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Issues

Issue 84

September 2020

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A concept spaceplane in the sky that is entering space, which would be powered by SABRE technology.
  • Issue 84

Air-breathing rocket engine

Successful completion of high-temperature tests of a unique precooler system for jet engines could be a key breakthrough in space travel. A team from Reaction Engines devised the test programme and won this year’s Royal Academy of Engineering Colin Campbell Mitchell Award. Hugh Ferguson talked to Dr Helen Webber, engineering project lead, about the significance of this development, which could also have important applications closer to Earth.

An electric JCB placed inside of a house, with two people reading books around it to demonstrate it's quietness.
  • Environment & sustainability
  • Mechanical
  • Issue 84

Groundbreaking digging

The world’s first electric mini digger showcases a leap towards fossil fuel-free construction machinery. JCB's Chief Innovation and Growth Officer Tim Burnhope FREng and Director of Advanced Engineering Bob Womersley speak about the engineering behind this award-winning achievement.

The Shadow Hand robot arm sliding a ring off a wooden stick. The hand is being controlled by a person in the background wearing a large glove.
  • Technology & robotics
  • Issue 84

Hands as machines

Robotic hands act as prosthetic devices, either as the functional replacement for a missing natural hand, or as machines. The director of Shadow Robot Company speaks about the mechanical hands doing tasks that human hands cannot.

Quick read

A microphone with headphones and a desk in the background with an iMac computer on it running an audio editing software.
  • Arts & culture
  • How does that work?
  • Issue 84

How does MQA technology work?

MQA technology captures and authenticates the sound of the original master recording in a file small enough to stream at high resolution, allowing listeners to feel that they are in the studio with the performer.

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Profile shots of Amy Wright (left), Dr Boyang Shen (middle), Dr Andrea De Luca (top right) and Dr Richard Colchester (bottom right).
  • How I got here
  • Issue 84

Q&A: 2020 Young Engineers of the Year awards

Ingenia spoke to four engineers who have won the 2020 RAEng Engineers Trust Young Engineers of the Year awards about their engineering journeys. The award recognises the potential of young UK engineers who have demonstrated excellence in the early stage of their career.

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Sorin Poppa sitting on a chair at a workbench, holding the Pathfinder ePATH catheter kit which is attached to wires on his workbench.
  • Health & medical
  • Innovation Watch
  • Issue 84

Reducing surgeries for dialysis patients

Pathfinder Medical has invented a minimally invasive catheter guidance technology that will improve clinical outcomes for patients across the globe.

The robot dog K9 replica inside a house.
  • Technology & robotics
  • Issue 84

Learning code with robots

Richard Hopkins FREng has built a full-size robotic dog out of inexpensive and easy-to-access technology. K9 can hold a conversation, move without a human controller and ‘see’ his surroundings. Richard explains how K9 works, and how he’s using the robot to inspire the next generation of engineers.

A desk filled with different coloured post-it notes with a whiteboard and more post-it notes in the background.
  • Opinion
  • Issue 84

What primary schools can teach us about skills for engineering

Dr Susan Scurlock MBE, CEO and Founder of Primary Engineer, believes there is room for a fundamental shift in the way education supports the development of key STEM skills, which will help plug the skills gap that is due to worsen over the next 10 years.

A headshot of Dervilla Mitchell CBE FREng.
  • Civil & structural
  • Profiles
  • Issue 84

Teams that count

Dervilla Mitchell CBE FREng has created engineer and architect teams to work on major projects. The recipient of the 2020 Royal Academy of Engineering President’s Medal- Mitchell has used her engineering skills to help keep Arup’s firm running during COVID-19 and also to chair a decarbonisation project for the National Engineering Policy Centre.