Engineering news
Boeing building 'killer whale' autonomous subs for US Navy
Popular Mechanics
Autonomous drones and self-driving cars often grab the headlines, but the technology has quietly been taking over underwater vehicles as well for some time. Now, the US Navy has purchased four extra-large unmanned undersea vehicles (XLUUVs) from Boeing. The huge submarines, called Orcas, could tackle a number of roles, including intelligence gathering, mine clearing and attacking seaborne enemies.
3,500 jobs at risk as Honda closes factory
The Guardian
Another week, another blow to UK automotive manufacturing. This week, Honda announced the closure of its Swindon factory, putting 3,500 jobs at risk. The company initially claimed the decision was not related to Brexit, but The Guardian reported this claim was 'undermined' by the firm's discussions with locals in 2018.
No-deal Brexit 'catastrophic' for manufacturing
PES Media
The government was also warned about the potentially devastating impact of a no-deal Brexit at the Make UK annual dinner, following the conference of the manufacturers' organisation formerly known as the EEF. A YouGov survey recently showed 49% of manufacturers believe no-deal would make the UK less attractive for manufacturing, compared to 28% who believe it would be more attractive.
AI the answer for UK's productivity woes?
Professional Engineering
Thousands of specialists in artificial intelligence (AI) could boost productivity in manufacturing and other sectors thanks to a new academic and industrial collaboration, the government has said. Universities will offer up to 200 new AI masters places, supported by companies including BAE Systems and Alphabet’s DeepMind, and another 1,000 will be available at 16 dedicated research and innovation AI centres around the country.
Space junk ahoy!
The Engineer
Professional Engineering has previously reported on the RemoveDebris mission, an ambitious project aimed at providing a practical solution to the serious 'space junk' problem. This week, a demonstration satellite successfully harpooned a simulated piece of spacecraft debris, potentially proving its use for future missions. It previously tested a net, for catching items rather than skewering them.
NASA manages drone traffic
New Atlas
Drones could be transformative in urban life, but a number of factors still hold them back – not least the demand for aerial traffic management, preventing miniature devices and potentially larger vehicles from colliding over people's heads. Keen to tackle the issue, NASA is preparing to test its drone traffic management system, co-ordinating flights over Reno, Nevada, and Texas A&M University.
Do fuel cells need to be more... flexible?
Professional Engineering
A new technique that increases the flexibility and reactivity of incredibly thin metal ‘nanosheets’ could make environmentally friendly cars “more accessible for everybody”, researchers have claimed. In the study Chao Wang and colleagues manipulated the strain effect – distance between atoms – of materials, causing them to change dramatically. The work reportedly improved the catalyst activity of metals by 10-20 times, using 90% less material than currently required by hydrogen fuel cells.
Design and engineering begins for 'highly anticipated' Welsh and Borders diesel trains
Rail Technology Magazine
Spanish company CAF will supply 77 new Diesel Multiple Units for the Wales and Borders rail franchise, due to start running in 2022. The trains will be built in Newport, Wales, and will reportedly include "the latest safety technology".
'Superhuman' robotic location system could revolutionise drone swarms
Professional Engineering
A new ultra-fast and highly accurate robotic location system could revolutionise search-and-rescue drone ‘swarms’, researchers have claimed. The system, called TurboTrack, could also be applied in manufacturing to enable greater collaboration and precision between robots working on packaging and assembly.
Electric Eelume underwater snake bot prepares for sea trials
New Atlas
Inspired by sea snakes and eels, the Eelume robot 'swims' using lateral undulation. The Norwegian research spin-off is now preparing to trial an updated version of the robot, ahead of planned application in underwater inspection, maintenance and repair. The biologically-inspired bot could even stay submerged for long periods, returning to underwater docks.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.