- Mechanical
- Issue 86
All hands to the pumps
When COVID-19 filled hospitals with patients, the UK’s engineering community rose to the challenge. In record time, they created production lines to make ventilators for intensive care units, redesigning equipment, negotiating unfamiliar certification processes, and building supply chains almost overnight.
- Environment & sustainability
- Maritime & naval
- Issue 86
Helping the green revolution
Hornsea One, the world’s largest offshore wind farm can generate enough electricity to supply over one million UK homes and led to the construction of Hornsea Two. Ørsted engineers faced substantial challenges in creating the record-breaking offshore wind farm.
Quick read
- Software & computer science
- Technology & robotics
- How does that work?
- Issue 86
How do chatbots work?
As human interaction online gradually gives way to automated responses, chatbots must impersonate us without attempting to replicate human empathy or enthusiasm.
Quick read
- Design & manufacturing
- Mechanical
- How I got here
- Issue 86
Q&A: Felicity Milton
Felicity Milton is a mechanical engineer and Senior Manager, Strategy and Innovation at adidas, where she is responsible for digital strategy and business model innovation.
Quick read
- Environment & sustainability
- Arts & culture
- Innovation Watch
- Issue 86
From food waste to fashion
Chip[s] Board is turning potato peel into sustainable bioplastics for the fashion and interior design industries to simultaneously tackle the problems of food waste and plastic pollution.
- Environment & sustainability
- Issue 86
Lessons from the field
Many young engineers spend time working with communities and engineers in other countries to help develop their skills at the start of their careers. Abigail Beall talked to three engineers about the impact working abroad has had on their career paths and outlooks, gaining valuable experience that they couldn’t have gained in the UK.
- Environment & sustainability
- Issue 86
Life after landfills
UK households produce over 25 million tonnes of waste a year, around 400 kilograms per person (roughly equivalent to four giant pandas). Around 45% of this is recycled, but what happens to the waste that can neither be recycled nor reused? Dominic Joyeux discovered how waste going to landfill is contributing to the circular economy.
Quick read
- Opinion
- Issue 86
Engineering skills to better meet society’s needs
The UK – and indeed the world – is dealing with some of the most complex challenges it has ever faced. Dawn Bonfield MBE and Professor Bashir Al-Hashimi CBE FREng believe that a change in the engineering education curriculum will help build the skills for a sustainable and inclusive future.
- Design & manufacturing
- Profiles
- Issue 86
Facing engineering’s ultimate challenge
Dr Luisa Freitas dos Santos FREng – with teams to manage in Singapore, the UK and the US – was one of the first people in the UK to experience how the pandemic would affect engineering operations
- Software & computer science
- Maritime & naval
- Issue 86
The Mayflower sails again
A fully autonomous vessel is preparing to retrace the 1620 route of the Mayflower ship from Plymouth to New England. Neil Cumins spoke to Andy Stanford-Clark, IBM’s UK and Ireland Chief Technology Officer, about the pioneering technology behind this 21st century mission.