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Bendable Implant Taps Nervous System without Damaging It
Body implants that can interface with the nervous system run up against a basic material problem: wires are stiff and bodies are soft. Researchers at the École Polytechnique Fédérale, in Lausanne, Switzerland, have designed a soft, flexible electronic implant, which they say has the same ability to bend and stretch as dura mater, the membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
UK Aerospace Industry Receives Innovation Funding
The United Kingdom government says that six projects will share £80 million ($123 million) for aerospace research to help deliver growth and innovation in key technology areas.
ASTM to Develop Aerospace Personnel Standards
ASTM International will launch a new group to develop standards for training workers in the aerospace industry.
GM Bolt Assembly Set for Detroit Auto Plant
General Motors Co. (GM) says that the Chevy Bolt will be going into production at the Orion Assembly facility near Detroit.
Method Recovers High-value Metals for Industry
Researchers at the University of Guanajuato (UGTO) in Mexico have developed an extraction column which recovers metals companies use in their production processes to avoid environmental pollution and lessening economic losses.
Richard Greaves Named SAE 2015 President
Dr Richard Greaves, Meggitt PLC’s Chief Technology Officer Emeritus, was named president of SAE International, the global association that unites more than 138,000 engineers and technical experts to build knowledge and expertise throughout the engineering profession.
Solar Energy Install Timeline Probed by NREL Report
The U.S. Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced findings from a data analysis it performed for more than 30,000 solar photovoltaic installations across the U.S.
Addressing Data Security Risks in Industrial Automation
Industry 4.0 (also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution) promises to bring increased levels of automation and interconnection to manufacturing. Proponents suggest that it should increase efficiency and adaptability to allow for more customizable production.
Japan Could Restart Some Nuclear Power Plants in May
Some nuclear electric power reactors in Japan could be back online as early as May, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Logistics: Increasing Efficiency in the Last Mile of the Supply Chain
Unless a storm washes your shipping container off the deck of a ship, supply chains tend to work well—at least until the final mile. That last mile of the supply chain is fraught with hazards that include confusing delivery instructions, signature issues and theft.
Oil Price Drop Leads to Lower Petrochemical Prices and Market Weakness, IHS Says
The recent decline in global oil prices is causing some petrochemical supply chain destocking, but is also sowing the seeds for better economic conditions, lower petrochemical prices and improving global petrochemical demand.
SanDisk Wins IEEE Corporate Innovation Award
SanDisk Corp. says it won the 2015 IEEE Corporate Innovation Award for pioneering innovation, development and deployment of its Flash Memory Technology.
UK to Start Road Tests on Driverless Vehicles
The United Kingdom is opening up its roads to driverless cars, with the government saying that it wants to take a "light touch, non-regulatory approach" to trials of autonomous vehicles.
3D Printed Tab Records Mechanical Force
A University of Washington research project has created a bone-shaped plastic tab that turns purple when stretched, allowing for a way to record the force on an object. Researchers say their work effectively merges custom chemistry and 3D printing.
IHS Evaluates Impact of Oil Price Decline on Global Auto Market
Low oil prices will contribute to upside potential for the U.S. automotive market in the near term, according to a recent report from IHS Automotive. Fueled by reduced prices at the gas pump, U.S. consumer confidence is expected to continue to rise.
London Could Place Roads Underground, Akin to Boston's "Big Dig"
Mayor's plan to redesign London's busiest roads during a visit at Boston's Big Dig.
Magnet-free Motor with SiC Inverter Claims Weight and Space Savings
Nidec develops a magnet-free switched reluctance (SR) motor, a motor-drive system which is powered by an inverter incorporating silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor devices.
Medical Device Prototyping May Be Enhanced with 3D Printing
Stratasys is collaborating with design and product development company Worrell to accelerate medical device development through the use of 3D-printed injection molding, according to Designfax eMagazine.
Revenues for Top Solar PV Suppliers Hit Three-Year High
IHS says that revenues among the 20 leading global suppliers of solar photovoltaics reached $5.9 billion in Q4 of 2014, the highest quarterly revenues since Q3 of 2011.
Robot Palletizers Offer Versatility in Manufacturing Setting
Fanuc UK, a robotics company, works with automation specialists Festo and Pacepacker to develop systems to handle bags, boxes, crates, trays and slip sheets by means of a single robot arm.