Month: August 2014

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E&T news weekly #15 – we choose our favourite engineering and technology news stories from the week

E&T magazine

It’s been a short week with the bank holiday weekend, still we have covered enough news to chose from for our weekly best off. See which technology stories caught the attention of our editors:  James Hayes, technology features editor Poor coding puts business applications at risk of hacking Software developers have long been criticised for not ‘baking-in’ sufficient security from the moment the first line of code of a critical application is created, but CAST’s findings also revivify a debate that has been raging in enterprise IT governance circles for years: to what extent should critical software be ‘security audited’ … Continue reading E&T news weekly #15 – we choose our favourite engineering and technology news stories from the week

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E&T news weekly #14 – we choose our favourite engineering and technology news stories from the week

E&T magazine

Friday August 22 2014   Consumer adoption of 3D printing five to ten years away Well, it looks like the much-hyped printing of cars, factories and skyscrapers will have to wait for a while. In the meantime, I am told that Dassault Systemes have developed a fully functioning 3D version of human heart which they will be demonstrating to the Press in Paris this autumn. I very much hope E&T gets an invite. Canadian rail disaster could happen again, says regulator Last January, while on holidays in Canada, I was very impressed by the Canadian Railway Museum in the outskirts … Continue reading E&T news weekly #14 – we choose our favourite engineering and technology news stories from the week

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More #Apple #iPhone6 rumours – product images, new features, tech spec – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

Hey, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em in blogging about it: Apple’s iPhone 6, scheduled to revolutionise our lives and transform the very fabric of society (again) any day now. The 2014 incarnation of the iPhone is expected to include a larger, redesigned form factor with a choice of 4.7″ or 5.5″ diagonal screens. The 4.7″ model is thought to be launching first, with the 5.5″ model following later. Click on the graphic for an expanded view. Continue reading More #Apple #iPhone6 rumours – product images, new features, tech spec – an annotated infographic

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#Apple stock price hits $100+ all-time high as #iPhone6 fever froths up – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

As the world readies itself for the official seismic news of – gasp! – another iPhone to drop, Apple is already reaping the stock market benefit of the heady, intoxicating swirl of rumours, “leaked” prototype images, Photoshop-mockups and typically foolish conjecture erupting out of the interwebs from every digital orifice. When the exchanges closed on Tuesday August 19, Apple’s stock price had hit a record high of $100.53 per share. Cashing in six of those bad boys would buy you a new iPhone. We don’t know whether to laugh or cry at that. Either way, we sure as sugar wish … Continue reading #Apple stock price hits $100+ all-time high as #iPhone6 fever froths up – an annotated infographic

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#Wearable airbags are a thing now – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

Yeps, as loopy as it sounds, wearable airbags could be the next big thing for unstable elderly people prone to falling over a lot. An estimated one in three elderly people fall over each year and many do not recover. Hip bones and other pointy body extremities are particularly susceptible to fractures and such like. A new belt-like device deploys an airbag around the hips to cushion the wearer in the event of a fall. 3D sensors in the belt detect any sudden gravitational movements and inflate instantly, ideally before the wearer hits the pavement. ActiveProtective will unveil the airbag … Continue reading #Wearable airbags are a thing now – an annotated infographic

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#Ebola vaccine hunt – scientists race to test and find a cure – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

The world’s worst outbreak of the Ebola virus – which has killed more than 1,000 people in West Africa so far this year – is fuelling efforts to speed vaccine and drug development. Numerous high-profile laboratories around the world are focusing intently on experimental vaccines and other drugs. At present, the initial tests and results are showing mixed benefits for those infected with the virus and creating fresh research challenges for the pharmaceutical companies. Click on the graphic for an expanded view. Continue reading #Ebola vaccine hunt – scientists race to test and find a cure – an annotated infographic

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#Google announces Project Ara, the really smart smartphone – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

Project Ara is a modular cell phone that can be customised by swapping out individual pieces, such as the battery or camera. The intention is that instead of buying a new smartphone, users can simply upgrade out-of-date elements or replace malfunctioning components. In this way, the Ara could have a useful working life of five or six years. Of course, any half-decent piece of equipment should have a shelf life of at least that amount of time, but other factors prevail, such as obsolescence-inducing OS upgrades. With a $50 base price, Ara could bring smartphones to the six billion people … Continue reading #Google announces Project Ara, the really smart smartphone – an annotated infographic

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E&T news weekly #13 – we choose our favourite engineering and technology news stories from the week

E&T magazine

Friday August 15 2014   Maths top A-level but gender gap remains Good news – the number of students taking STEM subjects at A-level has increased for the fifth year in a row, according to official figures. Bad news – the gender gap highlighted by the recent IET skills survey which found the proportion of tech sector professionals who are women remains in many areas. Even in computing, which saw the biggest rise of any subject with the number of students taking the qualification rising 11 per cent to 4,171, just 7.5 per cent of candidates were female. Drones to help … Continue reading E&T news weekly #13 – we choose our favourite engineering and technology news stories from the week

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E&T magazine – what Scottish independence could mean for engineering and technology – new issue available online now

E&T magazine

New issue of E&T magazine online now – the Scottish referenda: http://eandt.theiet.org/magazine/2014/08/index.cfm ‘Yes’ or ‘No, Thanks’? That’s the choice for Scots in next month’s referendum. What might Scottish independence mean for engineers and engineering? Also this issue, is shale gas a viable alternative to renewable energy resources? We look at what has been built for flood prevention since the last UK floods, as well as sea defences for Venice with the MOSE project, currently beset by allegations of corruption. We also meet industrial designer Tom Karen, as well as hearing about fibre-optic interconnects, how utilities are the new front line … Continue reading E&T magazine – what Scottish independence could mean for engineering and technology – new issue available online now

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China plans railway to India through Tibet – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

China plans to extend its railway line to Tibet to the borders of India, Nepal and Bhutan once an extension to Shigatse, Tibet’s second city and a key site in Tibetan Buddhism, opens in August. Critics say the railway spurs an influx of migrants, who threaten Tibetans’ cultural integrity. Beijing believes Tibet’s mineral reserves are worth around $96bn. Click on the graphic for an expanded view. Continue reading China plans railway to India through Tibet – an annotated infographic