Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council 15 the science behind The Theory of Everything the hit film’s scientific consultant on Hawking, black holes and hangovers Additive Manufacturing special; people news; the energy-positive house; Nepal earthquake CONTENTS 3: Mighty bites Limpet teeth might be the strongest natural material known to man 16 4-5: News Recent EPSRC investments 6-7: EPSRC in numbers Facts and stats behind the news 7: How I spend my time Annette Bramley, who leads EPSRC’s 9 Healthcare Technologies team, describes her day job 8-11: What we’ve learned Snapshots of EPSRC investments and stories from the world of engineering and physical sciences 12-17: People Movers, shakers and science in action 18-27: The layer game The Additive Manufacturing revolution – and EPSRC’s role in driving it forward 28-29: Adding value EPSRC- supported researchers are pioneering new uses for Additive Manufacturing – from canine implants to 3D-printed concrete 30-33: i-Robot Behind the scenes 32 at the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Intelligent Automation 34-37: Hawking, drinking... and 34 bits of string Professor Jerome Gauntlett, scientific consultant on the hit film, The Theory of Everything, describes his work, and life as a PhD student in Stephen Hawking’s group 38 38-39: International rescue Joshua Macabuag was one of the first international rescuers to arrive in Nepal after this year’s earthquake Editor: Mark Mallett ([email protected]) EPSRC works alongside other Research Councils which have responsibility in other research areas. Design: Rachael Brown ([email protected]) 40-41: Wee will rock you Pee- The Research Councils work collectively on issues of powered urinals get top billing at Contributors: Karen Brakspear; Professor Phill Dickens; common concern via Research Councils UK. To provide Professor Jerome Gauntlett; Joshua Macabuag; Dr feedback on this magazine, and to subscribe to print and/ Glastonbury Festival Katharine Moore; David O’Gorman; Roland Pease; Will or electronic versions of Pioneer, please e-mail pioneer@ 42: In Profile epsrc.ac.uk Professor Karen Stirling Holford, Chair of EPSRC’s Pictures courtesy of thinkstock.com/MovieStillDB.com [email protected] unless otherwise stated. Strategic Advisory Team for Engineering PIONEER 15 Summer 2015 2 THE BIGGER PICTURE Mighty bites Limpet teeth might be the strongest natural material known to man. Researchers from the University of Portsmouth have discovered that limpets – small aquatic snail-like creatures with conical shells – have teeth with biological structures so strong they could be copied to make cars, boats and planes of the future. The study examined the small-scale mechanical behaviour of teeth from limpets using atomic force microscopy, a method used to pull apart materials all the way down to the level of the atom. Professor Asa Barber from the University’s School of Engineering led the study. He says: “Nature is a wonderful source of inspiration for structures that have excellent mechanical properties. “All the things we observe around us, such as trees and the shells of sea creatures, have evolved to be effective at what they do. “Until now we thought that spider silk was the strongest biological material because of its super-strength and potential applications in everything from bullet-proof vests to computer electronics but now we have discovered that limpet teeth exhibit a strength that is potentially higher.” Professor Barber found that the teeth contain a hard mineral known as goethite, which forms in the limpet as it grows. He says: “Limpets need high strength teeth to rasp over rock surfaces and remove algae for feeding when the tide is in. “We discovered that the fibres of goethite are just the right size to make up a resilient composite structure. “This discovery means that the fibrous structures found in limpet teeth could be mimicked and used in high-performance engineering applications such as Formula 1 racing cars, the hulls of boats and aircraft structures.” The research, underpinned by EPSRC investment, also discovered that, unusually, limpet teeth are the same strength no matter what the size. Professor Barber says: “Generally a big structure has lots of flaws and can break more easily than a smaller structure, which has fewer flaws and is stronger… Limpet teeth break this rule as their strength is the same no matter what the size.” The material Professor Barber tested was almost 100 times thinner than the diameter of a human hair, and the techniques used to break such a sample have only just been developed. Left: Jawsome, a scanning electron microscope image of limpet teeth PIONEER 15 Summer 2015 33 TARGETING INDIVIDUAL PATIENT TREATMENT £270 MILLION FOR QUANTUM TECHNOLOGIES UK ROBOTICS NETWORK £45 MILLION FOR DIGITAL ECONOMY CENTRES CYBERSECURITY BOOST £42 MILLION THE ALAN TURING INSTITUTE NEWS £20 MILLION BIOTECH INVESTMENT www.epsrc.ac.uk/newsevents/news Targeting individual patient treatment £45 million for EPSRC and the Medical Research Council unpleasant patient side effects, as well as DE centres (MRC) are jointly investing £16 million yield economic benefit through a reduction Six new multidisciplinary digital in multidisciplinary research to develop in the number of ineffective treatments. economy research centres, worth molecular pathology tests leading to new The research will be conducted through six a total of £45 million with partner tools that can precisely target individual nodes led by the universities of Edinburgh, contributions, will be created under patient treatment in a wide range of Glasgow, Leicester, Manchester, Newcastle the Research Councils UK Digital diseases. The research aims to reduce and Nottingham. Economy programme, led by EPSRC, which is investing £23 million. UK robotics network Working with Innovate UK and other Involving over 150 university, industry UK Research Council partners, the UK and regional enterprise partners, EPSRC has launched a new national Robotics and Autonomous Systems the centres will develop a suite of network to enhance the UK’s ability to innovative digital technologies – from Network will integrate and coordinate develop and exploit the vast potential personalised digital health services activities at eight dedicated EPSRC- of Robotics and Autonomous Systems to interactive media in education. (RAS). The global market for service and funded RAS facilities, as well as EPSRC industrial robots is estimated to reach Centres for Doctoral Training across Building on previous investments, US$59.5 billion by 2020. the UK. the centres are a joint investment by EPSRC, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Innovate Cybersecurity boost £270 million for UK, the Digital Catapult and others. EPSRC is co-investing with Innovate UK quantum technologies £5 million in a new research and innovation £42 million Turing hub at the Centre for Secure Information EPSRC is coordinating a £270 million Technologies Innovation and Knowledge UK Government initiative to establish Institute launched Centre (CSIT) at Queen’s University Belfast. a National Quantum Technologies The Alan Turing Institute, a Programme. £42 million national research centre, The hub, focusing on cybersecurity for has been launched to promote the Smart Cities and the Internet of Things, will The investment is championed by the development and use of advanced be supported by £9 million in core funding Quantum Technologies Strategic Advisory mathematics, computer science, from the university. Board, a joint government, industry and algorithms and Big Data for academic initiative to help build a CSIT will use the investment to build on human benefit. profitable, growing and sustainable UK its industry and academic partnerships quantum industry. Coordinated by EPSRC and worldwide, increasing the projected level headquartered at the British Library, of investment in its research to £38 million The programme includes a national within London’s Knowledge Quarter, over the next five years. network of Quantum Technology Hubs the institute brings together leaders involving 17 universities and 132 companies, in advanced mathematics and £20 million for biotech EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training and computing science from the five lead feasibility studies. In September 2015, EPSRC is co-investing £20 million in 23 universities, each investing £5 million. EPSRC invested £12 million in 10 Quantum biotechnology projects, from making biofuel The centre will also partner with Technology Fellowships. from household waste to using bacteria to business and government bodies. make the building blocks for new medicines. The Quantum Technologies Programme The centre’s work is expected to represents the biggest single investment in The projects have been funded through encompass a wide range of a disruptive technology of the modern era, the Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst – a scientific disciplines and business and will help transform vital UK sectors – collaborative programme between EPSRC, sectors, combining theory and from finance and telecommunications to the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences practical application. Research Council (BBSRC) and Innovate UK. energy, aerospace and transport. PIONEER 15 Summer 2015 4 IMPROVING PATIENT WELLBEING £10 MILLION FOR MANUFACTURING THE FUTURE CRUK UPGRADE £40 MILLION FOR SYNBIO £30 MILLION IAA INVESTMENT £10 MILLION FOR INTERNET OF THINGS NEWS £3.7 MILLION MEGA-MICROSCOPE £4.5 MILLION FOR WATER NEXUS Rehabilitation nation £3.7 million mega-microscope