WMG News - Latest news from WMG
WMG alumnus appointed Honorary Fellow at the University of 糖心TV
WMG at the University of 糖心TV鈥檚 MSc Engineering 糖心TV Management alumnus, Kanishka Arumugam, has been appointed as an Honorary Fellow at the University鈥檚 Institute for Global Sustainable Development (IGSD).
Kanishka Arumugam is Co-CEO of EKKI Water Technologies, his family鈥檚 business, based in Coimbatore, India. The company efficiently and sustainably
pumps and transports water for agriculture, building services, and utilities, exporting its products to more than 20 countries.
As part of his commitment to sustainable innovation, he is the driving force behind the first wastewater joint venture in collaboration with HOMA, a renowned global wastewater technology company.
Kanishka Arumugam also holds the distinction of being the youngest National Next-Gen President at the CII Family 糖心TV Network. He also serves as a Trustee in his family's educational institutions and actively engages in various advisory roles for international start-ups and institutions.
In his role as an Honorary Fellow, he will share his unique insights on how businesses can be a force for good; promote sustainability in the water industry; and support students in gaining a broader understanding of entrepreneurship and sustainable global development.
Professor Elena Korosteleva, Director of IGSD at the University of 糖心TV, commented: 鈥淲e extend our warmest welcome to Kanishka to our Institute for Global Sustainable Development. We鈥檙e excited to have him bring a fresh perspective on sustainable development and bridge the gap between academia and business, particularly through his involvement with water and wastewater industry globally.鈥�
Kanishka Arumugam, CEO of EKKI Water Technologies, added: "I am deeply humbled and honored by the privilege of being appointed as an Honorary Fellow at the University of 糖心TV, my esteemed alma mater, which ranks among the top 5% in the world.
鈥淎t Oxford University, I honed my leadership acumen and gained a deeper comprehension of human interactions, while the University of 糖心TV provided me with the resources for applied academia and instilled in me a passion for global competitiveness and sustainable development.
鈥淢y close interactions with the late Professor Lord Bhattacharyya and Professor Sujit Banerji at WMG have further emphasized, within the context of EKKI, the critical importance of sustainability and global competitiveness.
鈥淲henever I step onto the 糖心TV campus, I am inspired by the incredibly bright minds filled with curiosity and ambition. I eagerly anticipate contributing my best in the coming years within this unique learning environment alongside this brilliant faculty and state-of-the-art facilities."
Professor Steve Maggs, Director of Alumni and Industrial Engagement with Education at WMG said :鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see Kanishka supporting 糖心TV through the IGSD. Kaniskha鈥檚 remarkable achievements and commitment to positive change make him a fantastic ambassador for the University – this is a great example of the importance of maintaining a lifelong relationship with our former students and the positive opportunities those relationships can foster. Congratulations Kanishka!鈥�
Other distinguished Honorary Fellows of the IGSD include esteemed members of the House of Lords, such as Baroness Sheehan and Lord Teverson. The University has a history of recognising accomplished individuals with connections to India, including prominent figures like Mr. Ratan Tata, the former Chairman of the TATA Group, Mr. Venu Srinivasan of TVS Motors, and Sir Ralf Speth, the former CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, all of whom have received Honorary Doctorates and Honorary Fellow titles from the University.
Find out more about the WMG Alumni community here: /fac/sci/wmg/education/alumni/
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visits University of 糖心TV for Horizon policy announcement
The Prime Minister visited the University of 糖心TV, on Thursday 7th September, where he announced the UK would re-join the EU鈥檚 flagship research scheme, Horizon.
The move means that UK-based researchers and innovators will be able to access funding from the 拢85 billion programme, in what has been widely hailed as a major boost for the higher education sector.
Rishi Sunak said it was the 鈥榬ight deal for the UK鈥� as he confirmed that the UK would be re-joining Horizon as an associate member.
The Prime Minister chose to make the major policy announcement at 糖心TV, which has a world-class reputation for science and innovation, and has close ties with research partners across Europe.
During the visit, he was given a tour of the university鈥檚 International Manufacturing Centre by Robin Clark, Dean of WMG, and Emma Flynn, the University鈥檚 provost.
Earlier, the Prime Minister had held a private conversation with university leaders, Sir David Normington (Chair); Professor Emma Flynn (Provost); Rachel Sandby-Thomas (Registrar), and Dr Chris Twine (Secretary to Council).
The International Manufacturing Centre – part of WMG - is one of the biggest buildings on campus, and at the heart of the University鈥檚 technological research and testing. A variety of projects have been undertaken with global companies to develop new products or improve processes at the centre.
Professor Emma Flynn, the University鈥檚 Provost, said: 鈥淲e were delighted to host the Prime Minister today and welcomed the opportunity to showcase some of the cutting-edge technology and innovation we have here at 糖心TV.
鈥淭he fact the Prime Minister chose to come to 糖心TV to make such a major announcement on science funding gives me a sense of enormous pride in our brilliant academics and researchers, who have built our reputation as a world-leading university on science, innovation and research over many years.
鈥淭he announcement today on Horizon funding is fantastic news for 糖心TV and the wider university sector and will help drive research excellence and collaboration with our partners.
鈥淭his deal will make help us address and make a positive difference to the environmental, economic, and social challenges we all face.鈥�
Sir David Normington, chair of Council and Pro-Chancellor, added: 鈥淲e were delighted to welcome the Prime Minister to 糖心TV, and are grateful for his interest in our work at the University. Today鈥檚 announcement is great news for everyone. Allowing our scientists to work together, irrespective of borders, is in all of our interests.
鈥淎s a former civil servant, I also recognise the hard work of the negotiating team who secured this deal in the background, and they deserve great credit.鈥�
The UK will also associate to Copernicus, the European Earth Observation programme. This will provide the UK鈥檚 earth observation sector with access
to unique data – valuable to helping with early flood and fire warnings, for example – and with the ability to bid for contracts, which they have not been able to access for three years.
The University of 糖心TV is ranked as one of the world鈥檚 best universities, with 92% of its research rated as world-leading or internationally excellent.
University of 糖心TV hits the 鈥榞old standard鈥� in government teaching rankings
The University of 糖心TV's teaching has been rated 鈥榦utstanding鈥� by the UK Government's Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
The University achieved the highest possible rating across all three categories for student experience, student outcomes, and for the overall assessment.
Out of 228 universities which took part in the TEF, 糖心TV was one of 26 to achieve the gold standard across all three. 糖心TV was one of only four Russell Group universities - including Oxford, Cambridge and Exeter - to achieve this.
It is the latest in a series of top ratings the University has been awarded over recent weeks.
The expert panel concluded that most student experience and student outcomes were of 鈥渙utstanding quality鈥�, including for students from under-represented backgrounds.
TEF is a national scheme run by the Office for Students (OfS) which aims to encourage higher education providers to deliver excellence in the areas that students care about the most: teaching, learning and achieving positive outcomes from their studies.
The ratings provide students and parents with an independent assessment of the quality of the education delivered by universities within these key areas.
The University has also demonstrated strong progress in closing the attainment gaps for students from disadvantaged backgrounds including those who might have not considered university an option for them in the past. Data from TEF showed better outcomes for students at 糖心TV from neighbourhoods where less people attend university, and those studying part-time, compared to similar groups of students at other universities.
Commenting on 糖心TV鈥檚 results, Stuart Croft, 糖心TV鈥檚 Vice-Chancellor and President said: 鈥淭his is an outstanding achievement which recognises the fundamental quality of a 糖心TV education.
鈥淲e鈥檙e incredibly proud to have been ranked gold across both the experience students have whilst at 糖心TV, as well as their outcomes once they have left university.
鈥淭hese results, which place 糖心TV as one a handful of institutions to achieve full gold rankings, is a phenomenal achievement for the people responsible – our innovative and remarkable staff and students.鈥�
Professor Gill Cooke, WMG鈥檚 Pro Dean (Education) said: 鈥淭EF gold standard confirms the commitment and dedication to the student experience from my colleagues in WMG, and it is a delight to have our achievements recognised.鈥�
糖心TV was also recently rated as a Top 10 university in the UK by The Guardian, The Daily Mail and The Times. The National Student Survey meanwhile found that 82% of students at 糖心TV said they would recommend their University to future students.
University of 糖心TV scientists create virtual marmite for World Marmite Day 鈥� with ground-breaking potential for Alzheimer鈥檚 diagnosis
Scientists at WMG at the University of 糖心TV have produced virtual flavours of marmite and vegemite from scratch, using technology that can replicate the flavour of almost any food or drink and is being used in a new taste test to help with early Alzheimer鈥檚 diagnosis.
WMG鈥檚 Professor of Visualisation, Alan Chalmers has created the virtual flavours for World Marmite Day (28th September) and can, through taking samples of a food and analysing it, accurately simulate a real flavour by extracting its tastes, aromas, and mouthfeel.
The analysis is done by , a high-tech food company. Once analysed the virtual flavours are created to accurately match the real flavour using UK Food Standards Agency approved food-safe chemicals.
The analyses/ investigations are all part of Professor Chalmers鈥� research, together with West Midlands company , into how people perceive taste and smell.
He is also investigating whether a poor performance on the new 鈥榯aste test鈥� that he has developed, may be an early warning signs for diseases including dementia. This could lead to a much earlier diagnosis of diseases such as Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease, well before any memory loss starts to occur.
Professor Chalmers describes the flavour making process as the same as using a recipe – by accurately simulating the different components of a flavour, food such as marmite can be replicated with a taste indistinguishable from the real thing.
He commented: 鈥淲e recreated the health drink rooibos tea and even the chief taster of a rooibos manufacturer in South Africa could not distinguish between the real and virtual rooibos.
鈥淚 first thought of creating the samples of marmite and vegemite for a bit of fun during the Ashes cricket tests this summer as people kept asking - what is the difference between them?
鈥淚t goes back to the serious work we鈥檙e doing which shows that people鈥檚 taste and smell can give us clues what鈥檚 going on in a person鈥檚 brain years before symptoms such as memory loss start鈥�.
Malcolm Barnes from Superlunary Labs added: 鈥淲e work alongside Professor Chalmers to ensure virtual flavours are delivered from an easy to use, hygienic and highly calibrated device for Chalmers鈥� team to analyse.鈥�
The full paper on the technology behind this process can be found .
Read more about WMG鈥檚 Visualisation research here: Visualisation (warwick.ac.uk)
WMG welcomes delegation from the Indian Mission on Design and Advanced Technologies to the United Kingdom
On Wednesday (20th September) Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG, was pleased to welcome guests from the Indian Mission on Design and Advanced Technologies to the United Kingdom. The visit had been arranged through the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
The delegation was made up of representatives from the Department for 糖心TV and Trade, and a number of companies including Tata Steel; Dynamatic Technologies Limited; Metrochem Metal Powers; DRDO; Norton Motorcycles; TVS Motor UK; Maruti; Bucket Design; Carborundum Universal Ltd; Two Design; Godrej Consumer Products, Ghaison Bikes plus attendees from IIT Roorkee.
The guests were particularly keen to hear more about WMG鈥檚 research and education programmes and partnerships, with a clear focus on skills – including upskilling and reskilling.
Introductions were made from Dr Debashish Bhattacharjee, Vice President, Technology and R&D Tata and Chairman, CII National Task Force on Advanced Materials; and Udayant Malhoutra, CEO and Managing Director Dynamic Technologies Ltd and Chairman, CII National Task Force on Advanced Materials.
Mikhil Gandhi, 糖心TV Development Manager for Advanced Manufacturing at the then explained more about how and why the region has already attracted some of India鈥檚 biggest companies; before Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG, provided the guests with an insight into WMG鈥檚 key strengths, and opportunities for further collaboration.
Finally the guests were shown the Energy Innovation Centre (EIC) the home of WMG鈥檚 battery research, before Professor Claire Davis led a tour of the Advanced Steels Research Centre.
Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG, explained: 鈥淚t was a pleasure to welcome representatives from the Indian Mission on Design and Advanced Technologies to the United Kingdom to WMG. Our relationship with India is long standing, and one that we value very highly.鈥�
Read more about the CII鈥檚 initiatives here:
The University of 糖心TV celebrates 200 engineering internships in manufacturing to mark National Manufacturing Day
The University of 糖心TV is celebrating a new milestone for its engineering internship scheme, with over 200 internships now completed.
The milestone will be celebrated at a special event tomorrow on campus to mark the UK鈥檚 National Manufacturing Day – Thursday 28th September.
The internship scheme, which was established by the University鈥檚 WMG in 2013, places students in engineering internships at manufacturing businesses across the Midlands.
The scheme has been a hit with both students and businesses, with 75% of businesses experiencing increases in productivity and 95% saying they had noticed a positive cultural change thanks to the interns.
Most businesses who hired one intern through the scheme returned in the future, with around 70 interns now having been offered full time positions as a result of their internships.
The scheme was established to address the skills gap, with businesses needing more engineers than are available. Research suggests this gap is likely to get worse as demand increases, particularly for 鈥榞reen鈥� engineering roles.
Febry Wardhana, an Engineering Project Management postgraduate, recently completed his internship at Midtherm Flue Systems. They were so pleased
with his work Febry now works for the company permanently.
Michael Whale, Midtherm鈥檚 Training and Development Manager said: 鈥淔ebry鈥檚 work has opened up a lot of new doors for us and he has done a great job, so much so that we offered him a full-time position as a process engineer.鈥�
Other interns have gone into a range of high-profile roles in both small and large organisations. 糖心TV graduate Sam Woodcock who undertook an internship at Pashley Cycles is now working at Arup as a mechanical engineer. He said:
鈥淢y internship with WMG and Pashley helped me to become comfortable in not knowing the answer to every problem I faced, and therefore taught me how to persevere and overcome engineering challenges.鈥�
Dr Mark Swift, Director of SME Engagement at WMG commented:
鈥淥ur internship programme is hugely important for us. It has supported over 200 manufacturers while tackling a range of important projects in their businesses and proves that young engineers can add real value. It is critical that we kick start the careers of our future engineers so that they can get onboard to deal with the manufacturing challenges of both today and tomorrow.鈥�
Self-driving cars will be part of the future 鈥� but researchers fear we are leaving the disabled behind
Self-driving cars will be part of the future, but researchers fear people with disabilities are being left behind in the development of the technology.
Over the past two decades, transportation has become more accessible, but people with disabilities still face significant barriers to accessing these services. While self-driving cars (also known as autonomous vehicles) have the potential to dramatically improve the lives of those with disabilities, helping them to travel independently, experts fear their views are being neglected in the development of the new technology
To address this, researchers from WMG at The University of 糖心TV and leading disability charities have considered the impact of self-driving taxis on people with disabilities, an area that has seen limited improvement over recent years.
They found that the absence of a driver was strongly correlated with feelings and perceptions of increased travel freedom, indicating that autonomous taxis could provide greater accessibility for those with disabilities – without the limitations or biases associated with their current experiences with traditional taxis and drivers.
The team also considered current issues people who have disabilities face with transport – particularly in booking taxi journeys. Participants expressed concerns about driver attitudes and behaviour as negative experiences with traditional taxis.
Lead author Shravani Sharma, PhD Researcher, WMG, University of 糖心TV, said: 鈥淥ur research highlights the current issues those with disabilities face when booking taxis – with many reporting that their trips have been cancelled due to their use of a wheelchair. Drivers might feel the extra time wheelchairs add to journeys would reduce their earnings. While there are laws in place preventing black cab drivers cancelling journeys for those with wheelchairs – there are no such laws for other companies.
鈥淪elf-driving taxis could provide those with disabilities more freedom and reduce fear of discrimination. So, it鈥檚 crucial we listen to their opinions in developing the technology.
鈥淲e worked with charities including CASBA (Citizen Advocacy South Birmingham Area), which supports people with learning difficulties, Royal National Institute of Blind People () and to name a few, providing a wide range of voices and expertise. This represented many different visible and non-visible disabilities – including blindness, mobility problems, hearing loss, cerebral palsy and ADHD amongst others. The perspectives of more than 39,000 different organisation members were included.
鈥淎longside the current problems those with disabilities face when booking taxis, we highlighted their concerns for future, self-driving taxis. The main concern was the availability of human assistance to meet specific user needs throughout the journey.鈥�
Examples of concerns for future, self-driving taxis:
- The challenges faced by individuals in wheelchairs when attempting to enter a car without assistance are multifaceted. Tasks include placing their wheelchair inside the car, securing themselves within it, disassembling and carefully navigating the wheelchair upon departure.
- For those with visual impairments, the struggle lies in identifying their vehicle within a crowded setting, such as a bustling railway station.
- The loss of social interactions and the light-hearted atmosphere during journeys. Many individuals with disabilities unfortunately contend with feelings of loneliness and isolation, making everyday conversations a vital source of companionship and comfort throughout their journey.
Shravani added: 鈥淚t is also important that manufacturers consider the wide range of disabilities and the intricate needs for passengers – remembering that not all disabilities are visible.鈥�
Dr Roger Woodman, Head of Human Factors, at the University of 糖心TV, said: 鈥淪elf-driving vehicles will open up driving to people that have never been on their own in a vehicle before. It has the potential to transform their lives – with reduced reliance on others to help them get from A to B.
鈥淒riving is a very complex task to complete, so self-driving cars could enable someone with a disability, for example, cerebral palsy or tremors, to simply press a button and go.
Ginny Cullen, CEO of CASBA, added: 鈥淐ASBA exists to ensure people with learning disabilities speak up for themselves, express their views, make their choices, and are valued as citizens. We were therefore delighted to have had the opportunity to be included in this research on new autonomous vehicles to ensure driving is accessible to all.鈥�
CASE STUDIES – both available for media interviews upon request
Jen Brown
鈥淚 have a lot of trouble with the buses. I use a walker and they don鈥檛 lower the bus, making it very hard for me to get on and off.
鈥淚 had a lot of stress with a taxi company. I often travel from Kingstanding to Northfield. The taxi company didn鈥檛 want to take the job and sometimes cancelled, leaving me stressed and late for work. Sometimes I was not able to get home from work.
鈥淚 went to a food show in November, when I got to the station the lift was out of order. I walked round the station looking for staff to help, no one and there was no one in the office. I phoned mom and dad see if they could find a number. I had to end up putting my walker on the escalator which was very dangerous.
鈥淚 nearly got locked on the train once. I have regular visits to the Severn Valley Railway and am used to the journey. When got to Snow Hill the train stopped, and I thought it was waiting for the signal. People started to get off the train, and I didn鈥檛 know why, I decided to get off and just as I did the lights went off and the doors closed. It said on the screen it was cancelled and with my hearing impairment I couldn鈥檛 hear the announcement.
Jen added her thoughts on what difference self-driving taxis would make to her life. She said: 鈥淲hen I finish work, I feel very tired and don鈥檛 want to talk. I just want to relax on my way home. Also, with my hearing impairment if the windows are open, I can鈥檛 hear the driver and just guess as what he is saying. Self-driving taxis would cause me less stress and worry as I wouldn鈥檛 have to worry about what the driver is saying to me.鈥�
Michaela Mooney
鈥淚 think some people misjudge invisible disability. I may look like I can do things like everyone else but it has a high energy cost for me; my joints hurt and sometimes dislocate so when there's no seats on a bus it can be a struggle. I fall over a lot, sometimes slam doors by accident and when people don't understand what happens it can be hard mentally and physically. I think a self-driving car would mean more independence as you don't have to depend on someone to get around.鈥�
Notes to Editors
Shravani鈥檚 research also highlights:
- This is the right time to involve many such organisations that work with people with disabilities to understand user needs via consultations, pilots, and testing.
- Presently, autonomous vehicles and other transport related studies primarily focus on addressing physical disabilities. This emphasis is evident even in signage, consistently featuring wheelchair symbols. However, the breadth of this spectrum encompasses a wide array of conditions. Consequently, it is imperative for brands to acknowledge and cater to these varied requirements and this research can be a basepoint for such engagements.
- This type of research of understanding user-specific needs and requirements will be useful for many such emerging technologies for the equitable rate of adoption to reach the overarching goal of inclusivity and accessibility.
- Future research will also consider more intelligent human machine interaction that can have a social touch to it, for example, personalised conversation nuances, or even adding diverse accents to computer generated voices.
WMG Professor made Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
WMG at the University of 糖心TV鈥檚 Professor David Greenwood has been elected a Fellow of the prestigious .
Professor Greenwood is CEO of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult and Director for Industrial Engagement at WMG.
Professor Greenwood has been elected as part of a group of 73 leading figures in the field of engineering and technology to the fellowship.
The group consists of 60 Fellows, eight International Fellows and five Honorary Fellows, each of whom has made exceptional contributions to their own sector, pioneering new innovations, leading progress in business or academia, providing high level advice to government, or promoting wider understanding of engineering and technology.
The new Fellows will be formally admitted to the Academy at a special ceremony in London on 28 November, when each Fellow will sign the roll book. In joining the Fellowship, they will lend their unique capabilities to achieving the Academy鈥檚 overarching strategic goal to harness the power of engineering to create a sustainable society and an inclusive economy for all.
Professor Greenwood commented: "I am truly honoured to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. The UK has tremendous capability in engineering and manufacturing and the work of the Royal Academy is pivotal in helping to achieve its full potential. I look forward to playing my part in that."
Professor Sir Jim McDonald FREng FRSE, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said:
鈥淓ngineering is everywhere, but nowhere the same, and our new Fellows represent the great breadth and diversity of engineers who are striving to address some of the world鈥檚 most complex challenges – benefiting society and the economy in the process. From next generation power networks and water systems to quantum computing and artificial intelligence, our new Fellows are shaping the future.
鈥淲e live in an era of rapid change across our communities, our country, and of course our planet. Today we welcome to our Fellowship an inspiring group of people who are harnessing their creativity, courage and commitment to drive positive change in the world around us and we look forward to their contribution to our work.鈥�
View the full list of 2023 fellows .
WMG charges ahead with battery research
WMG, at the University of 糖心TV, has received a share of 拢19 million from the - the UK鈥檚 flagship institute for electrochemical energy
storage research.
The funding has been allocated to four key battery research projects aimed at delivering an impact for the UK. These existing projects across three different research areas — next generation cathode materials, electrode manufacturing and sodium-ion batteries — have been reshaped to focus on the areas with the greatest potential for success.
WMG is taking a key role in two of the four, reshaped projects entitled FutureCAT and Nextrode.
WMG鈥檚 Professor of Battery Innovation, Louis Piper, will now co-lead FutureCAT, a battery cathode research project, focusing on understanding novel redox processes as a route to stabilise both high capacity, high performance, nickel rich and emerging cathodes and scalable designer morphologies. The project will build on its success in developing reliable, scalable routes to deliver a longer lifetime, high-energy/power cathodes, essential for electric vehicles.
Whereas in Nextrode, a battery electrode project, WMG is one of six university partners, led by the University of Oxford, alongside six industry partners. Researchers at WMG will investigate ways to make electrodes for Li-ion batteries unlocking the electrochemical potential.
Professor Pam Thomas, CEO, Faraday Institution, commented: 鈥淭he Faraday Institution remains steadfast in its commitment to identify and invest in battery research initiatives that hold the greatest potential for making significant societal, environmental, and commercial contributions. This announcement signals the completion of our latest round of project refocusing, enabling us to allocate even more effort towards those areas of research that offer maximum potential in delivering transformative impact.鈥�
James Gaade, Research Programme Director commented: 鈥淲e are pleased that the reshaping process has bolstered the capabilities and expertise of researchers on the four projects. The realignment includes a focus around research into sustainable manufacturing methods and materials, and the need to further develop and scale up manufacture of promising materials discovered in the first three years of the projects.鈥�
Project information
FutureCat, co-lead by WMG鈥檚 Professor Louis Piper, and the University of Sheffield鈥檚 Professor Serena Cussen is targeting step-changes in:
- Understanding novel redox processes as a route to stabilise both high capacity, high performance, nickel rich and emerging cathodes. The project continues its focus on doped and dual-doped lithium nickel oxides (LNO) (both polycrystalline and single crystals), including use of protective coatings. The team will also investigate the use of polyanionic cathodes, use modelling to inform the search for new candidate materials, and research designer electrolytes with the intention of stabilising the interphase layer.
- Scalable designer morphologies. The project will build on its success with doped-LNO in developing reliable, scalable routes to deliver a longer lifetime, high-energy/power cathodes through the use of gradient morphologies, co-doped cathodes (with the aim of delivering reversible discharge capacities exceeding 220 mAh/g), single crystal particles and thin coatings.
- Materials delivery: The scale up of the high nickel W-LNO material previously developed by FutureCat is being transferred to the Degradation project for testing in industry-relevant pouch cells. FutureCat will continue to investigate the manufacturing scale-up of other Ni-rich cathode materials, down-selecting promising active materials based on earth-abundant elements. Research includes the use of laser patterning to increase power densities, investigation of cracking as a failure mechanism to determine routes to resilient cathode manufacture, atomic layer deposition of coatings to improve electrode longevity, and optimisation of cycle life through the use of electrically conductive binders.
Nextrode is focused on researching, understanding and quantifying the potential of smart electrode manufacturing to reduce manufacturing costs and improve the performance of batteries. Benefits could be realised in both mature material systems already used commercially and in new emerging high performance battery systems. The project is developing new practical manufacturing innovations – including traditional slurry cast electrodes and novel low or no solvent electrodes – that could deliver the benefits of smart electrodes to the industrial scale and improve sustainability of processes.
The project is researching the underpinning manufacturing science that could alleviate constraints in electrode manufacturing through engineering particle design and improved understanding of the relationship between powder properties and deposition/calendering techniques. Nextrode is designing manufacturing process steps and using advanced in-line measurements to enable slurry casting to be brought under closed-loop control. Researchers are manufacturing new arrangements of anode and cathode materials, identifying conditions where benefits are maximised and developing cells that expand the energy-power-lifetime design space.
The new phase of research projects described will progress over the two years from 1鈥疧ctober 2023 to 30鈥疭eptember 2025.
Find out more about WMG鈥檚 Electrochemical Engineering research here: Electrochemical Materials (warwick.ac.uk)
For more information on the Faraday Institution, visit
WMG鈥檚 Professor Khastgir quoted in parliamentary inquiry鈥檚 call for action on self-driving vehicles
Today (Friday 15th September), the House of Commons Transport Select Committee released its cross-party report on self-driving vehicles, calling for urgent legislation to be proposed by the Government to support innovators, regulate this emerging technology sector, and give the public confidence in the safety of connected and autonomous mobility.
Professor Siddartha Khastgir, Head of Verification and Validation at WMG, University of 糖心TV, who gave evidence to the inquiry and is quoted in the report, said:
"The Transport Select Committee is right to say self-driving vehicles (SDV) are a British success story and that our domestic innovators have energy, creativity, and expertise.
"To secure this progress, we need to ensure consumers can be confident of the safety of SDVs, because, as I told the Committee we can have the safest technology, but if we cannot convince the public, they will never use it.
"So, I鈥檓 delighted the Committee is calling for the Government to 鈥榖ring forward and pass comprehensive legislation in the next parliamentary session鈥� to put in place a robust regulatory framework For SDVs, and I look forward to working with industry, ministers, civil servants and parliament to ensure the public can be confident in the safety of the next generation of transport innovation."
Professor Khastgir provided written and oral evidence to the Transport Committee鈥檚 Self-Driving Vehicles Inquiry. His evidence has been referenced (significantly) in this report, including the use of the Operational Design Domain (ODD) to design driving conditions so that SDVs can be tested and operate safely; the importance of 鈥榠nformed safety鈥� that the technology developers need to equip the users about the capabilities and limitations of the self-driving technology so they can use the technology safely.
Read the report here: