A missile launcher cunningly disguised as a leg cast and demonstrated by Q to a bemused Pierce Brosnan in ‘GoldenEye’ was one of several bright ideas that didn’t make it into the field. Image credit: . The lethal properties of a bagpipe flamethrower and machine gun were seen briefly in ‘The World is Not Enough’. Image credit: . Desmond Llewelyn played Q in numerous Bond films and is the actor most closely associated with the character. Image credit: . “Experimental...
Documents from the Business Department show how the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), which uses funds raised from surcharges on energy bills to pay for efficiency measures such as insulation in fuel-poor households, could also see 20,000 homes receive new central heating systems with gas boilers. Homes account for around 14 per cent of the UK’s climate pollution. The vast majority of homes get their heating and hot water from fossil fuel-based boilers which contribute to carbon emissions. Cutting emissions from heating is a key part of the UK’s efforts to decarbonise in line its Paris Agreement commitments. Experts also warn that gas boilers expose families to air pollution. With gas prices on the rise, they could also lock households into a much more expensive option than heat pumps over…
Trippy Paint Doodle obscenities at night and by the morning, begone! Sadly, there’s no sign of this on the internet any more. Perhaps the laser pointer was aimed at too many children’s eyes and therefore deemed a hazard? Because leaving your kid alone with a potentially blinding laser at bedtime is kinda, ya know, not the best parenting. For example: “Ah, Timmy can write on the walls all he wants at night using Trippy Paint . You can’t tell what he’s writing? Oh. I forgot to say, he can’t see what he’s doing any more as he’s blind from the laser. Oops.” So, you paint your kid’s walls with Trippy Paint, then when the lights go out, your child can wield the dangerous laser like a lightsaber and doodle whatever they want. The team behind Trippy Paint said: “With our revolutionary formula…
Among the responses to my June 2021 column ‘Bring the salt but leave behind wine and superglue!’ in which, among other things, I ventured to create a virtual ‘Campervan Owners Society’, there was an email from Terry Harris which I only received in mid-August. Having mentioned his recent holidays in a caravan he towed across Tasmania, Mr Harris remarked: “OK! I own up, I have never owned, or rented, a campervan! So, there it is, out in the open! Sorry... It would be good to hear of other experiences in a tent, caravan, or even, if you must, a motorhome!” Here I want to remind all readers that in the same column it was stated very clearly that the ‘Society’ was open to “every existing or potential campervan, caravan or camperhome-owing (or dreaming of owning) reader” as long as they “kept sharing…
The Air-Ring is worn around the neck and surrounds the user’s face with purified air, delivered by what the makers describe as a powerful, silent air turbine. Intake air is HEPA-filtered and UV-sterilised to remove particles and deactivate pathogens and viruses. Image credit: Cover Images Air-Ring operates for up to 8 hours on a single battery charge and is designed to be worn comfortably all day. No price has been given, but a crowdfunding campaign is scheduled to go live soon.
Nexar Beam Unusually for an affordable GPS dashcam, this boasts free unlimited cloud storage. It records HD footage, GPS tagged for insurance and police. AI and motion-sensing detect collisions, filming them even when parked. And it’s small enough to hide behind the rear-view mirror. £99.95 getnexar.com Read Caramel’s hands-on review. Insta360 Go 2 A tiny, wearable action cam weighing just 27g. It shoots 1440p high-definition HDR video and comes with a clever charging case that doubles as a tripod and trebles as a remote control. It’s wearable and even comes with a magnetic pendant to attach it to clothes. £294.99 insta360.com Urbanista Los Angeles ...
If humanity is to establish permanent colonies on other astronomical bodies, it must find some way of constructing buildings from local materials; transporting a single brick to Mars has been estimated to cost around $2m. Using local materials is known as in-situ resource utilisation. Proposals for in-situ resource utilisation tend to focus on sparse water deposits and regolith (loose rock, soil and dirt) available on the Martian or lunar surface. However, there is an important overlooked resource available to any crewed mission: the crew themselves. In a study ('Blood, sweat, and tears: extraterrestrial regolith biocomposites with in vivo binders') published in Materials Today Bio , scientists demonstrated that a common protein in human blood plasma - human serum albumin - could act as…
The project, which is being conducted in partnership with Swiss drone company Fotokite, should provide emergency services and public safety teams with better tools to improve their situational awareness. The Fotokite Sigma system receives 5G network connectivity from its base station on the ground which it can use to transfer real-time data to first responders at the location and local hospital teams via a smart tablet. Its developers said it takes just two minutes to set up and has very low latency which allows for uninterrupted aerial monitoring. In some emergency situations, time is critical enough that this could help to save lives, Fotokite added. The drone is also capable of operating reliably in harsh weather conditions during the day or night. Rob Searle, head of 5G at Virgin…
The funding is part of the Contracts for Difference scheme, which guarantees energy producers a minimum price for every MWh of electricity they produce. During the fourth iteration of the scheme - details of which were announced this week - the government will try to secure twice the renewable capacity of the previous round, in theory generating more electricity than the previous three rounds (starting in 2014) combined. In the latest funding round, £200m will go towards supporting offshore wind. The UK has just over 10GW of offshore wind capacity – bearing around 35 per cent of its global capacity – and the government hopes for this to reach 40GW by 2030. Last month, the business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told the Telegraph on Sunday that, “My understanding is that the point at which we no…
The motion, which was announced at the annual TUC Congress in London, calls for the construction of a new “generation of nuclear plants, benefiting communities from Sizewell to West Cumbria and the development of Small Modular Reactors.” Particular mention was made of the Sizewell C project in Sussex, which could support an estimated 25,000 jobs once in progress. GMB said that government and opposition politicians should now get on with agreeing a funding model to deliver Sizewell C and unblock stalled projects at Bradwell, Oldbury, Moorside and Wylfa Newydd. French energy giant EDF submitted an application to build Sizewell C , which will be able to generate around 3.2GW of electricity, in May 2020. The government later entered discussions regarding the construction of the new £20bn…
The IMO is requiring companies to halve their emissions compared with 2008 by 2050. However, the UK Chamber of Shipping wants the IMO to get in line with the Paris Agreement and commit to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. This target has been widely adopted, although some governments and hard-to-abate sectors (such as aviation) have declined to commit to it thus far. “We want to be at the forefront of the green agenda and now it is time to call for radical action,” said Bob Sanguinetti, Chamber CEO. “The aim of cutting shipping emissions by 50 per cent just doesn’t go far enough. We need to show the world we mean business and it is imperative that the IMO commits to a net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050. “The shipping industry is one of the cleanest ways of moving goods around the…
The Maverick Jetpack uses a Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) system and is designed to be operated hands-free, allowing people to make safer flights and conduct precision landings on structures that are difficult to access, such as wind turbines, military hardware or construction projects. The vehicle can also be reconfigured as a heavy-lift drone that can be operated remotely and is capable of carrying ten times the payload of other similarly sized systems, its creators claim. Helicopters are currently used to carry out much of the work for which its creators believe the Jetpack would be well-suited. The much smaller size of the Jetpack and its potential to use sustainable fuel could slash costs, Maverick said. The Jetpack has been designed to be lightweight through the use of manufacturing…
Look around you, says David Howe, and just about everything that you can see that’s a product of human agency (unless you can eat it) will almost inevitably at some point have been brought to you by a geologist. From the scratch-resistant screen on your smartphone to the ceramic cup your coffee’s in, from the bricks and steel used to construct the building you’re sitting in to the fuel that powers your car, it all started off as a rock or mineral vein, a layer of ancient seabed or the remains of a dormant volcano. Living in the Anthropocene era of geological time – in other words the two hundred thousand years or so that humans have had an impact on the planet – comes with a long bill of costs for the environment. One of the items on the invoice is the sheer amount of digging we do, scouring…
The research sheds light on the biology of the mantis shrimp, which is famed for its superhuman vision, incredible strength and psychedelic colouring. Mantis shrimps are armed with club-like appendages which accelerate faster than a bullet from a rifle, breaking through shell and cartilage. “The idea of a loaded spring released by a latch is a staple in mechanical design, but the research team cleverly observed that engineers have yet to achieve the same performance out of a 'Latch-Mediated Spring Actuator' that we find in nature,” said Dr Dean Culver, of the Army Research Laboratory. “By closely mimicking the geometry of a mantis shrimp's physiology, the team was able to exceed accelerations produced by limbs in other robotic devices by more than tenfold.” How mantis shrimps produce…
In a new assessment of data provided by the European Heat Pump Association, it found the UK is seriously lagging behind its European neighbours when it comes to switching to clean sources of home heating and decarbonising its housing sector. Heat pumps – which effectively work like a refrigerator running in reverse – can significantly lower heating bills but the upfront cost of having one installed prevents many households from making the transition. A single heat pump costs approximately £10,000. Of the 21 countries for which data was available, the UK came joint last on heat pump sales last year, with just 1.3 heat pumps sold per 1000 households. The UK was second to last when it came to total installations, with just 10 installations per 1000 households. Earlier this week, the UK government…
The firm built the device in partnership with sunglass designers EssilorLuxottica and they will start at $299 (£219) in select retail stores. Facebook said the glasses have two integrated 5MP cameras that “let you capture life’s moments as they happen” from a first-person perspective. Photos and videos up to 30-seconds long can be taken using the capture button or hands-free with Facebook Assistant voice commands. In order to allay privacy concerns, the device includes a hard-wired capture LED that lights up to let people nearby know when media is being captured. Open-ear speakers are also built in to the sunglasses, and a three-microphone audio array allows users to take calls on the device. Facebook said it had included “beamforming technology” and a background noise suppression…
Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are a key part of the Indian economy. “India is home to over six crore MSMEs; 30 per cent of the GDP (gross domestic product) is attributed to them; 40 per cent of India’s exports come from the sector,” said Ashish Agarwal, director, Resurgent India Limited, speaking at Resurgent India’s virtual session, 'International Trade Finance – Opportunities for MSMEs'. These numbers are encouraging. MSMEs have generated lakhs of employment. Yet, they haven’t been able to propel forward the way they should have. This could be attributed to the lack of steady and timely credit flow. Unable to show collateral, many MSMEs are compelled to function in an informal and less institutionalised manner. Hence, they are incapable of scaling up their production. All…
Following last year’s National Data Strategy, the government has now launched a 10-week consultation on proposed changes to the UK’s regulatory framework for data. John Edwards, who serves as New Zealand’s Privacy Commissioner, has been approved as the government’s preferred candidate as the new Information Commissioner. The government plans a new model for the ICO, including an independent board and chief executive to mirror the structure of regulators such as the Competition and Markets Authority, Ofcom, and the Financial Conduct Authority. The changes appear to largely loosen data protections, with the government calling it “based on common sense”. It says it wants to remove unnecessary barriers to responsible data use, to help deliver more efficient public services and boost the UK…
In the US alone, more than three million people have dental implants to replace lost teeth. Implants fit much more securely than dentures or bridges, marking a technological leap in dental medicine. While they are meant to last 20 years or more, however, many fall short and need replacing in as little as five years. This is attributed to local problems with inflammation or disease, requiring another invasive and expensive procedure. “We wanted to address this issue, and so we came up with an innovative new implant,” said Professor Geelsu Hwang, a former engineer who now works at Pennsylvania’s school of dental medicine. The implant integrates two important technologies, Hwang explained. One is a nanoparticle-infused material which resists bacterial growth. The other is an embedded light…
The Home Office launched its efforts to develop The National Law Enforcement Data Programme (NLED) in 2016 to replace two police IT systems: the Police National Computer (PNC)1 and the Police National Database (PND)2. The PNC is the most important national policing information system in the UK and has been used as the main database of criminal records since 1974. Front-line officers use it to understand who they are interacting with, but the technology it is based on is becoming obsolete. NLED was originally planned to be delivered in 2020, but it has faced delays and a 68 per cent rise in costs to £1.1bn. An independent programme review commissioned by the Home Office found that if the programme continued as it was, it would be late, difficult and costly to roll out and maintain, and…
Not all that long ago, the power requirements of any gadget we wanted to carry around with us could be easily addressed by a couple of AA batteries. Now, having three, four or even five energy-guzzling USB-powered gadgets accompanying us on our daily travels is not uncommon: phone, tablet, laptop, watch, camera, games console and more. Aside from the rat's nest of cables this all requires, it's often a challenge to charge more than one device at a time. If this is quandary you've ever found yourself in, perhaps what you need is a mega power bank: one with multiple in/out sockets, capable of accommodating and powering up a bagful of gadgets at once. The Flash Pro Plus - from the Sydney-based, and the suitably named, Chargeasap - is one such device. Currently smashing its Indiegogo crowdfunding…
Jeremy Quin, the minister for defence procurement, told MPs he hopes that a long-term solution can be found for the Ajax light tank programme. He said that the project is “incredibly important” for the British Army and thousands of workers. The project is estimated to involve 4,100 employees in 230 companies, including contractor General Dynamics. Last month, the government admitted that the light armoured vehicle project is “troubled” and may have to be abandoned, despite wishing to make it a success. Quin told MPs on the Defence Select Committee that the military is working on contingency plans in case the tank cannot be used. Trials have been paused after some personnel complained of vibration injuries and others suffered hearing loss, which was followed by steroid injections in an attempt…
While the networks powered by 5G technology boast the fastest speeds and the lowest latency, this feat is only achieved by using radio frequencies that struggle to penetrate through physical objects such as walls, ceilings and anything else that might interrupt the line of sight from user to the broadcasting tower. As a result, 5G networks require a higher number of broadcast points than previous generations and rollout has been slow. For example, BT has said it is working to provide a near-nationwide 5G service by 2028, giving itself a full seven years to fulfil this promise. This is an increase from just 40 per cent of the UK population that can receive coverage on its networks today. The government’s new project could help speed up the rollout, with CCTV poles, traffic signals and other…
Earlier this year, the Commons Transport Select Committee published a report urging the government to provide a clear framework for UK electric vehicle charging infrastructure in order to reach net-zero targets. It also spread unnecessary fear and alarm by highlighting the committee’s concerns that the rising number of EVs could cause power blackouts during peak charging times. What the report failed to emphasise is the opportunity that EVs provide. They should be part of the energy-storage solution and not the problem. EV batteries are a positive energy-storage asset that needs to be more widely appreciated as such, not become the blackout-causing waste mountain that some anticipate. The Climate Change Committee predicts that about 18 million battery and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles…
