Engineering news
Rubbery implant harvests heart energy to monitor disease
Professional Engineering
A patch made from rubbery electronics that mimic cardiac tissue can be placed directly on the heart to monitor activity and send pulses of electricity, its developers have said. The University of Houston device can monitor electrophysiological activity, temperature, heartbeat and other indicators at the same time. The device marks the first time that bioelectronics have been developed based on fully rubbery electronic materials that are compatible with heart tissue, said project leader Cunjiang Yu.
Drone fires sensor-laden darts into trees
Professional Engineering
A drone developed by researchers at Imperial College London can fire sensor-containing darts into trees from several metres away. Designed to work in cluttered forest environments, the darts can monitor environmental and ecological changes. The drones can also place sensors through contact or by ‘perching’ on tree branches.
’Sky mining’ facility to produce diamonds
The Guardian
A new venture from the founder of Ecotricity, a green energy supplier, will grow diamonds using renewable energy and carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere. Sky Diamonds will use chemical vapour deposition to grow the diamonds, which are identical to ones mined from the ground.
NMITE’s chief academic officer on creating ‘work ready’ graduates
Professional Engineering
The chief academic officer of the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) has set out her vision for engineering education in an interview with Professional Engineering. “The world does not present problems to you neatly packaged up as a disciplinary problem,” said Professor Beverley Gibbs. “It's important that we help our learners understand how to go and find and understand information that is new to them.”
Hydrogen-electric bus and ‘retro’ electric motorcycle take share of £49m funding
Professional Engineering
A hydrogen-electric bus and a ‘retro’ electric motorcycle are among 47 low-carbon transport projects to benefit from £49m new government funding. Large-scale battery manufacturing in Scotland and a pioneering battery recycling scheme also received money, as the government aims to reduce transport sector emissions and create thousands of jobs.
Headphone-style noise cancellation reduces road rumble in cars
Professional Engineering
The low rumble of road noise could fade away in cars thanks to the introduction of the first ever active noise cancellation system. Similar to technology found in noise-cancelling headphones, the system was developed by Israeli firm Silentium. Jaguar Land Rover is the first manufacturer to integrate the Active Acoustics software.
Carbon capture project aims to start decarbonising glass manufacture
Professional Engineering
A unique and energy efficient carbon capture process could play an important part in the ‘decarbonisation’ of glass manufacturing, its developers have said. Leeds firm C-Capture will assess the compatibility of its technology at Lancashire-headquartered glass manufacturer Pilkington, after receiving funding from Innovate UK.
Production breakthrough creates tallest ever ‘forest’ of carbon nanotubes
Professional Engineering
Researchers have grown the tallest ever ‘forest’ of carbon nanotubes (CNT), using a new technique they say could make nanomaterials a “ubiquitous reality”. Describing it as a “novel approach to a conventional technique”, the Japanese team used the process to grow CNT forests roughly 14cm in length – seven-times longer than the previous maximum.
HS2 ‘Krokodyl’ robot to assist 16km tunnel dig
E&T
HS2 Ltd has set out plans to use robotic arms to assist in the digging of a 16km tunnel below the Chilterns. Krokodyl will work onboard a tunnel-boring machine, removing wooden spacers and inserting connection dowels.
Building cities with wood could store half of cement industry’s carbon emissions
Professional Engineering
A large-scale shift to using wood in construction could significantly reduce the sector’s environmental impact, a new study has found. Building generates roughly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions – 10-times more than air traffic. Using wood instead of conventional materials could slash emissions by effectively storing millions of tonnes of carbon, according to the researchers at Aalto University and the Finnish Environment Institute.
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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.