Road to realism [fuel cell vehicles]

As the first fuel cell car prototypes smell success, commercial versions are not scheduled to hit the streets for decades. A few in the industry fear steep hurdles will actually stop fuel cell vehicles from ever being commonplace. Unfortunately the problems extend beyond simply designing an efficient and affordable fuel cell. The necessary hydrogen has to be stored in the vehicle, which also means that an infrastructure of fuelling stations - where drivers can buy the gas - is crucial. Ideally, hydrogen should also be produced at these stations, but it is the production of hydrogen that has become one of the biggest controversies. The easiest way to make hydrogen is to process an existing fossil fuel, but it can be argued that, economically speaking, this is pointless. If hydrogen could be produced from non-fossil fuels at a reasonable cost, then it could be worthwhile. Even if the mass production of hydrogen were to take off, the distribution problems would be a logistical nightmare. Also a problem is who would fund the building of a network akin to today's petrol distribution network. Clearly, fuel cell vehicle developers face tough times.     

Charge of the electric car - [power electric vehicles]

This paper discusses the ability of the UK power grid to support the growth of electric cars has been called into question.     

The multiagent approach [geophysics]

Complex systems can be defined as systems with behavior that is poorly understood. These systems appear in a large variety of fields, such as natural phenomena. Modeling natural phenomena is an interesting challenge because natural phenomena, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanoes, can cause severe damage. What's more, in this area, most classical models have failed both to understand the underlying physical processes and to predict future behavior. Our approach is to consider macro-behavior (i.e., the result of the program execution) as the result of a set of interactions among smaller, independent entities. The whole system is then distributed among these entities, called agents. Our research project, named GEOMAS (GEOphysics and MultiAgent Systems), was started in 1994. As a test case, a complex system dealing with predicting volcano eruptions has been investigated. In particular, we studied the volcano of La Fournaise in La Reunion island     

Spreadsheet solution of hyperbolic partial differential equations[for EM field calculations]

This paper describes the use of spreadsheet programs for the numerical solution of hyperbolic partial differential equations. A complete 123 macro program is presented and applied to obtain the approximate solution of a model problem in electrical engineering. Through user “macros”, spreadsheets can now function in the same way as programs written in conventional programming languages. They provide a clear and direct means of entering data and formulas. This important feature will allow the students to easily experiment with their model problems     

The VRT revolution [Medicine]

Applications of virtual reality range from telesurgery to monitoring early human development. The main disadvantages of this technology are the hardware and software costs. However, the cost of the computer based instrumentations traditionally decreases a few years after introduction into the market. In addition, the fundamental limitations of telemedicine and telesurgery technologies are the requirements of sufficient audio, video, and data links between sites. There has been tremendous ongoing research efforts in this area     

The transformer [historical overview]

Just a century ago, the transformer made the distribution of electric power a practical endeavor. Many elements of modern life depend on it, yet it remains one of technology's unsung heroes. This article presents an historical overview of the development and application of the transformer     

The big freeze [Editorial]

Welcome to our frozen issue. It?s a seasonally snowy issue if you?re looking forward to a cosy Dickensian fireside Christmas in Europe. Or it?s a seasonally ice-cold beer sort of issue if you?re looking forward to a bbq on the beach Christmas in Oz. We take you to both ends of the Earth this issue.     

The budget-conscious buyer [defence procurement]

The author explains the criteria that underlie the awarding of contracts by the US government. She stresses the fact that the company that gets the contract is the company with the best value, which is not the same as the lowest bidder. The qualifications that a company must meet before the size of the bid is even considered are outlined. How the decision to develop a product is made is explained     

The great divide [engineering philosophy]

Charles Percy Snow earned a doctorate in physics at Cambridge in 1930, and after working in molecular physics, became a scientific adviser to the British government during the Second World War. He also tried his hand as a fiction writer, with mixed results, until his sojourn in what he famously termed ?the corridors of power? inspired one of the most famous intellectual essays of the last century. In `The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution? (1959), he complained of an unbridgeable gulf between science and the arts.