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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…

IET EngX in Cybersecurity
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…

IET EngX in Vision and Imaging
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…

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…

IET EngX in Research and Innovation
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…

IET EngX in Consumer Technology
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

E+T Magazine in Business Planning
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…

IET EngX in Consumer Technology
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
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…

IET EngX in Climate Change
Bacteria used to ‘print’ intricate 3D objects

The technique allows the researchers to guide the growth of bacterial colonies, using moulds with superhydrophobic (extremely water repellent) surfaces. These moulds are produced by simply embedding hydrophobic particles in silicone. Unlike the fibrous objects made using conventional 3D-printing methods, the technique allows for fibres – with a diameter 1,000 times thinner than a human hair – to be aligned in any orientation, across layers, and in various gradients of thickness and topology by controlling wetting, incubation time, and nutrient availability. This opens up a world of possible applications in fields such as tissue regeneration; the physical characteristics of these objects are crucial for supporting materials in the growth and regeneration of certain tissues found in muscles…

IET EngX in Biotechnology
Virtual meet: Danielle George on robots in space and what really makes 5G crucial

"The human form is not designed very well to travel in space," says Danielle George, Professor of Radio Frequency Engineering at the University of Manchester and 2020's IET President. "However, there is something quintessentially human that I am not sure robots will ever have and that's curiosity. Do we want robots to make those first discoveries, to see that very first thing coming over the horizon?" Hear about her work on the world's largest telescopes, what makes robots so great at space exploration but why there will be plenty more astronauts in the future too. Hear about her favourite innovations for saving lives with health electronics, how 5G communications will change so much more than the convenience of your mobile phone, and what to look forward to in this year's E&T Innovation…

IET EngX in Space
Quantum sensor design with multiphysics simulation

In this webinar, Peter J. Hobson, a doctoral researcher at the University of Nottingham, will discuss ongoing work using the COMSOL Multiphysics software to simulate hybrid active–passive shielding systems. These systems are designed using a new analytical model developed at the University of Nottingham and generate accurate magnetic fields over large regions inside cylindrical magnetic shields. Multiphysics simulation of these systems enables them to be tested in real-world contexts, where shields are of finite magnetic permeability, thickness and have entry holes. Furthermore, multiphysics software can be used to calculate shielding efficiency in simulated real-world scenarios. This presentation will include a live demonstration and a Q&A session during which there will be the opportunity…

E+T Magazine in Computing
High Integrity Software: Continuing innovation in the face of global challenge

Altran and AdaCore sponsors of The High Integrity Software Conference Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2020 Time: 2pm (GMT) Duration: 1 hour, 45 minutes Our three speakers from globally recognised companies will present their own perspectives on these challenges – the lessons learnt and how the situation will evolve for their organisations as we move forwards. Simon Creak, Rolls-Royce, will present Modernising control systems development in the aviation industry. Rolls Royce Control Systems has been undertaking a major programme to modernise the way control systems are developed. The dramatic changes to the aviation industry and working arrangements has created both new threats which must be faced, but also opportunities which can be exploited to continue to drive and accelerate innovation…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
2020 hindsight: lessons learnt the hard way

When revolutions take place, things happen quickly. The year of Covid-19 is likely to be an example of how sudden pressure can lead to massive changes, and not necessarily all for the worse once all the consequences are taken into account. The pandemic and associated lockdowns have provided a wake-up call for the world in how things are done at every level. We have seen in government responses a recognition that the market on its own does not provide. To ensure society does not suffer shocks even worse than a rise in excess deaths, governments around the world have decided economic help is important and even those who used to argue for the discipline of austerity have changed their minds. The need to deal with an urgent problem has brought groups together to try to solve problems in ways…

IET EngX in Research and Innovation
High performance computing in engineering simulation

Here our expert roundtable panel – hosted by specialist HPC integrator OCF – discusses current thinking on today’s most important engineering simulation issues. As consumers demand ever more capability for their investment, technology disruption is rapidly becoming a fixture in the product design cycle. This disruption inevitably leads to an increase in demand for more and more product and system protypes, all delivered on time and on budget. For manufacturers under pressure to meet this demand, the need to maintain tight control over development costs for cutting-edge applications means that engineering simulation on HPC platforms is becoming more widespread than ever. Once the exclusive province of big ticket applications such as defence, aerospace and automotive, over the past few decades…

IET EngX
Printed plastic webs could save smashed smartphone screens

A research team at Polytechnique Montréal, Canada, has demonstrated a fabric designed using additive manufacturing which they claim can absorb up to 96 per cent of impact energy without breaking. This could lead to the creation of unbreakable plastic coverings for all sorts of delicate technology devices. Professors Frédérick Gosselin and Daniel Therriault, from Polytechnique Montréal's Department of Mechanical Engineering, along with doctoral student Shibo Zou, have demonstrated how plastic webbing could be incorporated into a glass pane to prevent it from shattering on impact. Their design was inspired by the amazing properties of natural spider webs. "A spider web can resist the impact of an insect colliding with it, due to its capacity to deform via sacrificial links at the molecular…

IET EngX in Research and Innovation
View from India: Digital twins help with failure management

Digital technologies are revolutionising the manufacturing industry. Products can be scaled up and solutions used to drive operational efficiencies, improve safety and asset efficiencies. Smart and efficient are the new hallmarks of manufacturing. Various technologies are driving the digitisation of the manufacturing value chain. This has facilitated integrated product development right from ideation and conceptualisation to the design and development of a product. This approach is critical to industries such as aerospace, defense, automotive and healthcare. The Internet of Things (IoT) which includes both industrial and consumer IoT, has a transformative effect on digital manufacturing. “IoT unlocks solutions for gaining visibility into manufacturing at the shop floor level through dashboards…

IET EngX in Internet of Things
Ericsson to replace Huawei in BT’s 5G infrastructure

In July, the UK government announced that it would ban Huawei equipment from any part of the UK’s 5G network. Operators were given until 2027 to remove any existing equipment and until the end of 2020 to stop purchasing new 5G equipment. The decision – which the government attributed to additional US sanctions affecting Huawei’s ability to guarantee the security of its equipment – marked a U-turn from a previous decision to allow high-risk vendors to provide a limited proportion of non-core equipment . Operators have pleaded with lawmakers for sufficient time to replace Huawei equipment, with Vodafone asking for at least five years to complete the expensive and time-consuming process. Now, BT has chosen Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson to replace Huawei’s Radio Access Network …

IET EngX in Telecommunications
3D-printed human tongue developed for food tests and dry mouth cures

The highly sophisticated surface design of a human tongue has been replicated with a synthetic silicone structure that mimics the topology, elasticity and wettability of the tongue’s surface. The team took silicone impressions of tongue surfaces from fifteen adults. The impressions were 3D optically scanned to map papillae dimensions, density and the average roughness of the tongues. Computer simulations and mathematical modelling were then used to create a 3D-printed artificial surface to function as a mould containing wells with the shape and dimensions of the different papillae randomly distributed across the surface with the right density. The unique factors attributable to the human tongue are instrumental to how food or saliva interacts with it, which in turn…

IET EngX in Functional Safety
Governments shouldn’t underestimate the impact of walking away from Huawei

Relationships between global governments and Huawei have been nuanced to say the least in recent months. From the UK to India and most recently Sweden, the dominoes are falling as the Chinese telecoms giant is banned from 5G networks in an increasing number of countries. Expelling Huawei from India is certainly one of the most significant moves; China’s premier infrastructure provider will miss out on access to the world’s largest mobile market as a result. Losing a foothold in Sweden is also a symbolic defeat, ousted from the home of its biggest rival, Ericsson. With new restrictions rumoured to be on their way in Germany, Huawei could also be about to fall out of one of Europe’s most significant territories. Although it is clearly a multi-faceted decision, politicians must be conscious…

IET EngX
Huawei Mate 40 smartphone range could be ‘last hurrah’ in Europe for Chinese firm

Huawei unveiled its new Mate 40 line-up of smartphones (pictured above) yesterday (22 October), along with a new smartwatch - the GT 2 - and augmented reality glasses. However, the ongoing sanctions imposed on the company by the Trump administration over allegations that Huawei has ties to the Chinese state and that its products could be used to spy on the West has seen the firm’s newer devices cut off from using Google’s services as well as limiting access to US-made components. Huawei has taken strides to react positively to the sanctions, launching its own app store and apps to compensate for the loss of the full Google ecosystem, but experts say its appeal has undoubtedly been hit by the restrictions. Ben Wood, chief of research at analyst firm CCS Insight, said the ever-tightening…

IET EngX in Consumer Technology
EU Parliament backs plans for regulation of digital platforms

Since 2000, the EU has used the e-Commerce Directive as its primary legal framework for regulating digital services. Now, it is is developing a modern legal framework – the Digital Services Act – which will frame the responsibilities of digital companies to address risks their users face and set rules that prevent anti-competitive behaviour. The European Parliament has overwhelmingly approved three resolutions. These seek to establish its position on the future of digital services regulation before the measures are published in December by the European Commission. These recommendations are likely to feed into the Digital Services Act. The Parliament notably backed the inclusion of tighter restrictions on targeted advertising, put forward by German MEP Tiemo Wölken of the Legal Affairs committee…

IET EngX in Ethical Aspects
4G on the Moon, as Nasa picks Nokia for lunar network

Nasa’s ambitious 'Artemis' project aims to return humans to the Moon; to set up a long-term human presence there; kick-start a lunar economy (largely based on mining lunar resources) , and establish infrastructure to support a crewed mission to Mars. Nasa is working alongside international partners including ESA, JAXA, the UKSA and many private companies. Nasa has now selected Nokia’s US subsidiary to deploy an “ultra-compact, low-power, space-hardened” 4G network on the Moon to support a small human presence, with a view to later updating to a 5G network. The contract is worth $14.1m (£10.9m). Nokia will mostly use off-the-shelf technology such as lightweight 4G base stations, adapted to “withstand the harsh conditions of the launch and lunar landing and to operate in the extreme conditions…

IET EngX in Space
Stratospheric 4G network realised with antennas fitted to plane

The German telecoms company said this was the world’s first successful demonstration of 4G voice and data connectivity over a platform flying at the edge of the stratosphere and fully integrated into a commercial mobile network. At the beginning of October, several test flights were carried out in Bavaria with a remote-controlled aircraft system at an altitude of approximately 14km. The antennas installed on the aircraft allowed a smartphone on the ground to achieve download speeds of 70Mbps and upload speeds of 20Mbps in the 2.1GHz range over a channel bandwidth of 10MHz. The high flight altitude, coupled with an almost unobstructed view of the ground, should allow an airplane to use special antennas to supply radio cells with a diameter of up to 100km, boosting the coverage of existing…

IET EngX in Aerospace

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