Engineering news
1,000ºC air cooled in the blink of an eye
Professional Engineering
Reaction Engines’ Sabre engine will generate some intense temperatures as it flies through the atmosphere at Mach 5. Thankfully, a vital ‘precooler’ has cooled air hotter than 1,000ºC in less than 1/20th of a second, a major step in the potentially revolutionary spaceplane engine’s development.
Liquid air for renewable energy storage
The Guardian
A new cryogenic liquid-to-gas battery for renewable energy storage could power 50,000 homes for up to five hours. The facility in the north of England will be the largest long-term energy storage project in Europe, said developers Highview Power.
Lifelike printed blood vessels
Professional Engineering
Artificial blood vessels created using human cells and 3D-printing can contract like natural vessels, making them potentially viable for clinical use. Following testing in rats, researchers in South Korea and colleagues in Hong Kong said the new blood vessels are “fully functional”, outperforming existing engineered tissue. The biomimetic vessels were fabricated using triple-coaxial 3D printing and bio-inks, which were formulated from smooth muscle cells from a human aorta and endothelial cells from an umbilical vein.
'Artificial leaf' could provide sustainable fuels
Professional Engineering
An ‘artificial leaf’ inspired by photosynthesis has generated oxygen and converted carbon dioxide and water into carbon monoxide and hydrogen, using just the power of the Sun. The resulting ‘syngas’ from the Cambridge University device could be used for fuel, or other uses including plastic production and pharmaceuticals.
Swarming drones are more than the sum of their parts
Professional Engineering
A swarm of tiny drones autonomously found two ‘disaster victims’ despite each machine having extremely limited sensing and computing, showing how machines could save human lives by combining to be more than the sum of their parts. Developed by researchers at TU Delft and Radboud University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands and the University of Liverpool, the group of six drones explored an office environment with no human control and captured two dummies on camera.
Aluminium alternative for aeroplane leading edges
The Engineer
Researchers have combined composite metal foam with epoxy resin to create a new material with a similar weight but tougher than aluminium. The properties of the ‘infused CMF’ could make it an appealing alternative to the metal in aerospace applications, the researchers from North Carolina State University said.
Laser weapon to take down drones
New Atlas
A new high-energy laser will destroy or ‘blind’ enemy drones for the US Air Force. Developed by Raytheon, the weapon uses an automatic targeting system to find and track unmanned aerial vehicles.
Hybrid-electric flight project gets specialised high voltage aeroplane charger
Professional Engineering
The world’s first high voltage charger specifically designed for aviation use will power electric flight demonstrations around the world. Developed by Australian company Electro.Aero, the first customer for the Rapid 30kW aircraft charging system will be Ampaire. The Los Angeles company is retrofitting passenger aircraft to electric power as the “leanest, fastest, most capital-efficient approach” to commercial electric flight.
Robot arms bring force feedback out of the lab
Professional Engineering
A new “lightweight, affordable and simple” force feedback device could bring immersive virtual reality out of the research laboratory. Designed for tactile human-computer interaction, the University of Bristol’s Mantis robotic arms introduce haptic feedback to simulate the sensation of touch.
Toyota concept drives into another reality
New Atlas
Future technological advances could bring untold safety benefits to car travel, especially autonomous vehicles. Taking a completely different tack, Toyota has revealed its e-Racer concept, a human-controlled car that overlays the driver’s field of view with augmented reality additions. Why keep your eyes on the road when you could be racing virtual Grand Prix opponents or driving alongside simulated sealife beneath the waves?
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.