Electronic tech and the fear of the future 4th November 2019

Whether it’s the food takeaway industry utilising mobile apps or sports events using video assisted refereeing, technological advances are helping our world progress and become better. Computer systems, such as CRMs, can help you plan out your workload as efficiently as possible, while analytics allow you to judge what updates are needed. With this in mind, it’s clear that technology is evolving across every business, allowing companies to become more productive and efficient.

Engineers are key to helping the nation keep healthy and well - from helping find cures for cancer and keeping people safe at sea to helping dementia patients. Today marks the beginning of Tomorrow’s Engineers Week - this year it shines the light on engineers that make the world a better place.  

IET Birmingham: Austin Court, part of IET Venues, has installed a series of permanent engineering exhibits across the city-centre venue, celebrating ground-breaking objects and innovations from the West Midlands. The conference and events venue has been redeveloped to showcase the contributions that engineers from Birmingham and the surrounding areas have made including the x-ray scanner, pneumatic tyre, electric kettle, auto-changing record player, mass produced steel nib pens, celluloid and even the first weather map.

The study, commissioned by innovation specialists MPA for Advanced Engineering 2019, found that one in five (21%) innovation active engineering firms are not taking advantage of the government’s R&D Tax Credit scheme, which allows companies to claim back up to 33p for every £1 spent on R&D activity. On average, engineering companies invest £386,000 a year on R&D activity, meaning they are potentially able to claim £100,360 in funding. With over 100,000 UK engineering firms not claiming, despite describing their company as innovation active, a staggering £10.2 billion is going unclaimed each year.

It’s not just military tech that has the power to shock and awe. Science fiction author, Arthur C. Clarke is not exactly clear which type of magic he refers to in the quote: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Is advanced technology (in all its forms) indistinguishable from threatening black magic or the otherworldly magic of miracles?

Fontestad has revealed that Datalogic Matrix 300N cameras have enabled the company to improve their quality objectives while saving resources and time at its processing facility. The new solution unifies all Fontestad’s processes into a single automated system and provides real-time information about production, including the location and productivity of their operators, who help the company to produce over 160 million kilogrammes of oranges per year.

Sulzer will be presenting key technology trends and innovations in the energy sector on Stand 6150 at Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) 2019. As a one-stop-shop for advanced components, solutions and services for oil and gas separation processes, the company is leading the industry into the future.

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has announced this year’s winners of the prestigious EIT Awards. Michael Dittel, LeafTech (Germany), Marc Julien, Diabeloop (France), Matthew Dickson, CorPower Ocean (Sweden/United Kingdom), Sara Guimarães Gonçalves, Trigger.Systems (Portugal), and David Pistoni Perez, Zeleros (Spain), won the top prizes for innovations in the fields of climate, energy and health.