Engineering news
Covid-19 response ‘a chance to tackle wider challenges’
Professional Engineering
Engineers fighting the spread of Covid-19 have a golden opportunity to tackle other serious environmental and social challenges, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) said. With increasing focus on measures to prevent a second wave of the coronavirus – such as improved ventilation systems and antiviral surfaces – the engineering community also has the chance to look ahead and creatively tackle other issues such as climate change and wider accessibility, said Professor Catherine Noakes in a briefing this week.
SpaceX capsule docks at ISS
The Guardian
NASA astronauts onboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule docked with the International Space Station on Sunday, following a successful launch on Saturday. Engineers will analyse the craft’s flight performance ahead of plans for regular operational missions, which could start by August.
A green jobs revolution?
Business Green
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly planning a green jobs ‘revolution’ to tackle the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic and avoid a deep recession. The economic recovery package is expected to include plans to ‘reskill’ workers who have lost their jobs, training them in green sectors including offshore wind, carbon capture and building upgrades.
Researchers reveal ‘most sensitive strain sensor ever’
Professional Engineering
Researchers at the University of Sussex said they have created “the most sensitive strain sensor ever”, capable of detecting a feather’s touch. The research team believes the sensors could bring ‘new levels of sensitivity’ to wearable technology that measures medical patients’ vital signs. They could also monitor the structural integrity of buildings and bridges.
Carbon capture breakthrough
Professional Engineering
A team of researchers has claimed a new efficiency record for carbon capture and storage thanks to the huge surface area held within tiny amounts of a cutting-edge material. Metal Organic Frameworks are so porous that a teaspoon amount can contain the entire surface area of a football field. A team from Monash University and CSIRO in Australia used the material, a crystalline compound of metal ions resembling a ‘sponge filled with tiny magnets’, to achieve the efficiency breakthrough.
A more environmentally-friendly battery?
E&T
A new sodium-ion battery developed by a team at Washington State University and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory can reportedly store as much energy as lithium-ion batteries. The new alternative reportedly has a much lower environmental impact, however.
Adjustable feet put spring in robot's step
Professional Engineering
New adjustable ‘feet’ added to an off-the-shelf robot boosted its pace by up to 40% on uneven terrain such as pebbles and wood chips. The flexible spheres, created by roboticists at the University of California San Diego, could allow machines to quickly explore hazardous areas in applications including search-and-rescue missions and potentially even space exploration.
Engineering collaboration aims for commercial fusion energy
Professional Engineering
The goal of commercial nuclear fusion energy in the UK came a step closer this week with the signing of a new collaboration between government and nine leading engineering firms. The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) signed the four-year ‘framework’ with companies including Assystem and Rolls-Royce, enabling the government body to call on their engineering expertise as it researches the development of nuclear fusion and related technologies.
Gripping ‘snakeskin’ shoe soles could prevent falls
The Engineer
A team of researchers at Harvard and MIT created snakeskin-inspired assistive grips for the soles of shoes, which could add grip and help prevent falls for older people. The team used origami-like kirigami to create the thin and flexible steel sheet, which flexes and pops out ‘scales’ to grip the ground as the wearer walks.
Smart textiles with new fibre sensors could 'intuitively interact with robots'
Professional Engineering
Fibre-shaped sensors that detect different types of deformation could enable ‘smart’ textiles to monitor health or communicate with external technology, their creators have said. “Imagine clothing or hospital bed sheets capable of monitoring your breathing and physical gestures, or AI-powered textiles that allow humans to interact more safely and intuitively with robots,” said Andreas Leber from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). The sensors can detect different kinds of fabric deformation like stretching, pressure and torque at the same time.
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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.