As transistors shrink towards atomic dimensions, even the boundary between two materials can become an engineering problem. Researchers at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), working with TSMC Corporate Research, have developed an insulating interface just 0.42 nanometres thick that could help improve transistors made from atomically thin … [Read more...] about Atomic-scale interface could help push transistors beyond silicon
£4.4m investment to expand engineering skills at University of Birmingham
Engineering students at the University of Birmingham will soon have access to new robotics, autonomous systems and advanced manufacturing facilities as part of a £4.4 million government investment aimed at strengthening the UK's defence skills pipeline. The funding comes from the Ministry of Defence and Department for Education and forms part of a wider £80 million programme … [Read more...] about £4.4m investment to expand engineering skills at University of Birmingham
NASA engineers buy Voyager 2 another year in space
Voyager 2 has survived almost 50 years in space, travelled beyond the planets and crossed into interstellar space. Yet one of the biggest engineering challenges facing the spacecraft today is surprisingly small: finding a few more watts of electricity. The spacecraft has no solar panels to fall back on. Instead, Voyager 2 and its twin Voyager 1 are powered by radioisotope … [Read more...] about NASA engineers buy Voyager 2 another year in space
New catalyst could make fuel cells more practical for data centres
Data centres have an appetite for electricity. Servers need power around the clock, cooling systems need still more, and as artificial intelligence drives demand for computing upwards, finding enough electricity to keep everything running is becoming an engineering problem in its own right. Hydrogen fuel cells offer one possible answer. Rather than drawing all their … [Read more...] about New catalyst could make fuel cells more practical for data centres
Researchers rethink structural control for skyscrapers
For decades, engineers have treated movement as the enemy of tall buildings. The taller a tower becomes, the more it sways in strong winds or during an earthquake, so the traditional solution has been straightforward: make the structure stiffer, stronger and heavier. Researchers at Imperial College London and engineering consultancy Arup believe there's another … [Read more...] about Researchers rethink structural control for skyscrapers