The Engineer's top ten technologies of 2013

Trying to assess a technology’s potential impact is a difficult and risky game. The most astounding looking invention may find little takeup in the real world or encounter major operational inefficiencies, while something seemingly dull or conventional like an electronic component can gradually have a transformative effect on the world.

Bloodhound project links up with Norwegian rocket specialist

Norway’s NAMMO is to supply hybrid rocket technology to the BLOODHOUND Project, a supersonic vehicle designed to break the world land speed record.

Currently under construction in Bristol, the vehicle aims to break the land speed record with a top speed of Mach 1.4.

NAMMO rockets are currently used by the European Space Agency to separate the stages of Ariane 5. The company is also developing a new family of compact hybrid rockets at its test facility in Raufoss, Norway.

Microprinted liposomes as medical devices

Easily manufactured, low-cost artificial cells made using microprinting may could eventually serve as drug and gene delivery devices and in biomaterials, biotechnology and biosensing applications, claim Penn State University researchers.

Synchronising patient and beam movement boosts radiation dose to tumours

Moving patients around on a computer-controlled, rotating table could deliver high doses of radiotherapy to tumours more quickly than current methods, while sparing vulnerable organs.

Breath test for early detection of lung cancer

Researchers at Huddersfield University are working on a breathalyser device to detect early signs of lung cancer.

Designed to be administered by pharmacists, the test is claimed to have the potential to save many lives.

Why the Airports Commission ruled out almost everything

A Thames Estuary airport remains on the cards despite having many of the same problems as other proposals that have already been dismissed.

Trial aims to halt deviation from drug rehabilitation

British technology is to be at the forefront of a European project to help people break their addiction to opiates such as heroin.

The €1m project aims to develop improved patient management tools to assist with the delivery of more cost-effective and convenient opioid substitution treatment (OST) programmes.

Ultra-short-pulse laser becomes effective series-production tool

Ultra-short laser pulses provide a fast and precise way of processing a wide range of materials without excessive heat input. Scientists from Bosch, TRUMPF, Jena University and Fraunhofer IOF have turned the ultra-short-pulse laser into an effective series-production tool. For their collective effort they were awarded the German Future Prize 2013 on December 4.

Engineer designs mug to keep coffee temperature just right

Some people think that university researchers are so occupied with their laboratories that they've lost sight of the world outside the ivory tower of academia. I would refer those people to Logan Maxwell, a researcher at NC State who has developed a coffee mug that will keep your coffee hot – but not too hot – for hours at a time. And what could be more practical than that?

Agriculture the most promising market for drones

Idaho farmer Robert Blair isn't waiting around for federal aviation officials to work out rules for drones. He and a friend built their own, outfitting it with cameras and using it to monitor his 1,500 acres (600 hectares).


Under 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) and 5 feet (1.5 meters) long nose to tail, the aircraft is the size of a turkey. Blair uses it to get a birds-eye view of his cows and fields of wheat, peas, barley and alfalfa.

Mind over matter

The population of the developed world is ageing. Across Europe the number of over 65s is expected to almost double in the next few decades, whilst here in the UK over 85s - the so-called “oldest old” - are expected to form five per cent of the population by 2030.

'Electrocaloric' material could lead to more efficient refrigerators

UK researchers are hoping to replace potentially dangerous chemicals in cooling systems with materials that change temperature when electricity is applied.