IET EngX

Welcome to the Community Insights blog!

This blog features posts from and about the EngX community. Want to contribute? Read our blogging guide to help you get started.

Grid

List

Lift-off at UK Students for Exploration and Discovery in Space Conference

The UKSEDS National Student Space conference is an annual event held in spring each year. It aims to bring together student space communities from across the UK and involves keynote presentations from leading international organisations including ESA, NASA and beyond. Although the event was held on the weekend, it was clear that both students and industry were more than willing to participate. Over the two-day event, I was delighted to meet many old and new friends. Back at university, I had setup several space programmes for students, and it was great to see those same students now successfully working in industry. At the same time, I was also surprised to see the range of companies present including some that were not specialised in the space industry (e.g., MTC). The diversity of people…

Deborah-Claire McKenzie in Space
Empowering Patients in Scotland with Access to their Health Data

Scotland is experiencing substantial health disparities, where certain populations are more prone to poor health outcomes compared to others. This problem is influenced by a broad range of factors, including access to healthcare services, socio-economic status, genetics, and lifestyle. Currently, there is a well-documented health inequality gap, with individuals living in the most deprived areas having a life expectancy that is on average 8 years lower than those living in the least deprived areas (Scottish Government, 2022). In order to tackle this issue, a multi-faceted approach that leverages technology and data is required. In this article summary, I will delve into the key findings of our IET policy roundtable in Scotland on health inequalities and digital solutions, focusing on three…

Nury Moreira in Biotechnology
From under the sea to the edge of space: the work of Oliver Heaviside

By Anne Locker Early life and career Oliver Heaviside (1850-1925) was a telegraphist, self-taught mathematician and reclusive figure. He never attended meetings – he nearly turned down a nomination for Fellowship of the Royal Society over the requirement to come to London in person – and was frequently at odds with the engineering establishment, mathematicians and (in later years) the Gas Board. But his work informed our modern understanding of electromagnetism and telecommunications. He reformulated Maxwell’s equations, pioneered the use of operational calculus and made breakthroughs in coaxial and distortionless signalling. He also has a layer of the ionosphere named after him. He did all this by challenging engineering and mathematical orthodoxy, stating that mathematics should be…

IET Archives in History of Engineering
If you could go behind the scenes of any engineering company, which would it be and why?

This event is where we join forces with organisations across the UK to showcase engineering and technology behind the scenes to children and their families, giving them the chance to discover first-hand the range of incredible careers out there – all in the hope to inspire more young people to pursue STEM in the future. Whether children are into sports, music, fashion, flying, healthcare, or improving our climate, we want children – and their parents – to understand that there is a place in engineering and technology for them. So to give as many families and schools the opportunity to attend, we’re now holding activities over the course of an entire WEEK – hence the name change to 'Engineering Open House Week', and we would absolutely love to have your company on board this year to inspire…

Kimberley Ingarfill
North Devon Robotics Challenge 2023

The North Devon Robotics Challenge 2023 is an event for Year 7 students at schools in the North Devon area. The event is sponsored by The IET, and supported by The North Devon Manufacturers Association, Firefly Robotics Educational Charity and STEM. This is the first time the event has been run, and the plan is to extend the event further in forthcoming years, initially throughout the IET Devon and Cornwall area. The event is for teams of four pairs of students, who are presented with challenges, which they work on in their schools over a six week period, before coming together to compete against each other at a central location. The North Devon area has a lot of small engineering companies, but engineering does not have a high profile in the area, and the result is that the engineering…

Rob Scarr in STEM Education and Skills
What would it take to complete a modern construction project on time and on (let alone under) budget?

Here is a rhetorical question, what would it take to complete a modern construction project on time and on (let alone under) budget? We should ask ‘why this happens so infrequently in projects large and small and how it can be corrected?’ A little background There was a time a construction project, be it a bridge, a stadium, a palace or a canal required basic materials such as wood & stone and not much else, because the technology for lifts, mechanical ventilation, electrical lighting and remote sensing didn’t exist. Now, a complex project such as an underground railway, a hospital or an airport terminal is not merely a building, it is intelligent, its constituent parts talk to each other via digital communications; if there is a campus of buildings, they will interact with each other…

Lynsay Callaghan in Asset Management
IoT in Defence

The Internet of Things (IoT) has transformed the way we live and work in many different ways, and the defence industry is no exception. One of the most significant advantages of IoT technology in defence is its ability to enable real-time monitoring and analysis of large amounts of data. This can be used to detect and respond to threats faster and more effectively, providing a critical edge in combat situations. IoT-enabled sensors may be used to detect enemy movements or incoming attacks, allowing forces to react more quickly and effectively. IoT also offers the potential to improve logistical operations and supply chain management. Sensors may be used to track the location and condition of equipment and supplies, allowing better planning and allocation of resources. This can help reduce…

Aaron Russell in Internet of Things
Inclusive thinking? Pass it on!

Join in with our latest campaign – crowdsourcing tips, insights and hacks for making inclusion easy to embed into our everyday lives. Just over a year ago, we called out to the engineering and technology community – asking you to share your thoughts on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in our sector, whether good, bad, or somewhere in between. The feedback we got was that, while most people understand the need for and benefits of increasing inclusion – they sometimes don’t know where to begin, or feel like it can be quite an uphill battle to implement new processes in the workplace. Visit our website to share your thoughts and feature in our campaign – and help spread the word by sharing it on your socials. And why is inclusive thinking important? It’s critical for success …

Daisy March in Women in Engineering
Our Easter resources have had a makeover!

Get Easter off to a cracking start with our fantastic resources designed for both primary and secondary-aged students. To give you even more reasons to be hoppy, these resources now also include a step-by-step activity guide for families to follow as well as some brand new bonus games including crosswords, wordsearches and mazes which can be enjoyed both at home and in the classroom. For children aged 4-11 there’s a graphics project to design a pop-up Easter card. Or you can let their creativity flow as you use papier mâché and a balloon to make an Easter egg to decorate or help link words or numbers on cracked eggshells. Make an amazing bunny pop up card Make a papier mâché Easter egg Match eggy words or numbers Older teens can enjoy chocolate and egg themed activities including…

Marie Neighbour in STEM Education and Skills
From Policy to Practice: Discussing the Spring Budget 2023's Impact on Healthcare Engineering and Technology

The Spring Budget Statement 2023 brings forth several implications for the healthcare sector, creating potential opportunities for engineers and technology specialists. Let's examine what these announcements signify for us and how they may shape the future of healthcare in the UK. Healthcare technology innovation : With the streamlined approval process for medicines and medical technologies, and an additional £10 million allocated for expediting cutting-edge medical technology approvals, innovation in healthcare technology is set to surge. Moreover, the enhanced R&D tax credit could incentivise healthcare technology and engineering companies to invest more in R&D, spawning new healthcare technologies, products, and services. Medical device regulation: The Spring Budget Statement 2023 directly…

Nury Moreira in Biotechnology
How can people heat their homes sustainably, economically and effectively?

With the backdrop of high energy prices, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), ably supported by colleagues from the University of Strathclyde, invited politicians of all hues to discuss this topical question on 21 February 2023. Patrick Harvie, Holyrood Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, and a panel of MSPs were keen to air their views on how to resolve an issue that’s foremost in the minds of many people across Scotland. In a keynote speech Patrick acknowledged the scale of the challenge to hit ambitious climate targets, and highlighted the £1.8bn investment in green heat and energy efficiency by the Scottish Government to stimulate the market. He estimated that it would cost £33bn to make all Scottish domestic homes net zero by 2045. It’s a daunting figure and task, that…

Andrew Rylah in Built Environment Technologies
New STEM activities for the spring months

We have been working hard with some new collaborators over the last few months to bring you some new teaching resources for children to do at home or in the classroom. Digital literacy skills are essential for daily life more so now than ever before! Take young learners on a journey to improve their use of computers and technology today as building blocks for the future with our digital literacy collection created with the assistance of Archives of IT. Animation: make moving pictures (theiet.org) Audio editing (theiet.org) Coding games (theiet.org) Digital painting (theiet.org) Create your own digital photography art (theiet.org) The Bugatti Trust Museum and Study Centre have also benefitted from having 2 new resources produced for them looking at gear trains for primary students…

Marie Neighbour in STEM Education and Skills
Support for engineering companies in Scotland

The IET Scotland Local Network wants to support Scottish based Engineering and Technology companies with their engineering and technology ambitions and challenges. We are fortunate to have an experienced and diverse committee of volunteers, and a growing membership of over 10,000 in the region, aligned to the IET mission to inspire, inform and influence our engineering community. Our volunteers are active across Scotland offering: Inspiring events, visits, and lectures Professional and personal network building Peer to peer knowledge and experience sharing across the breadth of engineering disciplines. We can also offer help accessing the services offered by the IET. From STEM engagement to professional development pathways in career development, we can help you find what you…

Sandra Lucy
Making cyber security accessible to everyone

There was so much covered in such a brief (well 45 min, so not that short) talk that while this is bit long, there was so much more that isn't mentioned here. Cyber Essentials, a basic cyber security certification, and training and workspace improvement to increase the diversity of people, particularly of neurodivergent, in the cyber security industry were the main focuses of the open talk hosted by the Central London Local Network, at Savoy Place, on 8th March. Dr Emma Philpott (MBE), the CEO of IASME, presented a fascinating talk followed by a great Q&A session and the subsequent, obligatory, networking drinks. IASME had developed a series of corporate cyber security certifications when it developed the Cyber Essentials certification in concert with the NCSC (National Cyber Security…

Matthew Davies in Professional development
IET Control and Automation Doctoral Dissertation Awards is now taking submissions for 2023

Do you know a student who deserves to win the IET Control and Automation Doctoral Dissertation Award this year? The winner will receive £500 and the chance to share their research in an IET webinar. The Prize recognises a student for their research excellence in the field of Control and Automation. The award is open to all relevant students who were awarded their PhD in the general area of Control and Automation, at a UK university, between 1 October 2021 up to 30 September 2023 and nominations are now open. Apply for the award and find more information on our website Apply for the 2022 awards by 5pm on 12th October 2023 with references also to be submitted online by this date. Read the University interviews with some of our previous winners: 2020 winner - Marta Zagorowska 2021 winner…

Lynsay Callaghan
Cragside – harnessing the power of water

By Asha Gage, IET Archivist Sir William Armstrong, later 1st Baron Armstrong, was one of the most successful British industrialists and scientists of the 19th century. He turned his vision and inventiveness to his country residence, Cragside, which is situated in Rothbury in Northumberland. But this was no genteel country folly, Cragisde was Armstrong’s laboratory where he experimented with water power. In 1880 Cragside was the first house in the world to be lit by hydro-electricity. Armstrong wrote a descriptive letter to the editor of The Engineer journal on 17 January 1881 shortly after he utilised Joseph Swan’s newly invented incandescent light bulbs in his home. From this detailed narrative we can hear Armstrong’s own words about the marvels of this new energy that he had harnessed from…

IET Archives in History of Engineering
Meet the IET Technical Network Community Committee (TNCC)

So, first things first, for those not in the know, What exactly is the Technical Network Community Committee (TNCC), where do we fit, what are we doing and who are we? What is the TNCC? The TNCC comprises IET volunteers who support the Technical Network (TNs) across the globe. The aim is to facilitate communication between communities and share best practice. TNCC Terms of Reference The (TNCC) is part of the IET Governance ( https://www.theiet.org/about/governance/boards-and-committees/communities-resourcing-committee-crc/technical-networks-communities-committee/ and our committee members are all IET volunteers. Where does the TNCC sit in the IET framework? The TNCC reports to the Communities Resourcing Committee (CRC) who is the overarching group responsible for leading the work…

Lynsay Callaghan in Volunteering with the IET
University of Sheffield PhD student wins IET Control and Automation Doctoral Dissertation Prize 2022

Do you know a student who deserves to win this year? The winner will receive £500 and the chance to share their research in an IET webinar. In 2022 this is just what Dr Andrei Braitor applied for, and won. Beside the £500 prize money, he had the chance to present his thesis to an international audience via an online guest lecture. This is scheduled for Thursday 20th April at 12 noon (BST) and you can register to hear about 'Advanced Hierarchical Control and Stability Analysis of DC Microgrids' . The 2023 award launches in March, so keep an eye out if you want to apply. You can also read an article from the University of Sheffield, Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering In a statement, Dr. Braitor said, “It is an honour for me to have been selected to receive the IET…

Lynsay Callaghan in Power Electronics
Views sought on Scottish Government Energy Strategy consultation

The IET is seeking member views on the Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan . We plan to submit a response to at least some of the questions , using your feedback. The Scottish Government strategy focuses on developing a route map of actions to deliver a flourishing net zero energy system that supplies affordable, resilient and clean energy to Scotland’s workers, households, communities and businesses by 2045. With a focus on 2030, the strategy sets out the policy positions and actions for the Scottish and UK Governments to take. The aim is to create the conditions for a net zero energy system that benefits all Scottish communities and ensures national, regional and local energy economies can thrive. It aims to make Scotland innovative and competitive in domestic and international…

Andrew Rylah in Renewable Energy
Life without plastics - The Great Debate

Now, this probably sounds like a big research project, which you plan on doing, but never get to it. Well, this time we got to it! A massive project. So without any further ado, lets begin a great debate on life without plastic... Plastic has gone from the greatest invention of the modern era to one of the most challenging materials to manage. Plastic waste is a growing issue that we face everywhere around the world. Even though it is undeniable that plastic provides various benefits to our society, it is not enough to say that we overuse it without thinking about the consequences. Unfortunately, the truth is that recycling plastic is extremely inefficient – only 9% of plastic ever produced has been recycled, and around 60% of plastic is discarded in landfills and oceans. Reducing the…

Abhaya Sumanasena in Waste Management
Draft for Public Comment - Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation, 5th Edition

The Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation, 5th Edition is a well-established and authoritative guidance document providing a clear explanation of electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment and installation. It sets out the considerations and planning needed in advance and then covers the necessary physical and electrical requirements during the installation process. It also details what needs to be considered when undertaking electrical work on charging equipment in various locations - such as domestic dwellings, on-street locations, and commercial and industrial premises. Key changes to the 5th Edition include: full alignment with BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 and the latest guidance in ENA Engineering Recommendation G12/4. a substantially updated section on “vehicle…

Cameron Fraser in standards
How good are Siri and Alexa?

Most people that use speech recognition services either love them or hate them - there tends to be no middle ground. When users are not given the option - for example many banks will not let you speak to a human unless you have already spent 20 minutes getting nowhere with their voice assistant - then users are less tolerant. But even for those using a speech assistant by choice - for example Alexa or Siri - there often is a similar spread of tolerance. But Siri and Alexa are just two high-profile systems that deploy automatic speech recognition (ASR) in home automation. There are many more ASR applications and Cloud services that are used by other service providers. The problem with ASR is there is rarely any measurement available for performance - ie how much you say does it correctly recognise…

John Yardley in standards
UCL Robotics '23

On the 17th February the UCL Institute of Robotics held the first in person UCL Robotics conference after being previously an online only event. Attendees came from various backgrounds and interests to meet at the main campus of UCL in central London, a quarter of attendees from industry. With talks being categorised into four main areas; Foundational Technologies in A.I. & ML, Autonomous Navigation & Path Planning, Communications, Computer Vision, Control and Sensing, Localization & Mapping, VR/AR Foundational Technologies in Bio-inspired Robots, Haptics Human-Robot Interaction, Legged Robotics, Materials, Mechanism Design, Multi-Robot Systems, Soft Robotics Applications of Robotics in Healthcare and Beyond (e.g. diagnosis, surgery, rehabilitation) Industrial Applications of Robotics…

Peter Snow in Biotechnology
Why is the use of AI desirable, and perhaps inevitable?

Long a staple of science fiction novels and movies, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a burgeoning feature of the technology we use in our lives. Everything from cars to cameras either use it already or will use it in the near future. This factor can overshadow one of AI’s real strengths, mining large volumes of data for insights into large scale projects, programmes and problems. Last summer Dr Alec Banks and Rob Ashmore had a short discussion on the key role AI will play in this area in safety and mission critical systems, along with some key anticipated challenges. The event was to support a paper from the IET’s AI in Functional Safety Working Group : Alec: Everyone seems to be pushing to adopt AI. Why is it so desirable and perhaps even inevitable for programmes like the FCAS…

Andrew Rylah in Artificial Intelligence

Welcome to the Community Insights blog!

Join us to get the best from IET EngX.

Community Rules & Guidelines