Village will be located on the coast of Ecuador’s Manabi province, where farmers produce chocolate by extracting cocoa butter and solids from cacao beans. Designed by New York-based architectural practice Valentino Gareri Atelier for Ecuadorian chocolate manufacturer Muze and non-profit organisation Avanti, the village will boast 3D-printed structures built from recycled elements of agricultural crops. Construction will also incorporate other local materials such as bamboo and wood. The modular design will create a self-sufficient village, with building facades drawing inspiration from the wide range of multi-coloured Ecuadorian houses and from the cacao trees’ colourful fruits. Decorative…

E+T Magazine in Manufacturing
HS2’s green tunnels designed to blend into landscape

The one-and-a-half-mile-long structure in Chipping Warden, Northamptonshire, is being built on the surface of the ground to speed up the process, HS2 project leads have said. Over 5,000 concrete segments made in a factory in Derbyshire will be assembled on-site before being covered by earth, trees, shrubs and hedgerows to blend in better with the surrounding countryside. The HS2 project has faced fierce criticism about the environmental impact it will have along the full route of the high-speed rail line. The green tunnel will be an M-shaped double arch with separate halves for northbound and southbound trains. Both halves will be approximately the height of two double-decker buses. Image credit: HS2 Ltd According to those involved in the project, the tunnel…

E+T Magazine in Railways
Plans to burn £4bn of unusable PPE raise environmental concerns

According to the cross-party Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Department for Health & Social Care (DHSC) lost 75 per cent of the £12bn it spent on PPE in the first year of the pandemic to inflated prices and kit that did not meet requirements. This included £4bn of PPE that will not be used in the NHS and needs to be disposed of, such as 50 million face masks with ear loops rather than head loops that were not fit for purpose. There is no clear disposal strategy for this excess, but the Department currently plans to burn significant volumes of it in order to generate power, although there are concerns about the cost-effectiveness and environmental impact of this “strategy”. In its latest report, the PAC said that as a result of DHSC’s “haphazard purchasing strategy” 24 per cent of…

E+T Magazine in Waste Management
Real-time remote control of smart factory achieved between Korea and Finland

The ETRI team announced that it has succeeded in demonstrating its Industrial Internet of Things service, which controls and monitors smart factory facilities and robots in real-time at home and abroad at the same time. The core of successfully demonstrating the technology is ultra-low latency communication technology. The communication delay between a distance of over 10,000km is less than 0.3 seconds. The team demonstrated that factory facilities in Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea, could be controlled in real-time seamlessly from the University of Oulu in Finland. A smart factory refers to an intelligent factory which increases productivity and reduces defect rates to enhance industrial competitiveness by applying information and communication technology (ICT) to the entire manufacturing…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Many companies exaggerate their renewable energy claims, research finds

Companies might be overestimating their use of renewable energy, new research shows. Many businesses rely on renewable energy certificates (RECs) to support their green energy claims. However, a scientific analysis suggests that corporate REC purchases are unlikely to lead to additional renewable energy production, and can jeopardise global efforts to stop climate change. When companies purchase RECs, they are supporting renewable energy projects around the world. By doing this, businesses can continue to use electricity generated by fossil fuels, and use the certificates to offset those emissions. “Too many consumers, media, even investors, might actually think that the company is physically using 100 per cent renewables. And that is just not the case,” said Anders Bjørn, a postdoctoral…

E+T Magazine in Renewable Energy
Plastic-eating worms offer solution to waste crisis

University of Queensland researchers discovered the common Zophobas morio ‘superworm’ can eat through polystyrene, thanks to a bacterial enzyme in their gut. They fed superworms different diets over a three-week period, with some given polystyrene foam, some bran and others put on a fasting diet. “We found the superworms fed a diet of just polystyrene not only survived, but even had marginal weight gains,” Dr Rinke said. “This suggests the worms can derive energy from the polystyrene, most likely with the help of their gut microbes.” Image credit: University of Queensland The researchers used a technique called metagenomics to find several encoded enzymes with the ability to degrade polystyrene and styrene. The long-term goal is to engineer enzymes to degrade…

E+T Magazine in Waste Management
Scientists give robots living human skin

In Japan, a team of scientists has pushed forward the field of robotics, by crafting living human skin on robots. With the aim of making robots more human-like, the researchers from the University of Tokyo submerged a robotic finger in a cylinder filled with a solution of collagen and human dermal fibroblasts, the two main components that make up the skin’s connective tissues. Due to the natural shrinking tendency of this collagen and fibroblast mixture, the solution adapted to the shape of the robotic finger, providing a uniform foundation for the next coat of cells — human epidermal keratinocytes — to stick to. These cells make up 90 per cent of the outermost layer of skin, giving the robot a skin-like texture and moisture-retaining barrier properties. The results, described in the…

E+T Magazine in Biotechnology
Nasa launches scientific study into UFOs

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has commissioned a study into unidentified flying objects (UFOs), also known as UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomena). The investigation will analyse all the information publicly available on these events from a scientific perspective, as well as look into how Nasa can best make use of this data to understand the unexplained sightings. “We are not shying away from reputational risk,” said Nasa’s science mission chief, Thomas Zurbuchen, acknowledging that this decision might be perceived as if the organisation is “selling out”, by giving credit to the phenomena. “Our strong belief is that the biggest challenge of these phenomena is that it’s a data-poor field,” he added. The study will begin later this year and last nine months…

E+T Magazine in Space
E&T Innovation Awards: ‘A range of thinkers is paramount to the success of a project’

These days, the terms ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion’ are commonplace. Yet it’s up for debate whether their value and significance within an organisation’s culture is truly embraced. Fulfilling diversity quotas is not enough. So much more needs to be done by companies to inspire and evoke an innovative mindset in all its employees. The strategies for doing this effectively are surprisingly basic. We are living in a constantly changing world, where innovation is essential for overcoming the challenges that brings. As Charles Darwin said: “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one most adaptable to change.” The process of innovation has itself changed over the years. In the past we forged it with our intelligence, believing that in gathering…

E+T Magazine
View from India: Technology, enabler for waste management

Waste pickers rank lowest in the category of waste picking, sorting and segregating. They lack social security and are mostly unbanked. Over 15 million people earn livelihood through the informal sector, which is critical to the waste management space. “It’s essential to build trust and adopt a collaborative approach towards waste collection. Technology is the enabler. For instance, the mobile app can be leveraged for monitoring the waste collection in smart bins. Alerts, with real time updates will hasten the process. The fact that these workers can use mobile technology for their work itself may be a reckoner,” said Sandeep Patel, CEO, and NEPRA, at the CII webinar on Waste Management through Social Inclusion. Technology can be tapped to detect the precise quantity of waste generated. What…

E+T Magazine in Recycling
The measure of: Elroy Air Chaparral cargo aircraft

California-based Elroy Air is joining forces with a leading express delivery business to test an autonomous vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) air cargo system in the USA. Under the agreement, FedEx Express will develop plans to test Elroy Air’s Chaparral system within its middle-mile logistics operations, moving shipments between sorting locations. Elroy Air unveiled a pre-production model of its Chaparral autonomous aircraft in January 2022, ahead of flight testing. The Chaparral is a VTOL aerial cargo system that can autonomously pick up 300-500lb (up to 225kg) of cargo and deliver it by air up to 300 miles (480km). The system includes both the aircraft and the purpose-designed lightweight, aerodynamic cargo pod, along with the robotic handling system that picks it from the ground…

E+T Magazine in Aerospace
China to build solar a power plant in space in 2028

The first launch for the construction of China 's solar power project in space has been scheduled for 2028 – two years earlier than originally planned – when a trial satellite orbiting at a distance of around 400km will test the technology used to transmit energy from the power plant to Earth. This satellite will "convert solar energy to microwaves or lasers and then direct the energy beams to various targets, including fixed locations on Earth and moving satellites" according to the South China Morning Post. It would have a 10kW power output. The Chinese government's updated plans reportedly include the building of the power station in four stages. Two years after the initial launch, the programme will send a more powerful satellite to conduct further tests. The extended power plant would…

E+T Magazine in Space
EU votes to ban internal combustion engine cars from 2035

The European Union assembly voted in Strasbourg, France, in favour of a motion that will require carmakers to cut carbon-dioxide emissions by 100 per cent by the middle of the next decade. The legislation is part of the 'Fit for 55' package, which includes the ban of combustion-engine cars from 2035 and a 55 per cent reduction in CO2 from vehicles in 2030 compared with 2021. The move deepens an existing obligation on the car industry to lower CO2 discharges by 37.5 per cent on average at the end of the decade compared to last year. Although the measure still needs to be confirmed by the European Council, the parliamentary vote was considered as the most crucial step in the approval process. “Purchasing and driving zero-emission cars will become cheaper for consumers,” said Jan Huitema…

E+T Magazine in Engineering with a Disability
Zero-emissions hydrofoil uses minimal energy by floating above the water

Developed and built in Belfast, the vessels - which cost £12m to develop - can achieve a top speed of 34 knots and a range of 60 nautical miles at 25 knots cruise speed. Developers Artemis Technologies said the vessels achieve energy savings of up to 90 per cent compared to conventional fossil-fuel workboats. The new boats fly 'silently' above the water to ensure a smooth ride for passengers, even in rough conditions, while creating a minimal wake, making them suitable for busy waterways. Artemis Technologies is a spin-off from the Artemis Racing team that competed in the America’s Cup. Its founder, Dr Iain Percy OBE, said: “Combining our experience from the worlds of high-performance sailing, motorsports and advanced manufacturing, the electric propulsion system that we’ve designed…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Empire of waste: calls grow for a ban on plastic exports

Last year, scrap metal recycler Wojciech Topkin’s attempt to move into the plastic export business didn’t go well. It was just “too risky”, and he was “forced to give up”, he tells E&T. The problem for Topkin, whose company JPM Futures has been recycling scrap metal for 15 years, was that as a plastic exporter, he must prove that materials originate in the UK before he can ship them for recycling. However, he is not convinced all plastic waste provided by his local suppliers originated in the UK. “A rubbish company in Uxbridge showed me a mixture of different types of waste,” he recalls. “If you have 200 bags pressed together, how am I supposed to split them and search for evidence that the bags are not from France or China? It’s hard for smaller companies – it’s too much hassle and risk…

E+T Magazine in Waste Management
Concrete industry seeks collaboration with governments on net-zero targets

It has been widely acknowledged that concrete accounts for at least 7 per cent of total global CO 2 emissions. Last year, the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) issued its 'Roadmap to Net Zero 2050' as the industry seeks to reduce its environmental impact. That roadmap committed GCCA members to fully decarbonise by 2050, aligning with the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5°C. This year, the GCCA's annual gathering of company CEOs – the first such face-to-face meeting of industry leaders since the pandemic began – brought together key policymakers, industry leaders and sustainability representatives from the industry’s leading companies to discuss the future of concrete and the industry's next steps on its roadmap to net zero. The two-day gathering in Atlanta was titled…

E+T Magazine in Climate Change
UK government acquires its first quantum computer

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) will work with Orca Computer to develop defence applications with quantum computing. While most computers process data in bits, with a binary value of either zero or one, quantum computers use a two-state unit for data processing called a qubit, which represents several digits simultaneously through a process known as superposition. By being able to bridge binary digits, and cope with high levels of uncertainty, the devices can make highly complex calculations that cannot be done by regular computers. Stephen Till of the Ministry’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DTSL) called the purchase a “milestone moment”. However, Professor Winfried Hensinger, head of the Sussex Centre for Quantum Technologies at the University of Sussex, told the BBC that…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Energy firms provided ‘unacceptable service’ during Storm Arwen, Ofgem finds

It found that while companies worked hard “in challenging circumstances” to get customers reconnected, nearly 4,000 homes had to cope without power in appalling weather conditions for over a week. The six-month review focused on whether the power outages could have been prevented and whether power was restored quickly enough. While companies initiated their emergency plans before the storm hit, the plans were not deemed “sufficient to deal with the scale of damage” that resulted from Storm Arwen. Northern Powergrid, whose customers were affected by the storm, failed to directly contact vulnerable customers enrolled on its Priority Services Register (PSR) prior to Storm Arwen, a process which should have been carried out as part of its planned winter preparedness campaign. Limited remote…

E+T Magazine in Ethical Aspects
Letters to the editor: volume 17, issue 6

Let media know about misuse of ‘engineer’ I would endorse Malcolm Joynson’s letter, ‘We can get status if we really want it’ , in the March 2022 issue of E&T. I have been a member of the IEE/IET for over 50 years, and if anything our status has deteriorated. When I began my career, drivers of steam locomotives were referred to as ‘engineers’ by the media. Today, this has expanded to include technicians and repair service personnel. Moreover, the software industry feels free to use the title ‘engineer’ as it wishes. Imagine the furore if building contractors called themselves ‘architects’, supermarkets called checkout staff ‘accountants’, or debt collectors were termed ‘lawyers’. Even highly experienced nurses would face disciplinary action for describing themselves as ‘doctors’, though many…

E+T Magazine
Gadgets: Arlo Go 2 security cam, GoDice, Technics SL-1200M7L and more

Arlo Go 2 Secure anything, anywhere. This weatherproof security camera can livestream 1080p HD video via Wi-Fi and 4G SIM. The battery lasts months, perfect for a caravan, garage or allotment shed as well as home. You get alerts and can even trigger a siren or spotlight. £50 extra buys a two-year cloud storage plan. £259.99 arlo.com GoDice New from the makers of smart Rubik’s cube GoCube, which we tested in June 2020, these six smart dice contain 3D sensors that connect wirelessly to a clever app full of games. Not just dice games like Yatzy (sic) and Pig but boardgames, maths and trivia games. It’s small, perfect for holidays, and a 13-second charge in the carry case is enough for two hours of gameplay. $119 getgocube.com Petoi Bittle ...

E+T Magazine
Artificial leaf devices can produce clean hydrogen from water

A team of researchers from the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London has created devices that can mimic the natural photosynthesis process but produce fuels like hydrogen instead of sugars. These artificial leaf devices were made from bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI) and other sustainable materials, harvesting sunlight to produce O2, H2 and CO. The discovery could help overcome some of the key challenges in solar fuel production. Currently, most Earth-abundant light-absorbing materials have limited performance or stability. Initially, BiOI was also rejected as a solution for solar fuel applications due to its poor stability in water. However, the study published in Nature Materials states that this non-toxic semiconductor alternative could be key to the production of green hydrogen…

E+T Magazine in Renewable Energy
UK ‘wasted’ £98m on attempts to revamp criminal electronic tagging system

Electronic monitoring allows the police, courts, probation and immigration services to monitor offenders’ locations and compliance with court orders. Regarded as a cost-effective alternative to custody, HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) launched a programme in 2011 to transform the system by improving its efficiency and capability by introducing new technologies and adding more sentencing options. But the NAO said that the “fundamental transformation” of the tagging services, which was sought through the £98m adoption of the Gemini case management system, was managed poorly. Gemini was ultimately dumped by the government last year in order to prevent the taxpayer from incurring further losses through its use. “Its lack of focus on monitoring benefits and continued poor evidence…

E+T Magazine in Engineering with a Disability
EU net neutrality ‘undermined’ by Big Tech’s money, activists warn

A group of 34 NGOs from 17 countries have warned that a decision from the EU to force tech companies Google, Meta and Netflix to make financial contributions to the cost of building and running mobile and broadband networks would threaten the principles of an open Internet. The EU has long defended the importance of net neutrality laws that f orbid service providers from prioritising certain applications beyond standard traffic management measures and from charging content providers for additional fees for the preferential treatment. However, last month, Europe's digital chief Margrethe Vestager suggested a possible shift in policy that will ensure Big Tech firms contribute to the cost of building 5G and fibre infrastructure - something for which telecoms operators have long been lobbying…

E+T Magazine in Engineering with a Disability

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