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The consumer electronics industry has embraced obsolescence as a way of increasing profits. Smartphones, laptops, and media players are designed to fail, central to this is the rechargeable battery. Many manufacturers now seal the battery into the device, so rather than simply swapping the Li-ion battery when it reaches its end of life, users are strong-armed into buying a new product.

The ideal holiday arrangement for the world’s wealthy elite and a distant fantasy for the rest of us, private islands deliver ultimate isolation in our modern world. While this may seem like paradise for those stuck in rush hour traffic, in the real world, communication is key. Here, Robert Holloway, head of order fulfilment at industrial automation supplier EU Automation, discusses the potential of continuous manufacturing compared to its ...

We believe that AI technologies are likely to be overwhelmingly useful and beneficial for humanity. But part of being a responsible steward of any new technology is thinking through potential challenges and how best to address any associated risks. So today we’re publishing a technical paper, 'Concrete Problems in AI Safety', a collaboration among scientists at Google, OpenAI, Stanford and Berkeley. Author: Chris Olah, Google Research

2015 was a momentous year for technology, with Apple making the leap into wearable technology by launching the Apple Watch in April and the launch of Tesla's semi-autonomous autopilot system in October, bringing us one step closer to self-driving cars. And how could we forget the Volkswagen scandal in September, which saw the Environmental Protection Agency accuse the automotive giant of violating the Clean Air Act? 

A growing customer demand for regulatory compliance combined with increased competition amongst manufacturers has made SCADA software a minimum requirement for the pharmaceutical industry. Here, Lee Sullivan, Regional Manager at COPA-DATA UK discusses why today, more than ever before, regulatory compliance is crucial for the pharmaceutical industry.

The recent crisis in the UK steel sector has meant that many industry commentators are speculating that UK manufacturing is in dire straits. As a result of this, and pressures from the post 2007 financial environment, many companies are outsourcing manufacturing overseas. However, relinquishing control leads to product quality that drops in line with costs.

The battery sector has evolved substantially in recent years. An increased demand for portable power supplies, driven by the momentum at which Industry 4.0 is being implemented, has led to a renewed interest in battery technologies. From edible to foldable and air-powered to urine-powered, there is a multitude of new battery chemistries being researched, some of which sound as though they are verging on science fiction.

Since Dawn of the Dead was first released in 1978, the possibility of a viral outbreak that will turn us all into night crawling, flesh-eating zombies has become a worry for many and a very prolific Hollywood theme. While it's unlikely this will ever happen, the industry has recently started facing an epidemic across IT systems that companies should be aware of. The internet of zombies won't result in the end of civilisation, but it does put your...

  Steve Rogerson looks at some of the recent news that may have missed the front page. 

  We are on the verge of festival season once again. That means that people up and down the country will be looking at their list of things to pack, checking off sleeping bags, wellies, toilet paper, and tickets.