Latest Insights from the EngX Community

  • The Day Music Went Mobile: The Engineering Behind the Sony Walkman

    On the 1st July 1979, a small, unassuming device quietly hit the shelves in Japan—and changed the way the world listened to music forever. The Sony Walkman, a portable cassette player no larger than a paperback novel, was launched to a sceptical market. But within months, it had become a cultural phenomenon and a landmark in consumer electronics engineering. The Sony Walkman TPS-L2, the world’s first truly portable stereo cassette player, was a marvel of miniaturised engineering and user-focused design. It wasn’t just a product—it was a revolution in both technology and culture. The Birth of a Sonic Icon The story of the Walkman begins not in a lab, but on a long-haul flight. Sony co-founder Masaru Ibuka wanted a way to listen to music on his frequent business trips without lugging around…

  • The Satellite TN at the IET Space and Communications Conference Week

    This annual conference started life as IET MilSatcom. I remember the first time I attended; it was in a room that could’ve hosted a medium sized board meeting and there were probably a few dozen people in the room at most. It got bigger and bigger and over time built to three-figure attendances. In the early 2020s, the potential for a sister conference for commercial Satcom was explored, but it never really took off for various reasons. In 2023 the IET MilSatcom conference expanded to include a commercial stream; this was a success and the feedback was good. It expanded again in 2024 with a concurrent 6G stream added to run alongside the Satcom piece. This year a further expansion included Quantum technology. Over the years, the conferences have been held in many venues, with my first one…

  • From Bees to Base Stations: Highlights from CAWE 2025

    On 11 June 2025, the University of Liverpool played host to the 13th Colloquium on Antennas and Wireless Electromagnetics (CAWE’25), organised by the IET’s Antennas and Propagation Technical Network (APTN). This annual gathering brought together over 45 scientists, engineers, and researchers from academia, industry, and government to explore the latest advancements in antennas and wireless technologies. Meet the Hosts and Key Speakers The event was chaired by Professor Yi Huang, Chair in Wireless Engineering at the University of Liverpool, and co-chaired by Dr Anil Shukla (QinetiQ) and Dr Viktor Doychinov (University of Bradford), both long-standing IET volunteers. Professor Huang opened the event with a keynote on “ Advances in Liquid and Dispersive Antennas ”, highlighting the potential…

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Latest IET EngX News

  • May Sparks - Engineering Ideas, Insights & Innovation from the EngX Community

    As May wraps up, let’s take a look at some of the most thought-provoking blog posts and discussions that sparked ideas and debate across the IET EngX community. Featured Community Insights Engineering History Meets Modern Curiosity A standout blog post this month from our Archives team revisited The Electric Telegraph Popularised by Dionysius Lardner, a fascinating 1855 publication that helped demystify telegraphy for the Victorian public. Read the full post Celebrating Engineering Milestones May also marked the anniversary of the Rigi Bahnen, Europe’s first rack railway. This post celebrates the innovation of Niklaus Riggenbach and the enduring legacy of mountain rail engineering. Explore the Rigi Bahnen story Beyond the Badge: Ethical AI and the Risks of Hype Hear from Andy…

  • Reconnect and share: IET EngX is back online!

    I’m happy to announce that EngX is now back online and ready for you to dive back in! Over the past couple of weeks, colleagues have been hard at work on essential updates and improvements to our systems at the IET. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time. Back to Posting! Now that we're back online, you can again start sharing your questions , projects, and insights with the EngX community. Whether you're looking to seek advice, collaborate on a new project or simply catch up with fellow engineers, our online community is here to support you. Freshen up your profile. When you log back in, take a moment to update your profile information and refresh your profile image. A fresh profile helps others recognise you and understand your expertise. Here's how to do it…

    Lisa Miles
    Lisa Miles

  • Wrapping up our Celebration of Engineers!

    Throughout this week, we’ve had the privilege of sharing the inspiring stories of IET Award winners, showcasing their groundbreaking projects, and highlighting the profound impact of their work. Their dedication, creativity, and perseverance serve as a testament to the transformative power of engineering. Let’s look back on the highlights of this celebratory week: Insights from the Community Finalists and winners of the IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards shared their stories in our Community Insights blog. We heard from Finalists Salma Al Arefi and Erin Lowe in This engineer wants to educate future engineers and Engineering high hopes for the future and learnt more about Mary George Memorial Prize winner Alexia Williams in Engines airplanes and engineering drive this apprentice…

    Lisa Miles
    Lisa Miles

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Latest Partner News

  • Silver Fox and Fluke LinkWare Live: Transforming Cable Labelling

    Silver Fox has partnered with Fluke Networks to integrate its Advanced Labelling Software with Fluke LinkWare Live , bringing a faster, smarter way to manage cable labelling. This powerful integration allows engineers to import test data directly from LinkWare Live, eliminating manual entry and ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and compliance . For network professionals, accuracy is critical. This solution streamlines workflows by automatically matching test results with printed labels , reducing errors and improving documentation. Whether you’re working in data centres, telecoms, or electrical installations, this integration saves time and enhances project efficiency . By bridging cable testing and labelling, Silver Fox and Fluke Networks offer a seamless solution that simplifies large-scale…

  • Apprentice's 5,000-mile trip to become a training master

    An apprentice at the University of Sunderland took a trip of a lifetime to become a training master. Steve Simm, who studies on the Learning and Skills Teacher (LST) Apprenticeship at the University, travelled over 5,500 miles to Japan to be certified as an Overseas Monozukuri Education Master Trainer for Unipres. Receiving this accreditation means that Steve will be able to deliver in-house Japanese-style training in the UK, enhancing the teaching he already delivers through a range of level 2 apprenticeships at the Unipres Training Academy. Steve said: “This trip to Japan was fantastic. Over the four-day training course, I’ve been able to enrich my own professional development which now enables me to incorporate Japanese-style teaching into the training academy here in the UK. “While…

  • Positive impact of apprentices celebrated at awards ceremony

    The achievements of University of Sunderland apprentices have been celebrated at a special awards ceremony to mark the end of National Apprenticeship Week. The University’s annual awards recognise the efforts and contributions that its current and graduate apprentices make in the region and amplifying the organisations that create these opportunities. The apprentices taking home prizes this year are: Steph Capewell, founder and CEO of Sunderland-based baby bank charity Love, Amelia – Community Impact Award ( Senior Leader Apprenticeship ) Yan Cunningham, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust – Impact and Research Award ( Advanced Clinical Practitioner ) Hannah Woodward, Bright Futures NE – Apprentice of the Year ( Community and Youth Work ) Scott Simpson, Kasai UK …

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Latest articles from E+T Magazine

  • Major Bluetooth headphone brands hit by unpatched security flaw

    Three vulnerabilities have been identified in Bluetooth headphones made by the likes of Sony, Jabra and Marshall that could allow attackers to eavesdrop on conversations or retrieve call history and stored contacts. The headphones all use chipsets manufactured by Airoha – a firm that has become a large supplier in the Bluetooth audio space, especially for True Wireless Stereo earbuds. Security researchers ERNW found that “powerful custom protocols” could be executed on the devices through attacks that give read and write access to either the RAM or the flash storage. Crucially, they can be executed by attackers who are not paired with the devices – they merely need to be within Bluetooth range. ENRW said it did not want to “disclose too many details” including the specifics of the vulnerabilities…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Royal train to be retired by 2027 in cost-cutting drive

    The British royal train will be decommissioned by 2027, Buckingham Palace has announced, as part of a raft of cost-cutting measures. The royal train was first commissioned under Queen Victoria. The Sovereign Grant is paid annually to the monarch from the Treasury to fund the monarch’s official duties, including transport costs. James Chalmers, keeper of the privy purse, said scrapping the train would help to keep transport costs in check after a rise of about £500,000 in the last year. “The royal train, of course, has been part of national life for many decades, loved and cared for by all those involved,” he said. “But in moving forward, we must not be bound by the past. Just as so many parts of the royal household’s work have been modernised and adapted to reflect the world of today…

  • First drone traffic system to prevent midair collisions approved by FAA

    The first uncrewed aircraft traffic management system designed specifically to prevent mid-air collisions between drones has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval and is now operational. With drones and air taxis likely to become a prominent feature of our future skies, drone traffic management will be a growing issue. To avoid drone-on-drone collisions, US research university Virginia Tech has formed the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP), supported by Nasa and the FAA. MAAP has created a drone traffic management system that enables governments and industry to share data about their flight operations. The aim is that this information will help deconflict drone flights quickly and safely. John Coggin, MAAP’s associate director, said: “This is a…

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