Engineering news
Tidal power charges cars in Shetland
Professional Engineering
Electric vehicles on the island of Yell in Shetland are now fuelled by the power of the sea. Marine energy experts Nova Innovation installed the first ever electric vehicle (EV) charge point where drivers can ‘fill up’ directly from a tidal energy source.
First ever facility will recycle all forms of plastic
Professional Engineering
Construction has begun on a new plastic recycling facility aimed at ‘solving the global plastic crisis’. The Mura Technology facility in Teesside will use a process known as HydroPRS (Hydrothermal Plastic Recycling Solution) to recycle all forms of plastic. Sir David Attenborough backed the new technology as a potential solution to the issue of marine plastic pollution.
3D-printed scaffolds could release antibiotics during bone regeneration
E&T
An international team of researchers has developed antibiotic releasing 3D-printed scaffolds to simultaneously support bone regeneration and manage potential infections that can happen after injuries or surgery. The team, from the Netherlands, Italy and Spain, covered the antibiotics with ‘lamellar inorganic protectors’ to protect the antibiotics during high-temperature printing.
UK rocket companies get European boost
Professional Engineering
Two UK rocket companies aiming to start satellite launches next year have received £9m funding from the European Space Agency (ESA). Orbex, based in Forres, Scotland, received £6.4m through ESA’s Boost! programme, while Edinburgh firm Skyrora received £2.6m.
2Zero project to demonstrate electric flight in South West
The Engineer
A consortium known as 2Zero aims to demonstrate regional electric aviation using hybrid-electric aircraft in the South West. The group, led by Ampaire and including Rolls-Royce Electrical, will fly Ampaire’s six seater Electric Eel and the 19 seater Eco Otter SX.
Durable copper foam could replace flimsy face-mask filters
Professional Engineering
A lightweight foam made of copper nanowires could offer efficient and durable air filtration for face masks, researchers have claimed. The team, from Georgetown University in Washington DC, said the recyclable and easily decontaminated material could also be used in air-filtration systems.
Turning seabed to ‘quicksand’ could cut wind turbine installation noise
Professional Engineering
Noise from the installation of offshore wind turbines could be reduced by 90-95% thanks to a new method. Dutch installation specialist GBM Works is developing the technique, which ‘fluidises’ the seabed using jets of water.
Floating solar farms could be climate change win-win
E&T
Floating solar farms could protect lakes from climate change by shading the water from sunlight, researchers from Lancaster University and the University of Stirling have found. The number of floating farms could increase significantly over the coming decades.
Ultra-sensitive microsensor can detect tiny changes in blood flow
Professional Engineering
A wafer-thin and ultra-sensitive flow sensor “could have significant implications for medical research and applications”, its developers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have said. The microsensor is based on single atom-thick graphene, which pulls in charge from continuous aqueous flow.
Soft robots get smarter thanks to optimised sensor placement
Professional Engineering
A new algorithm has optimised placement of sensors on soft robots, a step that could help them collect more useful information about their surroundings. Described as a “step toward automation of robot design”, the algorithm was developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.