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.

  • New Books In The Library November 2019

    The following books have been added to the Library this month. Please email the Library Desk (libdesk@theiet.org) to borrow or for more information. A selection of new accessions to the IET Library in November: Henrietta Heald, Magnificent women and their revolutionary machines (Unbound, 2019) David D Clark, Designing an Internet (MIT, 2018) Nobert Wiener, A life in cybernetics (MIT, 2017) Sharon Ann Holgate, Outside the research lab: physics in vintage and modern transport (IOP, 2018) Kat Jungnickel, Bikes and bloomers: Victorian women inventors and their extraordinary cycle wear (Goldsmiths, 2018) C J Dakin, Memories of a 20th century electronic engineer (2019)

    IET Library
    IET Library

  • Platforms Reformed: The Rise Of Content Engines

    There was a time when platforms were only for politicians and drag queens. Now, every self-respecting media company has one – but are they about to become obsolete? Anything between viewers and content can be called a platform: PayTV operators, obviously, but also device manufacturers, operating systems, content management services, VoD aggregators, free-to-air channels ... the list goes on. However, as content providers launch their own consumer services over the Internet and nobody else is between content and viewers - is the concept of platform itself outdated? What do platforms do, anyway? At first platforms were needed to enable delivery: towers, cables, the set-top-box (STB): clear physical manifestations of a gatekeeper. From there, the gatekeeping became ever more ethereal: the EPG;…

    David Short
    David Short

  • How to build an autonomous car

    Adrian Bedford is a 'hands on' guy. After starting a company (Street Drone) to 'robotise' a car, he went on to add a motorised steering column, acceleration and brakes to a Renault Twizzy. This was taken up by Google scholars and demonstrated an AI Deep Learning approach to program a computer to drive. Adrian enlightened us on how GPS works and improving the accuracy, using Arduinos and the Ardupilot system, Robot Operating System (ROS), and putting it all together. He encouraged young people to be involved with a start-up, and is now in a start-up himself working with Parkopedia to 3D scan carparks.

    Samuel Wane
    Samuel Wane

  • Ulster Carpets Tour

    "Although this sound may be as old as mechanised weaving, this should not lead to the misconceived image of the 1900s, this is a company which has and is innovating in all aspects."On the evening of 6th November the IETNI Local Network made a visit to the Castleisland Factory of Ulster Carpets in Portadown. It is not difficult to see how this company wins some of the world’s most discerning customers, as arriving in the heritage centre the visitors were most warmly and personally welcomed. Snacking on hot beverages and sandwiches provided, the group were surrounded by the tools of yesteryear while the recognisable muted sound of looms harmonised from next door. Although this sound may be as old as mechanised weaving, this should not lead to the misconceived image of the 1900s, this is a company…

    Eoin McGread
    Eoin McGread

  • Arnold Barks Christmas Lecture - Salisbury

    Behind the Wheel with the Stig - From F1 to Top Gear with Perry Mccarthy the original Stig from Top Gear will be presenting this years Arnold Barks Christmas Lecture in Salisbury on 11 December full details can be found  https://events.theiet.org/arnold-barks-memorial-christmas-lecture-2019/       NOTE:- New venue at Salisbury Guildhall.

    John Savage
    John Savage

  • Midlands Power Group - Toby Norris Memorial Lecture 2019

    On Wednesday 30th October, the Midlands Power Group were delighted to host the annual Toby Norris Memorial Lecture at Austin Court.  This year's speaker was Dave Parkin, a Director at Progressive Energy and an inspirational figure in the development of the HyNet integrated energy network in the North West of England.As the UK focuses ever increasing amounts of effort in decarbonising the economy by 2050, the potential role of hydrogen as a fuel in achievement of the goal is gaining significant traction. Dave Parkin delivered an insightful and thought provoking lecture on how this might be achieved on a regional or national scale.  Starting with a simple concept of 'hot baths' of energy, he clearly demonstrated that the challenge of taking carbon out of energy has barely started with only two…

    David Swanson
    David Swanson

  • Awards To CRC Students

    The IET Cambridge Network awards prizes each year to the best Engineering Students at local colleges. Three students from Cambridge Regional College (CRC) have been praised for their achievements during a presentation by The IET Cambridge Network. Garry Reed, 46, Josh Carter, 22, and Andrew Curtis, 52, were announced as this year's winners of the annual awards.  The trio are electrical engineering students on the HNC course at CRC. Philip Zirngast, Chair of the Cambridge IET, said: “It was a real pleasure to meet Gary, Josh and Andrew and to announce their receipt of IET awards for their excellent achievements at CRC. All three have shown great commitment to their work and studies and growing technical knowledge, all of which are important to success in the engineering profession. I wish them…

    David Blake
    David Blake

  • Recent Tech Talk - Gord Echlin Of Triacta Power Solutions LP.

    'Mega Trends in client side energy management - Evolution of on-premise equipment and systems'Ottawa LN recently organised an excellent tech talk by Gord Echlin. Edwin Morton gave the introduction -  Gord is VP Marketing and Business Development for Triacta Power Solutions LP. He is a computer scientist and technologist by education. Prior to Triacta he worked in Mitel and Newbridge. He is entrepreneurial and supports his local community in many ways. Attendance was good on a very wet Ottawa night with 16 members present.  The talk was lively and well orchestrated by our speaker. He started with an overall description of energy metering and its evolution over three decades, with an emphasis on major trends impacting innovation during this time. We covered regulation, energy conservation, accountability…

    Graeme Allan
    Graeme Allan

  • Want To Get More Involved In Shaping The Strategic Direction Of The Project Controls Network?

    The IET/ACostE Project Control Technical Network are looking for interested people to join our Executive Committee. Outlined below are further details on what we are looking for and what is involved, so if you are interested, please email me What are Technical Networks (TNs)? TNs are an integral part of the IET’s strategy. Their aims include: providing high-level technical content; supporting the IET’s knowledge portfolio; and giving members important networking opportunities. They are specialist communities led by executives that generate activities, such as physical events and online discussions, webinars, podcasts, to support the understanding of engineers working within their respective sector. As well as helping the IET to stay ahead of the curve, they can also help participants raise…

    Joanne Longton
    Joanne Longton

  • The Latest Titles In Control

    Take a look at our web shop and browse our collection of specialist publications for the engineering and technology community.  Design of Embedded Robust Control Sytems Using MATLAB/Simulink This book presents the theoretical and practical aspects of robust control design and implementation using MATLAB and Simulink. Combining knowledge from Control System Design and Computer Engineering, it describes the whole design process cycle from uncertainty plant modelling to the embedding of high-order robust controllers in 32-bit DSP and FPGA. Price: £130 / $170 Authors: Petko Hristov Petkov et al. Publication Year: 2018 Format: Hardback & eBook ISBN: 978-1-78561-330-2 e-ISBN: 978-1-78561-331-9 Modeling, Simulation and Control of Electrical Drives This book provides insights into state-of-the-art…

    Joanne Longton
    Joanne Longton

  • The IoT TPN At IMESS 2019!

    During October, the IET Internet of Things Technical Network attended the IEEE International Microwave, Electron Devices, Solid-State Circuits Symposium (IMESS) 2019 in Penang, Malaysia. The two-day symposium was a platform for the participants to exchange ideas regarding topics related to microwave, electron devices, and solid-state circuit. The featured international experts, local industry leaders, academic experts, and researchers. The event was a great success with 200 delegates. IMESS 2019 was launched officially by the Penang Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman. During the launching ceremony, he said:   “The emergence of multidisciplinary and fast growing field of artificial intelligence (AI), fifth generation communication technology (5G) and Internet of Things…

    Former Staff Member
    Former Staff Member

  • Award Ceremony For IET West Yorkshire Local Network Prizes For Student Excellence (Further Education) – 6 June 2019, Reliance Precision Ltd., Huddersfield

    Dr Crinela Pislaru (Chair, IET West Yorkshire Local Network) has presented the IET Local Network Prize for Student Excellence to Catherine Smith from Kirklees College on 6 June 2019.The presentation ceremony took place at Reliance Precision Ltd. in the presence of Robert Farrell (Reliance Precision Ltd.), John Plascott, Elisha Gardner, Lydia Butterworth (Kirklees College).  Universities or colleges without an accredited programme can nominate a student for the Local Network Prize for having achieved excellence on their course. The prize winner receives £250. Catherine who is undertaking her Mechanical Engineering Technical Apprenticeship with Kirklees College and working for world-leading precision manufacturing company Reliance Precision, comes from a family of engineers with her uncle and…

    Oliver Clarke
    Oliver Clarke

  • SESAME Committee Members 2019-20

    Chairman                                   Angus Annan,  FRSA CEng MIET                    Vice-Chairman                          Nigel Shepherd, MA MSc CEng MIET Past Chairman                          David Dick, OBE PhD MLitt BA (Hons) CEng FIET Honorary Secretary                  Ian Smith, BSc (Hons) CEng MIET MIBSE  ( ian.smith@ietvolunteer.org) Honorary Treasurer                 S James Gaw, BSc, MSc, CEng, MIET                       Newsletter Editor                     Ian B Currier, MBE TD BSc CEng FIET Community Administrator      S James Gaw ,  BSc, MSc, CEng, MIET  (samuel.gaw@ietvolunteer.org) Committee Members                                     Walter Thomson,  MBE BSc MIET                                     Eur lng John F Russell, BSc (Mech Eng) MEng (Civ Eng) MSc (Elec Eng

    Samuel Gaw (Jim)
    Samuel Gaw (Jim)

  • New Code of Practice for Building Automation and Control Systems

    Grow your knowledge and skills with this Code of Practice for Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS)The Code of Practice for Connected Systems Integration in Buildings aims to promote good practice in the specification, design and integration of connected systems in buildings, as well as providing a reference to practitioners on design, integration practice and technological considerations working to meet key functionality and customer requirements. IET Members can save 35% off the full price. Pre-order online

    Joanne Longton
    Joanne Longton

  • IET On Campus Advisors & Young Professionals Meet And Greet

    On 20 July, 2019 - The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Young Professionals Section (YPS) for Malaysia had organized their very first IET On Campus Advisors & Young Professionals Meet and Greet session 2019 at Delectables By SU, Seputeh. Being the first-of-its-kind event organized, the IET On Campus Advisors & Young Professionals Meet and Greet session was a great success! It was a night for the engineering community of the IET to personally thank, recognize and celebrate the University Advisors for their unfailing effort, support and commitment the University Advisors to guide the students to pursue a meaningful career into engineering and other fields of STEM. With the informal dinner setting, the University Advisors and IET Malaysia committee present were able bond very well…

    LING TING RANG (PETER)
    LING TING RANG (PETER)

  • [Swinburne IET OC]: 190508 Site Visit to Sejingkat Coal Power Plant, Sarawak

    Swinburne Sarawak IET On Campus organised an industrial visit to coal power plant, located at Sejingkat Power Corporation Sdn Bhd. The visit was a collaboration event with Dr. Jubaer Ahmad and his students of the unit Electrical Power System. Total of 15 participants have attended the visit. The participants were accompanied by Dr. Hadi Nabipour Afrouzi, lecturer of Swinburne University of Technology. The visit aimed to expose students to the whole power generation process with coal-processing.

    LING TING RANG (PETER)
    LING TING RANG (PETER)

  • [UoSM IET OC]: 190427 IETxNEM Blockchain The Future Hackathon

    The main purpose of this event is to allow students to learn about blockchain technology and experience a hackathon. Participants were introduced to blockchain technology by Mr Andy Roy Sian from NEM Malaysia and rapid prototyping by Mr Ivan Ling Ting Yang, Advisor of UoSM IET On Campus. Participants build a prototype to solve a problem using NEM’s platform and presented to a panel of judges including Mr Andy Roy Sian, Mr Ivan Ling Ting Yang and Dr. Khor Jing Huey, which is a lecturer in University of Southampton Malaysia. 2 Teams from UoSM won the first and second place and a team from UTM won the third place. A simple speech by our CEO Prof. Rebecca Taylor to end the event.

    LING TING RANG (PETER)
    LING TING RANG (PETER)

  • [USM IET OC]: 191020 Faraday Challenge 2018: Coding the future

    IET-USM OC has carried out the Faraday Challenge on the 20th of October 2018. Our theme for this year was – Coding the Future. The purpose of this event is to instil interest of STEM related fields among high school students in addition to their daily learning in schools. The event was endorsed by the Education Department of Penang State and had managed to attract 52 students, separated into 9 groups, from all over Penang.  The event was kicked off with welcoming remarks by Mr. Cheng Wei Han, President of IET-USM OC. In our version of Faraday Challenge, each team was given a BBC micro:bit to code for any real-time applications. In addition, we also provided every team with an equal number of virtual coins (Faraday Points) which could be used to exchange additional equipment or devices to develop…

    LING TING RANG (PETER)
    LING TING RANG (PETER)

  • [UTAR IET OC]: 190311 STEM Workshop - SMK Seri Kembangan

    UTAR IET On-Campus has organized STEM workshop at SMK Seri Kembangan for secondary students.  Students were briefed about the 3D Design Software and 3D Printing technology by our team. On the 3D design, we introduced solidworks software to students.  After introduction, we allow students to play around with solidworks with some basic function to design things such as tower, bottle and robot. Students took the opportunity to design their own product by using solidworks. As part of our workshop, we also covered on 3D printing and the processes.

    LING TING RANG (PETER)
    LING TING RANG (PETER)

  • [Uniten IET OC]: 190724 MRT Site Visit on SSP Line

    On 24th of July 2019, IET Uniten on Campus had organized a technical site visit to MRT Bandar Malaysia North Station, one of the stations under MRT line 2 which is still in construction progress.  On the event day itself, 30 participants showed up and 4 committee’s members oversaw this event with our club advisor, Ms. Lee Hui Jing accompanied. We departed from Uniten around 9.15a.m. and reached there by 10.00a.m. Then, our main speaker of the day, Ir. Mr. Ridzuan Abdul Wahab from the MRT corp shared about this MRT line 2 project with us.

    LING TING RANG (PETER)
    LING TING RANG (PETER)

  • Knostrop Sludge Treatment Facility Tour - 10th September 2019

    The new sludge treatment facility at Yorkshire Waters Knostrop site in Leeds provides sustainable and efficient processing of up to 48,000 tonnes per year of dry sludge, which is a product of the waste water treatment process. This £72M scheme was promoted to allow the existing sludge incinerator built in 1993 to be decommissioned and to provide a sludge product suitable for use in agriculture whilst generating renewable electricity using biogas which is a product of the new digestion process. Previously most of the waste was incinerated or sent to landfill. Paul Brown (Arup technical consultant) and Daniel Stevenson (Black and Veatch design and construction) gave a short presentation and then a tour of the new sludge treatment facility. The facility receives sludge waste from the Knostrop…

    Oliver Clarke
    Oliver Clarke

  • Present Around The World - University Of Bradford - 14th May 2019

    The IET Present Around The World (PATW) Competition - focus on Automotive Analytics Research We are pleased to announce the participants and winners of the IET PATW West Yorkshire Local Network Competition that was held in May this year. This event is sponsored by the IET PATW and the University of Bradford's Faculty of Engineering and Informatics. Bill Plews from the IET West Yorkshire local network chaired the event. The participants and their presentations are:  Natacha Micic: Visualisation of Engineering Data: A Framework for Converting Heterogeneous Multiple Multivariate Data into Visual Objects  Aleksandr Doikin: Hybrid Approach for Life Prediction Modelling in Automotive Systems  Morteza Soleimani: Integration of Data-driven and Knowledge-based Models for Dynamic Reliability Analysis…

    Oliver Clarke
    Oliver Clarke

  • Interested In The History Of Electric Clocks? There's A Group For That...

    Interested in the history of electric timekeeping? The Electrical Horology Group could be the place for you: part of the Antiquarian Horological Society, the group hosts resources on the history of electric clocks and organises events.  The next meeting of the group, on 16 November, will include a visit to the Shellmex clock by Gillett & Johnston at 80 Strand, London. The Archives also holds collections on the history of electric clocks - the above image is taken from an advertising pamphlet for the Synchronome Company, founded by Frank Hope-Jones. The IET has an original Synchronome master clock, and the clock face in the Kelvin Lecture Theatre is a Synchronome, although it is no longer connected to the original system,

    Anne Locker
    Anne Locker

  • Interested in the history of electric clocks? There's a group for that...

    For those interested in the rich history of electrical time-keeping, why not join the Electrical Horology Group , part of the Antiquarian Horological Society? Their next meeting is on 16 November, and includes a visit to the  Shellmex clock by Gillett & Johnston at 80 Strand, London. For more information, including timelines on this history of electrical horology, visit the Electrical Horology Grou p website. We also hold a collection of pamphlets in the IET Archives on the history of electric clocks, heavily featuring the Sychronome Company. The clock in the IET's Kelvin Lecture Theatre is a Synchronome clock, and the original master clock is held in the Archives.

    Anne Locker
    Anne Locker

Community Rules & Guidelines