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Issues

Issue 79

June 2019

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A pen-shaped device taking a pinprick of blood from someone's middle finger with a handheld sensor screen in the background.
  • Issue 79

Engineering an artificial pancreas

More than 4.7 million people in the UK have diabetes, with around a tenth of these having type 1. Diabetes can lead to serious health problems and the NHS spends £10 billion a year on diabetes treatments – 10% of its entire budget. Writer Geoff Watts spoke to Dr Julian Shapley from Cellnovo and Dr Pantelis Georgiou from Imperial College London about developments in technology that are making diabetes treatment more efficient.

New cars lined up inside of the National Automotive Innovation Centre in Warwick.
  • Design & manufacturing
  • Mechanical
  • Issue 79

A centre fit for future transport

As focus in the automotive industry turns to vehicles that are greener, safer and smarter, a new centre at the University of Warwick – a collaboration between WMG, Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Motors European Technical Centre – is addressing the challenges that are posed by their development.

A artistic representation of a collection of optical fibres with light being transported to the end of the fibre.
  • Technology & robotics
  • Electricals & electronics
  • Issue 79

Hollowing out a future in fibre optics

Optical fibres are used in many settings, from computer networks to broadcasting and medicine, to carry information. The fibres are usually made up of strands of glass, each one thinner than human hair, but researchers have been working on fibres to transmit data that contain just air.

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A digital illustration of a women with red facial recognition dots, that are connected by lines, projected onto her face,.
  • Technology & robotics
  • How does that work?
  • Issue 79

3D facial recognition technology

Facial recognition technology can identify or verify a person using information from a digital image or video. The technology is used in many different systems but hit headlines as a feature of Apple’s iPhone X.

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  • Electricals & electronics
  • Materials
  • How I got here
  • Issue 79

Q&A: Zoe Dobell

Zoe Dobell is a systems engineer at Transport for London (TfL). She’s currently working on the Central Line Improvement Programme (CLIP), where she is integrating new systems that are being retrofitted onto the trains.

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The A-Ultra handheld device resting against a helmet displaying the words '100% complete no damage' on it's screen.
  • Electricals & electronics
  • Innovation Watch
  • Issue 79

Ultrasonic armour inspection

A-Ultra is a portable device that uses sensors to check body armour for damage in just 10 seconds, saving time and money and making such inspections simple in even remote locations.

An electric plane taking off in a city from a helicopter landing pad.
  • Aerospace
  • Environment & sustainability
  • Opinion
  • Issue 79

Can electrification solve aviation’s emissions problem?

Paul Stein FREng, Chief Technology Officer at Rolls-Royce, sets out why the industry and policymakers should be looking at electrification to address the challenges of the aviation industry's green credentials among a growing population experiencing decreasing costs of air travel.

Nick Rogers smiling, standing in front of a Land Rover.
  • Electricals & electronics
  • Design & manufacturing
  • Profiles
  • Issue 79

Driven to an electrifying future

From apprentice to Executive Director of Product Engineering at Jaguar Land Rover, Nick Rogers FREng takes a special interest in young engineers. His career has included managing the transition to electric vehicles while simultaneously developing new car models.

A monochrome photograph of three women on a tour of an early power station.
  • Issue 79

A century celebrating women engineers

2019 marks the centenary of the Women’s Engineering Society (WES). The society is marking the date by commemorating the women engineers who have been involved with WES over the last 100 years, from its founders to the women currently working in engineering. Portia Sale spoke to Ceryl Evans, Consultant Social History Curator to WES, about how the society is working to transform the engineering landscape, celebrating women as engineers, and campaigning to improve diversity and inclusion.

A lady sitting in a Trekinetic wheelchair at Death Valley National Park in California.
  • Design & manufacturing
  • Mechanical
  • Issue 79

Wheelchairs that access all areas

Surprised by how little change there had been in wheelchair development over the years, former toolmaker Mike Spindle challenged himself to design and build a high-tech, lightweight wheelchair that could be created bespoke for each user.