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  • Tracing an ancestor down the Amazon!

    By James Catmur, IET guest blog James Catmur had been in touch with the IET Archives whilst researching his great grand uncle who had been a member of the IEE (Institution of Electrical Engineers). More research ensued which led to the discovery that this interesting character, a student in electrical engineering working in London, ended up on the Amazon River. This is his fascinating story. Herbert Braithwaite Johnson Herbert Braithwaite Johnson was born on 16 August 1877, in Brocklesbury, Lincolnshire, England, to John Henry Johnson and Anna Braithwaite Savory. Herbert died on 6 September 1960, aged 83 years, in Jalisco, Mexico. Herbert was buried in 1960 in Ajijic, Mexico. I first heard of ‘great uncle Herbert’ in 1973. At the time we lived in Mexico City, and returning home from…

  • AI: Harnessing its Potential Responsibly

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a revolutionary technology that has captured the imagination of scientists, innovators, and the public alike. However, when it comes to determining whether AI is inherently good or bad, the answer is neither. Last month, Dr Rachel Craddock, mentioned in her blog post , that the true nature of AI lies in the choices humans make regarding its development and application. In this blog post, we explore the multifaceted nature of AI and the importance of responsible AI deployment for the betterment of society. An example of an AI-generated image made using Midjourney, a popular generative artificial intelligence program (Image source: carbongpt.ai ) A Limit to AI Advancement? As AI continues to progress, a pertinent question arises: will there be a limit to…

  • Deborah McKenzie celebrates 45 years at the IET

    What do Danny serenading Sandy in Grease, the first Superman movie and the birth of the world’s first IVF baby have in common? The answer is that they were all major events that took place in 1978. Something else significant happened in 1978, less likely to have an impact on the news headlines for sure, but it was to see the start of an exciting career for one individual at the IEE and later the IET. Earlier this week, on July 3, Community Manager Deborah McKenzie celebrated 45 years at the IET – she’s seen the organisation led by 12 Secretaries and Chief Executive and Secretaries in that time and stayed in her role longer than the past ten Prime Ministers. Joanne Longton , a mere newbie who joined the Institution in 1991, has worked with Deborah since her first day. At that point Deborah…

    Christopher Knibb
    Christopher Knibb

  • AR and Manufacturing: Bridging the Gap Between Virtual and Physical Worlds

    Augmented Reality (AR) is rocking the manufacturing industry like never before, bringing in a wave of new possibilities to boost productivity and safety. With AR, workers can dive into interactive and immersive experiences that blend virtual elements with the real-world environment, making complex tasks a breeze to visualize and understand. Let's look at the current uses of AR in manufacturing. First up, we have assembly and maintenance. AR technology swoops in to assist workers in assembling intricate machinery and equipment. Step-by-step instructions and guidance are overlaid onto the equipment, combining computer-generated images with real-time video. This allows workers to see exactly what needs to be done as they perform their tasks. AR doesn't stop there. It also lends a hand in maintenance…

  • Automatic versus Ad Hoc Call Transcription

    There is little doubt that a large number of companies would find it useful to have their telephone calls transcribed. Just consider how many people routinely search their email - why wouldn't they want to search their telephone calls? 30 years ago, finding correspondence would involve physically rummaging through filing cabinets. The advent of digital communications has meant we can now search correspondence instantly. Yet why should employees need to search historic emails and not historic phone calls? The reason that most companies do not transcribe their calls is because they think that either machines are not accurate enough, or the process is too expensive. This perception is not helped by user experience with digital assistants such as Alexa and Siri, or commercial BOTs typically provided…

  • Navigating the Chip Supply Crisis in the Industrial Inkjet Market

    The last two years have posed significant challenges for companies and engineers involved in electronic equipment production, particularly due to the chip supply crisis. In a talk organised by the IET Cambridge Network on 22nd June, David Horne, Vice President of Engineering at Meteor Inkjet Ltd shared their story of successfully managing the shortage of vital devices amidst the crisis. Attendees gained an insight into the engineering challenges faced by a small to medium-sized engineering company in the industrial inkjet market and learned about industrial inkjet technology and its applications. The event showcased resilience, adaptability, and creative problem-solving in the face of adversity, showing just what can be achieved “when the chips are down”. To find out more about our events…

  • Artificial Intelligence – good or bad?

    You’ve probably seen all the media reports about the dangers of Artificial Intelligence (AI) which have been published recently. And when senior AI experts such as Geoffrey Hinton speak out, it adds credibility to the concerns. Some of us grew up watching the Terminator movies, and although those movies present an extreme scenario, the concerns get into our subconscious. Currently experts appear to be in agreement that we don’t have Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), we only have narrow AI. AGI is an AI which surpasses human capabilities to perform any task, whereas narrow AI only surpasses human capabilities for a specific narrow task. So where are the concerns coming from? AI and machine learning systems use standard software programming, and either learn from examples or do what…

  • Maxims for engineers

    Guest blog by Peter M Hills DipEE MSc CEng MIET Peter Hills, IET Archives’ guest blogger, has written a second piece offering some sage advice to those not only in the engineering world but to everyone in all walks of life. No doubt these aphorisms have been tried and tested by Peter over his long career in engineering. Here are some he thought most pertinent to share. A celebration of long membership In 2018, Nick Winser, the then IET President, wrote to me with an award for over 50 years’ continuous membership of the IEE and then the IET. He said, “… your career in engineering has spanned five decades of considerable change in technology and society.” Indeed so. I have seen astonishing progress and learnt so much during a taxing but hugely enjoyable engineering…

    IET Archives
    IET Archives

  • So you want a career in project controls?

    Are you curious about careers in project controls? Well read on to find out more. First things first, let's talk about what project controls actually is. Imagine you're working on a big construction project or a software development endeavor. There are countless moving parts, budgets to manage, timelines to stick to, and resources to allocate. That's where project controls comes in. It's all about ensuring that projects stay on track, within budget, and meet their objectives. Now, you might be thinking, "What kind of career options are there in project controls?" Well, the opportunities are many! You could start off as a project controls coordinator, where you'll get your hands dirty with data analysis, budget monitoring, and progress tracking. It's like being the Sherlock Holmes of projects…

  • Judging the winners of the UK Heat of the International Astronautical Congress (IAC)

    The International Astronautical Congress (IAC), is one of the world’s largest space conferences taking place each year. For 2023, the IAC is taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan. Each year, there is a student paper competition with an undergraduate student and a postgraduate student selected to represent the UK. This selection is carried out jointly by the British Interplanetary Society and the IET’s Satellite Network. For this year, Yun-Hang Cho from the IET Satellite Network helped to judge the UK selection process. 11 undergraduate abstracts and 5 postgraduate abstracts were reviewed based on their relevance to important space issues, technical quality, and clarity of writing. From these, 3 undergraduate and 2 postgraduate entries were selected to give a 10-15minute presentation. The topics…

    Deborah-Claire McKenzie
    Deborah-Claire McKenzie

  • Cutting Edge Medicine, Smashing Tumours with Particle Accelerators

    Next month’s Medical Accelerator conference sees the people behind some of the most complex machines in a hospital meet up to discuss the present and future of this cutting-edge cancer treatment. What have the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and a radiotherapy machine got in common? They are both particle accelerators. While the LHC looks for the secrets of the universe, matter and reality, a radiotherapy machine, actually called a ‘linac’ (Linear Accelerator), is used to treat cancer in patients. It does this by aiming X-rays or a beam of particles such as protons or electrons at a cancerous tumour growing within the body. Normally, when we think of cancer, we think of patients and the medical profession. It’s easy to forget there are physicists who apply complex theory to medicine. After…

  • Bathed in light

    By Anne Locker The development of electricity for medical therapy and devices dates back to the beginnings of the science of electromagnetism and the beginnings of modern medicine. In 1791, Luigi Galvani discovered the role electricity plays in the body – at first, by twitching frogs’ legs – a phenomenon he called ‘animal electricity’. His fellow scientist Alessandro Volta built on Galvani’s work (although he disagreed with the nature of electricity) and developed the first electric battery in 1800, which meant an electric current could be easily produced for further experimentation and research. Michael Faraday ’s description of a ‘dark space’ around the cathode in his electrical experiments led to the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895, and the development of the telephone…

  • AI Day at Innovation Fest 2023

    On Tuesday 16 th May 2023, Birmingham City University (BCU) and The IET presented “AI Day” at Innovation Fest 2023, STEAMhouse, Belmont Row, Birmingham, UK. This was a full day of keynote presentations on Artificial Intelligence (AI) which creating opportunities for one-to-one questions, discussion and networking with leading industry and academic figures. Whilst Innovation Fest celebrated its 10 th anniversary in 2023, this was the first time that an entire day had been allocated to the subject of AI. The aim was to provide an insight into a wide range of AI related topics, that frequently occur in the media, including ChatGPT in education, driverless vehicles, smart manufacturing, autonomous weapon systems, AI governance, and international legislation. Event organiser, Jon Isaacs , had…

  • Thoughts Around the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

    Yesterday evening I went to a talk given by the Sussex branch of the British Computer Society. The title of the talk was 'Calculemus (Let us calculate): What world is AI giving us?' and, although on the subject of AI, the speaker was a philosopher. So the topic was really about how we should view developments in AI and the 'products' that will result. After presenting a view on what we mean by artificial intelligence (Is an electronic calculator intelligent because it can do sums that a human would find difficult?) the talk moved into comparisons between the learning process of a child and that of a machine. Then comparisons with other inventions, such as plastic, were explored, arguing that we should put some form of constraints on the products which were being developed by corporations, whose…

  • Are we leaving kids unprotected and at risk from abuse in the virtual world?

    The IET’s latest research shows that Generation Alpha is spending more time online than in the real world (and yes, as a GenX’er I had to look it up too – Gen A are born in the 21st century, mainly between 2010 and 2020) The IET study of 1,000 parents of children aged 5-13 found: 57% of children spend the majority of their recreational time online. Children are spending the equivalent to a whole day online every week - 23 hours. Kids’ engagement with Virtual Reality has grown by 320% in the past year alone (63% in 2023 vs. 15% in 2022). This boggles my mind – as a kid in the 1970’s it wasn’t unusual for me to be outside from breakfast until teatime – and my mum even had a hand bell she would ring to summon us in from the far playing fields. Now, I also realise that computers didn…

  • Exploring the World of Tribology: The Science Behind Friction, Lubrication, and Wear

    Have you ever wondered why objects slide smoothly or why some materials wear out faster than others? The field of tribology holds the answers to these intriguing questions. Tribology is the study of friction, lubrication, and wear between interacting surfaces. It plays a crucial role in various industries, from automotive engineering to manufacturing. In this blog post, we'll delve into the fascinating world of tribology, exploring its principles, applications, and the impact it has on our everyday lives. Understanding Tribology: At its core, tribology investigates the science behind interactions between surfaces in motion. Friction, the resistance encountered when two surfaces slide or rub against each other, is a key aspect of tribology. By understanding the factors influencing friction…

  • 11th Colloquium on Antennas, Wireless and Electromagnetics - CAWE 2023

    The successful 11 th CAWE-23 event was our first physical event in over three years and was successfully held at Edinburgh University last week on 31 st May 2023. The colloquium opened with a welcome from Carol Marsh , IET Vice President and IET Trustee and Wasiu Popoola (Edinburgh University) and Dr Anil Shukla , the Chairman of IET Antennas & Propagation Technical Network, who chaired the four sessions throughout the day. The lab tours (to the new anechoic chamber and a demonstration) were very well received and talking to the abstract presenters they all really appreciated and valued the experience of presenting to an external audience and they acquitted themselves very well to the questions posed. For all the presenters this was their first presentation to an external audience. The…

  • Engineering open house week resources

    Is your company opening its doors to young visitors during Engineering Open House Week this year? We have put together a selection of our teaching resources that use readily available equipment and are simple to facilitate for both primary and secondary children to enjoy during their visit. They will put their newfound knowledge to the test and promote sticky learning to enhance their experience. For younger children: Invent your own project using old cardboard boxes Cool cardboard crafts for kids (theiet.org) Make biodegradable paper planters Paper planters (theiet.org) Power LED lights with lemons and limes Fruit lights (theiet.org) Make an erupting volcano using sodium bicarbonate and vinegar Erupting volcano experiment (theiet.org) Create rainbow reflections with paper and…

  • Celebrating 75 Years of the National Health Service and the future of healthcare.

    Our Healthcare, Robotics and Vision & Imaging Technical Networks are joining forces on June 22 to host a one-day seminar ‘ The Future of Healthcare 2023 ’. We’ll be looking at how emerging healthcare technologies may be able to help alleviate some of the unprecedented pressures the National Healthcare Service is currently facing. But did you know that our revolutionary healthcare system will be celebrating its 75 th birthday this year? Let’s look back on some of the remarkable milestones that have shaped this institution: Birth of the NHS On July 5, 1948, the NHS was established under the visionary leadership of Health Secretary, Aneurin Bevan. This marked a significant turning point in healthcare accessibility with the radical idea of providing free medical treatment to everyone, irrespective…

  • Martin Russ: Reflections on a Life

    The most important part of any organisation is it's people. Organisations are made of people, every sort... from the bottom to the top, and our activities are reflected from those people. I reflect on this because back in February, the IET Media Technical Network lost one of its own: Martin Russ, who passed after a short illness. We thought it apt for those who knew and worked with him to put a few words together about him. My memories of Martin are fond and energy filled; his self-titled Media Innovator role did not do justice to a man with depths of knowledge, curiosity and energy many could not even think of emulating. When it came to the IET Multimedia committee, I recall Martin's meticulous attention to detail and his precision for a well run event which only served to improve the…

  • ICRA 2023 – Lab tour – UCL Robotics WEISS

    ICRA (International Conference on Robotics and Automation) this year was held in London for the first time in the UK and makes up the largest robotics and automation conference. With attendee numbers rising post pandemic it was an opportunity for UK robotics, with thousands of attendees. With the main conference being held at the ExCel centre hosting the talks and industry showcase, lab tours were organised within different Universities around London and Oxford to demonstrate different aspects of robotics and automation. UCL Robotics had three lab tours, to which I took part in the surgical robotic site at UCL WEISS hosting attendees to ICRA 2023 on the 29 th May over two sessions during the day. The purpose of the lab visit was to show attendees the work carried out at UCL WEISS with…

  • Konfer - A new gateway platform to help innovators.(a brokerage platform for university access and an open-source database resource)

    The IET’s Innovation Management Technical Network has been focusing on the challenges faced by UK innovation at its early stages as well as on their path to commercialisation. That has featured looking at funding challenges, risk reduction, addressing the need for access to technical support and building an infrastructure to make innovation work in start-ups. The latter is particularly important and least well covered. Start-ups usually do not have the resources to use technology consulting, and an accessible and affordable pool of scientific, laboratory and development tools would help. Both may be found in UK universities with a little effort. We have noticed that a comprehensive UKRI-funded brokerage platform has been assembled by the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB…

  • The Morrell Review and Construction Product Data: What You Need to Know

    Here is a summary of our recent panel session which brought together the Morrell Review of construction product testing, recent research by the IET into construction product manufacturers, and the Office for Product Safety and Standards (the UK regulator for construction products), to discuss digitisation of construction product data and how the Morrell Review views digitisation. The IET Built Environment Panel has been working towards a better understanding of how construction product manufacturers can supply their product information to the construction supply chain in digital form. This work was prompted by the UK BIM Alliance (now nima) document ‘ A Fresh Way Forward for Product Data: State of the Nation ’ (2018) and led to the publication of ‘Digitisation for construction product manufacturers…

  • Some things you didn’t know you needed to know about IET Bahrain

    The IET’s local network in Bahrain is small, but surprisingly active Bahrain can be easily overshadowed by its larger, better known neighbours in the Gulf region of the Middle East; especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Perhaps the same might be said of IET Bahrain, the IET Local Network that works in the kingdom. Early Days The Chairman of IET Bahrain is Dr. A-Imam Al-Sammak, an Associate Professor at the University of Bahrain for slightly over 30 years. He joined the IET way, way back in 1979 or 80 when doing his Masters in the UK. Dr Al-Sammak was one of the eight engineers who found the island’s Local Network, sometime in 1995. In the 1990s, the local network had somewhere in the region of 150 members. Many were migrants, in Bahrain for work. These days, as workers have left…

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