Informatics & Technology
What media arts can teach us about technology and its use
What if? That’s the question behind the Synthesis Center, a unique institutional experiment at Arizona State University in the United States. Created by Professor Sha Xin Wei, the transdisciplinary ‘atelier’ or workshop brings like minds together to explore the interface between media arts, the environment, engineering and technology. With the potential for global social impact, the results generate significant insights […]
Bringing space closer with 3D printing
To fulfil the promise of the “NewSpace” revolution and open the door to commercial space exploration that is accessible to everyone, low-cost space technologies are necessary. In order to lower the cost of spacecraft propulsion, Dulce Melo-Máximo from the Tecnológico de Monterrey in México and Luis Fernando Velásquez-García from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology report on the first additively manufactured […]
ILLMO: A new platform for interactive statistics
Jean-Bernard Martens, a Full Professor on Visual Interaction with the Department of Industrial Design of the Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands, has developed ILLMO (Interactive Log Likelihood MOdeling), a statistical modelling tool that provides an interactive environment offering an intuitive and interactive approach to statistics. Scientists and researchers, including those who are not specialists in statistics, can access modern statistical […]
High entropy to power a high energy world
Scientists are continuously searching for new materials whose properties may solve the toughest challenges of our heavily technological society. To tackle the need for longer-lasting energy storage, for example, Dr Ben Breitung, Dr Torsten Brezesinski and their teams at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are developing high-entropy materials by diversifying the composition of crystal structures. The properties of these […]
How did the data propagate? Automated Optical Path Monitoring
With the development of 5G, our world might seem more wireless than ever. However, lurking behind this and facilitating all high-speed data transfer are kilometres and kilometres of optical fibres. The backbone network for all communication, wireless or otherwise, is this sprawling network of fibres. For reliable communications and internet access, the world’s expanse of fibre optic cables must work […]
ThreatSCOPE: Addressing software vulnerability in embedded systems
The team at cyber-security firm BlueRISC Inc., is led by Dr Csaba Andras Moritz, Founder and Chairman of BlueRISC Inc. and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. They have developed ThreatSCOPE, a system assurance tool that analyses and mitigates software vulnerabilities and cyber threats in embedded systems. ThreatSCOPE uses BlueRISC’s patented ImmuneSoft technology to […]
Using drones to map marine litter on Portugal’s coastline
Portugal’s famous coastline consists of hundreds of miles of sandy beaches. It’s no surprise that urbanisation in the region – a result of tourism and fishing activities – has led to the accumulation of marine litter in these areas. But while local organisations focus their efforts on beach cleaning to keep tourist spots looking pristine, nearby sand dunes accumulate plastics, […]
A wireless, battery-free world: how do we power it?
Our digital world depends on the interconnectivity between wireless devices, often battery-free with no direct power supply. Such devices include wireless passive sensors, designed to receive and respond to signals from the environment. These devices can be powered by electromagnetic waves, provided their antenna can efficiently convert waves to energy. By employing optimisation algorithms and introducing a more accurate measure […]
Bunker jails: Providing application level firewall protection for Bank IT infrastructure security
The increase in cyber-attacks on leading financial institutions highlights the need for secure Bank IT infrastructures. Dr Alin-Adrian Anton and Dr Razvan-Dorel Cioarga, Lecturers at the Department of Computer and Information Technology, Politehnica University of Timisoara in Romania, have developed Bunker jails that provide application level firewall protection for Bank IT infrastructure security. Bunkers operate as prison level firewalls, enabling […]
Engineers’ pre-eminent role: An account of six decades in the industry
Prof Sudhangsu Chakraborty’s book takes us on a very personal journey, detailing his life and work. His life story serves to highlight the pre-eminent role that engineers play in society. Engineers bridge the gap between art and science, often creating artifacts that are technically innovative but also become landmarks. Chakraborty points out the importance of engineers playing a role in […]